The 32nd Dáil was elected at the 2016 general election on 26 February and first met at 10.30 a.m. on 10 March 2016.[1] The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. The 32nd Dáil was dissolved by President Michael D. Higgins on 14 January 2020, at the request of the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.[2] The 32nd Dáil lasted 1,406 days.
| 32nd Dáil | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||
 | |||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||
| Legislative body | Dáil Éireann | ||||||||||
| Jurisdiction | Ireland | ||||||||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||||||||
| Term | 10 March 2016 – 14 January 2020 | ||||||||||
| Election | 2016 general election | ||||||||||
| Government |
| ||||||||||
| Members | 158 | ||||||||||
| Ceann Comhairle | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | ||||||||||
| Leas-Cheann Comhairle | Pat Gallagher | ||||||||||
| Taoiseach | Leo Varadkar — Enda Kenny until 14 June 2017 | ||||||||||
| Tánaiste | Simon Coveney — Frances Fitzgerald until 28 November 2017 | ||||||||||
| Chief Whip | Seán Kyne | ||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Micheál Martin | ||||||||||
| Sessions | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Composition of the 32nd Dáil
edit| Party | Feb. 2016[na 1] | Jan. 2020[na 2] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ● | Fine Gael | 50 | 47 |
| C | Fianna Fáil | 44 | 45 |
| Sinn Féin | 23 | 22 | |
| Labour | 7 | 7 | |
| Solidarity–PBP[na 3] | 6 | 6 | |
| Independents 4 Change | 4 | 1 | |
| Social Democrats | 3 | 2 | |
| Green | 2 | 3 | |
| Aontú | — | 1 | |
| Independent[nb 1] | 19 | 22 | |
| Ceann Comhairle | — | 1 | |
| Vacant | — | 1 | |
| Total | 158 | ||
Government party denoted with bullet (●)
Party giving confidence and supply denoted by C.
- Notes
Leadership
edit.jpg)
The first act of the 32nd Dáil was the election of the Ceann Comhairle. This was the first time the Ceann Comhairle was elected by secret ballot.
- Ceann Comhairle: Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Fianna Fáil)
- Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Pat "the Cope" Gallagher (Fianna Fáil)
Government
edit- Taoiseach
- Enda Kenny (6 May 2016 – 14 June 2017)
- Leo Varadkar (14 June 2017 – 14 January 2020)
- Tánaiste
- Frances Fitzgerald (6 May 2016 – 28 November 2017)
- Simon Coveney (30 November 2017 – 14 January 2020)
Opposition
edit- Opposition Front Bench
- Leader of the Opposition and Leader of Fianna Fáil: Micheál Martin
- Leader of Sinn Féin: Gerry Adams (2016–2018), Mary Lou McDonald (2018–2020)
- Leader of the Labour Party: Brendan Howlin
- Leader of the Green Party: Eamon Ryan
- Leader of the Social Democrats: Catherine Murphy & Róisín Shortall
Oireachtas Committees
edit| Committee | Position | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture, Food and the Marine | Chair | Pat Deering | Fine Gael | |
| Budgetary Oversight | Chair | John Paul Phelan | Fine Gael | |
| Children and Youth Affairs | Chair | Alan Farrell | Fine Gael | |
| Communications, Climate Action and the Environment | Chair | Hildegarde Naughton | Fine Gael | |
| Education and Social Protection | Chair | Fiona O'Loughlin | Fianna Fáil | |
| European Union Affairs | Chair | Michael Healy-Rae | Independent | |
| Vice Chair | Terry Leyden | Fianna Fáil | ||
| Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach | Chair | John McGuinness | Fianna Fáil | |
| Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defense | Chair | Brendan Smith | Fianna Fáil | |
| Vice Chair | Maureen O'Sullivan | Independent | ||
| Future of Healthcare | Chair | Róisín Shortall | Social Democrats | |
| Health | Chair | Michael Harty | Independent | |
| Housing, Planning and Local Government | Chair | Noel Rock | Fine Gael | |
| Housing and Homelessness | Chair | John Curran | Fianna Fáil | |
| Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement | Chair | Kathleen Funchion | Sinn Féin | |
| Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands | Chair | Catherine Connolly | Independent | |
| Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation | Chair | Mary Butler | Fianna Fáil | |
| Justice and Equality | Chair | Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin | Sinn Féin | |
| Members' Interests of Dáil Éireann | Chair | Maria Bailey | Fine Gael | |
| Petitions | Chair | Seán Sherlock | Labour Party | |
| Procedure and Privileges (Dáil) | Chair | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | Fianna Fáil | |
| – Sub-Committee on Dáil Reform | Chair | Seán Ó Fearghaíl | Fianna Fáil | |
| Public Accounts Committee | Chair | Seán Fleming | Fianna Fáil | |
| Vice Chair | Alan Kelly | Labour Party | ||
| Rural Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht | Chair | Peadar Tóibín | Sinn Féin | |
| Social Protection | Chair | John Curran | Fianna Fáil | |
| Transport, Tourism and Sport | Chair | Brendan Griffin | Fine Gael | |
List of TDs
editThis is a list of TDs elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2016 general election. The Changes table below records changes in membership and party affiliation.
Technical groups
editIn the wake of the 2016 general election, which saw a significant increase in the number of TDs elected as independents or from small parties in the 32nd Dáil, the Dáil standing orders were extensively revised to reduce the minimum number for formation of a technical group from seven TDs to five, and to allow multiple technical groups to exist in parallel. In January 2018, there were three groups; Independents 4 Change Group (7), Social Democrats–Green Party Group (5) and the Rural Independents Group (7).[3]
Independents 4 Change Group
editSocial Democrats–Green Party Group
editRural Independents Group
edit| Party | Name[4] | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent (7) | Michael Collins | Cork South-West | |
| Noel Grealish | Galway West | ||
| Danny Healy-Rae | Kerry | ||
| Michael Healy-Rae | Kerry | ||
| Michael Harty | Clare | ||
| Michael Lowry | Tipperary | ||
| Mattie McGrath | Tipperary | ||
Outgoing Senators elected to Dáil
editSenators elected to the Dáil left their Seanad seats vacant for the remaining weeks of the 24th Seanad.
- Thomas Byrne (FF) (previously a TD from 2007 to 2011)
- David Cullinane (SF)
- Michael W. D'Arcy (FG) (previously a TD from 2007 to 2011)
- Marc MacSharry (FF)
- Hildegarde Naughton (FG)
- Darragh O'Brien (FF) (previously a TD from 2007 to 2011)
- Katherine Zappone (Ind)
Firsts
editFor the first time, two siblings were elected to Dáil Éireann from the same constituency: Michael and Danny Healy-Rae for Kerry.[5]
Having become the first openly lesbian member of the Oireachtas and the first member in a recognised same-sex relationship with her Seanad nomination in 2011, Katherine Zappone also became the first openly lesbian Teachta Dála (TD) after being elected to the Dáil in 2016, and later the first openly lesbian member of government.[6]
Independents 4 Change, the Social Democrats and Aontú had their first TDs.
On 14 June 2017 Leo Varadkar became the first openly gay Taoiseach.[7]
Malcolm Byrne became the first openly gay man to win a by-election, and the first openly gay Fianna Fáil TD.
Changes
edit| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 March 2016 | Kildare South | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | Seán Ó Fearghaíl is elected as Ceann Comhairle.[8] | ||
| 26 July 2016 | Dublin Bay North | Inds. 4 Change | Independent | Tommy Broughan leaves Independents 4 Change. | ||
| 5 September 2016 | Wicklow | Social Democrats | Independent | Stephen Donnelly leaves the Social Democrats. | ||
| 2 February 2017 | Wicklow | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Stephen Donnelly joins Fianna Fáil. | ||
| 22 March 2018 | Offaly | Sinn Féin | Independent | Carol Nolan was suspended from Sinn Féin for voting against legislation to allow for a referendum on repealing the Eighth Amendment.[9] She resigned from Sinn Féin in June 2018. | ||
| 2 October 2018 | Louth | Fine Gael | Independent | Peter Fitzpatrick resigns from Fine Gael.[10] | ||
| 15 November 2018 | Meath West | Sinn Féin | Independent | Peadar Tóibín resigns from Sinn Féin.[11] | ||
| 28 January 2019 | Meath West | Independent | Aontú | Peadar Tóibín founds a new political party called Aontú.[12] | ||
| 1 July 2019 | Dublin Fingal | Inds. 4 Change | Resignation of Clare Daly after her election to the European Parliament.[13] | |||
| 1 July 2019 | Dublin Mid-West | Fine Gael | Resignation of Frances Fitzgerald after her election to the European Parliament.[13] | |||
| 1 July 2019 | Cork North-Central | Fianna Fáil | Resignation of Billy Kelleher after his election to the European Parliament.[13] | |||
| 1 July 2019 | Wexford | Inds. 4 Change | Resignation of Mick Wallace after his election to the European Parliament.[13] | |||
| 30 November 2019 | Dublin Mid-West | Sinn Féin | Mark Ward wins the Dublin Mid-West by-election, taking the seat vacated by the resignation of Frances Fitzgerald. | |||
| 30 November 2019 | Cork North-Central | Fianna Fáil | Pádraig O'Sullivan wins the Cork North-Central by-election, taking the seat vacated by the resignation of Billy Kelleher. | |||
| 30 November 2019 | Wexford | Fianna Fáil | Malcolm Byrne wins the Wexford by-election, taking the seat vacated by the resignation of Mick Wallace. | |||
| 30 November 2019 | Dublin Fingal | Green | Joe O'Brien wins the Dublin Fingal by-election, taking the seat vacated by the resignation of Clare Daly. | |||
| 3 December 2019 | Cork North-Central | Fine Gael | Resignation of Dara Murphy. | |||
See also
editFootnotes
edit- ^ This includes 7 TDs in the Rural Technical Group, 3 of 7 TDs in the Independents for Change Technical Group and 6 members of the Independent Alliance, as well as Seamus Healy, Denis Naughten and Katherine Zappone.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az TD who was elected for the first time at the 2016 general election.
- ^ a b c d e f Campaigned under the banner of the Independent Alliance, but appeared as a normal Independent on the ballot paper.
References
edit- ^ "Election 2016: President Higgins dissolves 31st Dáil". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
- ^ "General Election to take place in February after Dáil dissolved". RTÉ News. 14 January 2020. Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 14 January 2020.
- ^ "Three new technical groups to form for new Dáil term". The Irish Times. 27 May 2016. Archived from the original on 8 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ^ "Dáil and Seanad Chamber Seating Plans". Oireachtas.ie. Archived from the original on 28 January 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ^ McGuill, Dan (28 February 2016). "Michael and Danny will be the first siblings elected to the same constituency". TheJournal.ie. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
- ^ "Ireland's first lesbian TD hopes to represent LGBT community in Dáil". 4 March 2016. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
- ^ Armstrong, Kelly (2 June 2017). "'Significant step for equality'- the world reacts to Leo Varadkar becoming the new Fine Gael leader - Independent.ie". Independent.ie. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
- ^ "Selection of Candidate and Election of Ceann Comhairle – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) – Thursday, 10 March 2016". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ Simpson, Claire (22 March 2018). "Sinn Féin TD Carol Nolan suspended from party over abortion vote". The Irish News. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
- ^ "'Isolated' Peter Fitzpatrick resigns from Fine Gael". RTÉ News. 2 October 2018. Archived from the original on 2 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ Hennessy, Michelle (15 November 2018). "Peadar Tóibín resigns from Sinn Féin and hints about setting up a new party". thejournal.ie. Archived from the original on 15 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ Lehane, Mícheál (28 January 2019). "Tóibín reveals name of new political party". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d Loughlin, Elaine (27 June 2019). "New MEPs say goodbye to Dail politics; Billy Kelleher pays tribute to people of Cork North Central". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2019.