November 1982 Irish general election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = November 1982 Irish general election

| country = Ireland

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = February 1982 Irish general election

| previous_year = {{nowrap|Feb 1982}}

| previous_mps = 23rd Dáil

| next_election = 1987 Irish general election

| next_year = 1987

| seats_for_election = 166 seats in Dáil Éireann{{efn|name=CC|Including John O'Connell (Ind), returned automatically for Dublin South-Central as outgoing Ceann Comhairle, under Art. 16.6 of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 1963, as amended.{{cite Irish legislation|year=1980|number=40|name=Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1980|date=23 December 1980|section=1|stitle=Amendment of section 14 of Electoral Act 1963}}{{cite web |title=24th Dáil 1982 November: Dublin South-Central |url=https://www.electionsireland.org/result.cfm?election=1982nov&cons=103 |website=ElectionsIreland.org |access-date=10 August 2022}}}}

| majority_seats = 84

| election_date = 24 November 1982

| elected_mps = 24th Dáil

| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Charles Haughey, 1990.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}

| leader1 = Charles Haughey

| leader_since1 = 7 December 1979

| party1 = Fianna Fáil

| leaders_seat1 = Dublin North-Central

| last_election1 = 81 seats, 47.3%

| seats1 = 75

| seat_change1 = {{decrease}} 6

| popular_vote1 = 763,313

| percentage1 = 45.2%

| swing1 = {{decrease}} 2.1 pp

| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image =Garret FitzGerald 1975 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}

| leader2 = Garret FitzGerald

| leader_since2 = 1977

| party2 = Fine Gael

| leaders_seat2 = Dublin South-East

| last_election2 = 63 seats, 37.3%

| seats2 = 70

| seat_change2 = {{increase}} 7

| popular_vote2 = 662,284

| percentage2 = 39.2%

| swing2 = {{increase}} 1.9 pp

| image4 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Dick Spring, April 1995 02 (cropped).jpg|bSize=130|cWidth=120|cHeight=160|oTop=0|oLeft=5}}

| leader4 = Dick Spring

| leader_since4 = November 1982

| party4 = Labour Party (Ireland)

| leaders_seat4 = Kerry North

| last_election4 = {{nowrap|15 seats, 9.1%}}

| seats4 = 16

| seat_change4 = {{increase}} 1

| popular_vote4 = 158,115

| percentage4 = 9.4%

| swing4 = {{increase}} 0.3 pp

| image5 = {{CSS image crop|Image =MacGiolla cropped.jpg|bSize = 140|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 7}}

| leader5 = Tomás Mac Giolla

| leader_since5 = 1977

| party5 = Workers' Party (Ireland)

| leaders_seat5 = Dublin West

| last_election5 = 3 seats, 2.2%

| seats5 = 2

| seat_change5 = {{decrease}} 1

| popular_vote5 = 54,888

| percentage5 = 3.3%

| swing5 = {{increase}} 1.0 pp

| map_image = {{switcher

| 300px

| Election results and first-preference votes in each constituency.

| 300px

| Number of seats gained by each party in each constituency.}}

| title = Taoiseach

| posttitle = Taoiseach after election

| before_election = Charles Haughey

| before_party = Fianna Fáil

| after_election = Garret FitzGerald

| after_party = Fine Gael

| turnout = 72.9% {{decrease}} 0.9 pp

}}

The November 1982 Irish general election to the 24th Dáil was held on Wednesday, 24 November, three weeks after the dissolution of the 23rd Dáil on 4 November by President Patrick Hillery, on the request of Taoiseach Charles Haughey following a defeat of the government in a motion of confidence. The general election took place in 41 Dáil constituencies throughout Ireland for 166 seats in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas.

The 24th Dáil met at Leinster House on 14 December to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. Garret FitzGerald was appointed Taoiseach, forming the 19th government of Ireland, a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party.

Campaign

The second general election of 1982 took place just nine months after the election in February of the same year. It was the first time there had been three general elections within eighteen months.{{Cite journal |last=O'Leary |first=Cornelius |date=1983 |title=The Irish general election (November 1982) |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0261379483900616 |journal=Electoral Studies |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=171–175 |doi=10.1016/0261-3794(83)90061-6 |issn=0261-3794}}

The general election was caused by the loss of support of the Independent Teachta Dála (TD) Tony Gregory and the Workers' Party for the Fianna Fáil government. This was due to the government introducing substantial budget cuts, which the left-wing TDs would not support. While economic issues dominated the campaign, the parties were weary of having to fight yet another general election.

Result

{{Irish general election header

|elec_no = 24th

|elec_date = 24 November

|elec_year = 1982

|sp_month = November

|note ={{cite web |title=Election results and transfer of votes in general election (November, 1982) for twenty-fourth Dáil and bye-elections to twenty-third Dáil (March–November, 1982) |url=https://opac.oireachtas.ie/Data/Library3/Official%20Publications/pdf/24thDail_Nov1982_ByeElections23rd.pdf |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |publisher=Dublin Stationery Office |date=August 1983}}{{cite web|url=http://electionsireland.org/results/general/24dail.cfm|title=24th Dáil November 1982 General Election|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=4 July 2009|archive-date=4 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090604224928/http://electionsireland.org/results/general/24dail.cfm|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/gdala.htm|title=Dáil elections since 1918|work=ARK Northern Ireland|access-date=4 July 2009|archive-date=27 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127122828/https://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/gdala.htm|url-status=live}}{{cite book|author-link1=Dieter Nohlen|first1=Dieter|last1=Nohlen|first2=Philip|last2=Stöver|date=2010 |title=Elections in Europe: A data handbook|pages=1009–1017|isbn=978-3-8329-5609-7}}

|image = File:Irish general election nov 1982.svg

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Fianna Fáil

|leader = Charles Haughey

|seats = 75

|seats_chg = –6

|seats_% = 45.2

|fpv = 763,313

|fpv_% = 45.2

|fpv_chg = –2.1

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Fine Gael

|leader = Garret FitzGerald

|seats = 70

|seats_chg = +7

|seats_% = 42.2

|fpv = 662,284

|fpv_% = 39.2

|fpv_chg = +1.9

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Labour Party (Ireland)

|leader = Dick Spring

|seats = 16

|seats_chg = +1

|seats_% = 9.6

|fpv = 158,115

|fpv_% = 9.4

|fpv_chg = +0.3

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Workers' Party (Ireland)

|leader = Tomás Mac Giolla

|seats = 2

|seats_chg = –1

|seats_% = 1.2

|fpv = 54,888

|fpv_% = 3.3

|fpv_chg = +1.0

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Democratic Socialist Party (Ireland)

|leader = Jim Kemmy

|seats = 0

|seats_chg = New

|seats_% = 0

|fpv = 7,012

|fpv_% = 0.4

|fpv_chg = –

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Ecology Party of Ireland

|leader =

|seats = 0

|seats_chg = New

|seats_% = 0

|fpv = 3,716

|fpv_% = 0.2

|fpv_chg = –

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Irish Republican Socialist Party

|leader = Jim Lane

|seats = 0

|seats_chg = 0

|seats_% = 0

|fpv = 398

|fpv_% = 0.0

|fpv_chg = -0.2

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Communist Party of Ireland

|leader = Eugene McCartan

|seats = 0

|seats_chg = 0

|seats_% = 0

|fpv = 259

|fpv_% = 0.0

|fpv_chg = 0

}}

{{Irish general election party

|party = Independent politician (Ireland)

|leader = N/A

|seats = 3{{efn|name=CC}}

|seats_chg = –1

|seats_% = 1.2

|fpv = 38,735

|fpv_% = 2.3

|fpv_chg = –0.5

}}

{{Irish general election spoilt

|votes = 12,665

}}

{{Irish general election total

|seats = 166

|seats_chg = 0

|fpv = 1,701,385

}}

{{Irish general election electorate

|electorate = 2,335,153

|turnout = 72.9%

}}

Independents include Independent Fianna Fáil (7,997 votes, 1 seat).

=Voting summary=

{{bar box

|title=First preference vote

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=600px

|barwidth=350px

|bars=

{{bar percent|Fianna Fáil|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|45.20}}

{{bar percent|Fine Gael|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|39.22}}

{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|9.36}}

{{bar percent|Workers'|{{party color|Workers' Party (Ireland)}}|3.25}}

{{bar percent|Independent|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|2.29}}

}}

=Seats summary=

{{bar box

|title=Dáil seats

|titlebar=#ddd

|width=600px

|barwidth=350px

|bars=

{{bar percent|Fianna Fáil|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|45.18}}

{{bar percent|Fine Gael|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|42.17}}

{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|9.64}}

{{bar percent|Workers'|{{party color|Workers' Party (Ireland)}}|1.20}}

{{bar percent|Independent|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|1.81}}

}}

Government formation

Fine Gael and the Labour Party formed the 19th government of Ireland, a majority coalition.

Fine Gael won 39.2% of the vote, the highest ever in its history. It also recorded its best election result until 2011, coming within five seats of Fianna Fáil; at other times (such as 1977) Fianna Fáil had been twice as big as Fine Gael. The Labour Party had a new leader with Dick Spring. A programme for government was quickly drawn up and Garret FitzGerald of Fine Gael became Taoiseach for the second time. The poor showing for Fianna Fáil resulted in a leadership challenge to Charles Haughey by his opponents within the party. Haughey won the vote of confidence and remained as leader.

Dáil membership changes

The following changes took place as a result of the election:

5 outgoing TDs retired
1 vacant seat at election time
159 outgoing TDs stood for re-election (also John O'Connell, the outgoing Ceann Comhairle who was automatically returned)
138 of those were re-elected
21 failed to be re-elected
27 successor TDs were elected
18 were elected for the first time
9 had previously been TDs
There were 6 successor female TDs, increasing the total by 6 to 14.
There were changes in 22 of the 41 constituencies contested

Where more than one change took place in a constituency the concept of successor is an approximation for presentation only.

class="wikitable"

style="background: #efefef;"

! scope="col" | Constituency

! scope="col" | Departing TD

! scope="col" colspan="2" | Party

! scope="col" | Change

! scope="col" | Comment

! scope="col" | Successor TD

! scope="col" colspan="2" | Party

rowspan=2| Carlow–Kilkenny

| Jim Gibbons

! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |

November 1982 Irish general election

Campaign

Result

=Voting summary=

=Seats summary=

Government formation

Dáil membership changes

Seanad election

Notes

References

External links

Further reading