| 21st Dáil | |||||||||||
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| Overview | |||||||||||
| Legislative body | Dáil Éireann | ||||||||||
| Jurisdiction | Ireland | ||||||||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||||||||
| Term | 5 July 1977 – 21 May 1981 | ||||||||||
| Election | 1977 general election | ||||||||||
| Government |
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| Members | 148 | ||||||||||
| Ceann Comhairle | Pádraig Faulkner —Joseph Brennan until 13 July 1980 | ||||||||||
| Taoiseach | Charles Haughey —Jack Lynch until 11 December 1979 | ||||||||||
| Tánaiste | George Colley | ||||||||||
| Chief Whip | Seán Moore —Michael Woods until 11 December 1979 —Patrick Lalor until 1 July 1979 | ||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Garret FitzGerald | ||||||||||
| Sessions | |||||||||||
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The21st Dáil was elected at the1977 general election on 16 June 1977 and met on 5 July 1977. The members ofDáil Éireann, thehouse of representatives of theOireachtas (legislature) ofIreland, are known asTDs. It sat with the14th Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.
The 21st Dáil saw a change ofTaoiseach fromJack Lynch toCharles Haughey. On 21 May 1981,PresidentPatrick Hillery dissolved the Dáil on the request of Taoiseach Charles Haughey. The 21st Dáil lasted 3 years, 320 days.
| Party | July 1977 | May 1981 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ● | Fianna Fáil | 84 | 81 |  3 |
| Fine Gael | 43 | 45 |  2 | |
| Labour | 17 | 16 | 1 | |
| Independent | 4 | 4 |  | |
| Ceann Comhairle | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Vacant | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 166 | |||
In July 1977, Fianna Fáil, denoted with a bullet (●), formed the15th government of Ireland, a majority government, led byJack Lynch asTaoiseach. In December 1979,Charles Haughey succeeded as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach, forming the16th government of Ireland.
This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 21st Dáil from July 1977. This was not the official seating plan.
On the meeting of the Dáil,Joseph Brennan (FF) was proposed by Jack Lynch (FF) and seconded byGeorge Colley (FF) for the position ofCeann Comhairle.Seán Treacy (Lab) was proposed byGarret FitzGerald (FG) and seconded byJoseph Bermingham (Lab) for the position. Brennan was elected by a vote of 84 to 60.[1]
Brennan died on 13 July 1980.[2] On 15 October 1980,Pádraig Faulkner (FF) was appointed Ceann Comhairle on a temporary basis.[3] On 16 October 1980, Faulkner was proposed by Jack Lynch for the position on a permanent basis, and was elected without a vote.[4]
The list of the 148 TDs elected is given in alphabetical order byDáil constituency.[5]
| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 July 1977 | Donegal | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | Joseph Brennan takes office as Ceann Comhairle[1] | ||
| 18 April 1979 | Cork North-East | Fianna Fáil | Death ofSeán Brosnan | |||
| 4 July 1979 | Cork City | Labour | Death ofPatrick Kerrigan | |||
| 7 November 1979 | Cork North-East | Fine Gael | Myra Barry wins seat vacated by the death of Brosnan | |||
| 7 November 1979 | Cork City | Fine Gael | Liam Burke wins seat vacated by the death of Kerrigan | |||
| 13 July 1980 | Donegal | Ceann Comhairle | Death ofJoseph Brennan | |||
| 16 October 1980 | Louth | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | Pádraig Faulkner takes office as Ceann Comhairle[4] | ||
| 6 November 1980 | Donegal | Fianna Fáil | Clement Coughlan holds seat vacated by the death of Brennan | |||
| 27 January 1981 | Tipperary North | Fianna Fáil | Resignation ofMichael O'Kennedy on appointment as EC Commissioner[6] | |||
On 11 February 1981, a motion to move the writ for the vacancy in Tipperary North was rejected on a vote of 40 to 66.[7]