# 28th Dáil

The 28th Dáil was elected at the 1997 general election on 6 June 1997 and met on 26 June 1997. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. It sat with the 21st Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.
The 28th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese on 25 April 2002, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. The 28th Dáil lasted 4 years, 303 days, the second longest after the 10th Dáil.

## Composition of the 28th Dáil

| Party | Party | June 1997 | Apr. 2002 | Change |
| ● | Fianna Fáil | 77 | 73 | 4 |
| | Fine Gael | 54 | 54 | |
| | Labour | 17 | 20 | 3 |
| ● | Progressive Democrats | 4 | 4 | |
| | Democratic Left | 4 | — | 4 |
| | Green | 2 | 2 | |
| | Sinn Féin | 1 | 1 | |
| | Socialist Party | 1 | 1 | |
| | Independent | 6 | 10 | 4 |
| | Ceann Comhairle | — | 1 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 166 | 166 | 166 |
Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, denoted with bullets (●), formed the 25th government of Ireland.

### Graphical representation

This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 28th Dáil from June 1997. This was not the official seating plan.

## Ceann Comhairle

On 26 June 1997, Séamus Pattison (Lab) was proposed by Dick Spring and seconded by Mary O'Rourke for the position of Ceann Comhairle. Pattison was approved without a vote.

## List of TDs

This is a list of TDs elected to Dáil Éireann in the 1997 general election, arranged by party. This table is a record of the 1997 general election results. The Changes table below records all changes in membership and party affiliation.
| Party | Name | Constituency |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Bertie Ahern | Dublin Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Dermot Ahern | Louth |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Noel Ahern | Dublin North-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael Ahern | Cork East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | David Andrews | Dún Laoghaire |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Seán Ardagh | Dublin South-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Liam Aylward | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Johnny Brady | Meath |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Martin Brady | Dublin North-East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Matt Brennan | Sligo–Leitrim |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Séamus Brennan | Dublin South |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Ben Briscoe | Dublin South-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John Browne | Wexford |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Ray Burke | Dublin North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Hugh Byrne | Wexford |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Ivor Callely | Dublin North-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Pat Carey | Dublin North-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael J. Collins | Limerick West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Mary Coughlan | Donegal South-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Brian Cowen | Laois–Offaly |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Martin Cullen | Waterford |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Brendan Daly | Clare |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Noel Davern | Tipperary South |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Noel Dempsey | Meath |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John Dennehy | Cork South-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Síle de Valera | Clare |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Seán Doherty | Longford–Roscommon |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John Ellis | Sligo–Leitrim |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Frank Fahey | Galway West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Seán Fleming | Laois–Offaly |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Chris Flood | Dublin South-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Beverley Flynn | Mayo |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Denis Foley | Kerry North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Mary Hanafin | Dún Laoghaire |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Seán Haughey | Dublin North-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Joe Jacob | Wicklow |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Cecilia Keaveney | Donegal North-East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Brendan Kenneally | Waterford |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Billy Kelleher | Cork North-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Tony Killeen | Clare |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Séamus Kirk | Louth |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael P. Kitt | Galway East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Tom Kitt | Dublin South |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Liam Lawlor | Dublin West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Brian Lenihan | Dublin West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Conor Lenihan | Dublin South-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Micheál Martin | Cork South-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Charlie McCreevy | Kildare North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Jim McDaid | Donegal North-East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Marian McGennis | Dublin Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John McGuinness | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Tom Moffatt | Mayo |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John Moloney | Laois–Offaly |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Donal Moynihan | Cork North-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael Moynihan | Cork North-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Éamon Ó Cuív | Galway West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Willie O'Dea | Limerick East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | John O'Donoghue | Kerry South |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Noel O'Flynn | Cork North-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Rory O'Hanlon | Cavan–Monaghan |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Batt O'Keeffe | Cork South-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Ned O'Keeffe | Cork East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael O'Kennedy | Tipperary North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Mary O'Rourke | Westmeath |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Seán Power | Kildare South |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Albert Reynolds | Longford–Roscommon |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Dick Roche | Wicklow |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Eoin Ryan | Dublin South-East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Brendan Smith | Cavan–Monaghan |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael Smith | Tipperary North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Noel Treacy | Galway East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Eddie Wade | Limerick East |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Dan Wallace | Cork North-Central |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Mary Wallace | Meath |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Joe Walsh | Cork South-West |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | G. V. Wright | Dublin North |
| Fianna Fáil (77) | Michael Woods | Dublin North-East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Theresa Ahearn | Tipperary South |
| Fine Gael (54) | Bernard Allen | Cork North-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Seán Barrett | Dún Laoghaire |
| Fine Gael (54) | Monica Barnes | Dún Laoghaire |
| Fine Gael (54) | Louis Belton | Longford–Roscommon |
| Fine Gael (54) | Paul Bradford | Cork East |
| Fine Gael (54) | John Browne | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Fine Gael (54) | John Bruton | Meath |
| Fine Gael (54) | Richard Bruton | Dublin North-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Andrew Boylan | Cavan–Monaghan |
| Fine Gael (54) | Liam Burke | Cork North-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Ulick Burke | Galway East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Donal Carey | Clare |
| Fine Gael (54) | Deirdre Clune | Cork South-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Paul Connaughton Snr | Galway East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael Joe Cosgrave | Dublin North-East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Hugh Coveney | Cork South-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Seymour Crawford | Cavan–Monaghan |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael Creed | Cork North-West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Austin Currie | Dublin West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael D'Arcy | Wexford |
| Fine Gael (54) | Austin Deasy | Waterford |
| Fine Gael (54) | Jimmy Deenihan | Kerry North |
| Fine Gael (54) | Alan Dukes | Kildare South |
| Fine Gael (54) | Bernard Durkan | Kildare North |
| Fine Gael (54) | Tom Enright | Laois–Offaly |
| Fine Gael (54) | John Farrelly | Meath |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael Finucane | Limerick West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Frances Fitzgerald | Dublin South-East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Charles Flanagan | Laois–Offaly |
| Fine Gael (54) | Brian Hayes | Dublin South-West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Jim Higgins | Mayo |
| Fine Gael (54) | Phil Hogan | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Fine Gael (54) | Enda Kenny | Mayo |
| Fine Gael (54) | Gay Mitchell | Dublin South-Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Jim Mitchell | Dublin Central |
| Fine Gael (54) | Olivia Mitchell | Dublin South |
| Fine Gael (54) | Brendan McGahon | Louth |
| Fine Gael (54) | Dinny McGinley | Donegal South-West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Paul McGrath | Westmeath |
| Fine Gael (54) | Pádraic McCormack | Galway West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Denis Naughten | Longford–Roscommon |
| Fine Gael (54) | Dan Neville | Limerick West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael Noonan | Limerick East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Jim O'Keeffe | Cork South-West |
| Fine Gael (54) | Nora Owen | Dublin North |
| Fine Gael (54) | John Perry | Sligo–Leitrim |
| Fine Gael (54) | Gerry Reynolds | Sligo–Leitrim |
| Fine Gael (54) | Michael Ring | Mayo |
| Fine Gael (54) | Alan Shatter | Dublin South |
| Fine Gael (54) | P. J. Sheehan | Cork South-West |
| Fine Gael (54) | David Stanton | Cork East |
| Fine Gael (54) | Billy Timmins | Wicklow |
| Fine Gael (54) | Ivan Yates | Wexford |
| Labour Party (17) | Michael Bell | Louth |
| Labour Party (17) | Tommy Broughan | Dublin North-East |
| Labour Party (17) | Michael Ferris | Tipperary South |
| Labour Party (17) | Michael D. Higgins | Galway West |
| Labour Party (17) | Brendan Howlin | Wexford |
| Labour Party (17) | Jim Kemmy | Limerick East |
| Labour Party (17) | Derek McDowell | Dublin North-Central |
| Labour Party (17) | Breeda Moynihan-Cronin | Kerry South |
| Labour Party (17) | Brian O'Shea | Waterford |
| Labour Party (17) | Séamus Pattison | Carlow–Kilkenny |
| Labour Party (17) | Willie Penrose | Westmeath |
| Labour Party (17) | Ruairi Quinn | Dublin South-East |
| Labour Party (17) | Róisín Shortall | Dublin North-West |
| Labour Party (17) | Dick Spring | Kerry North |
| Labour Party (17) | Emmet Stagg | Kildare North |
| Labour Party (17) | Pat Upton | Dublin South-Central |
| Labour Party (17) | Jack Wall | Kildare South |
| Democratic Left (4) | Proinsias De Rossa | Dublin North-West |
| Democratic Left (4) | Eamon Gilmore | Dún Laoghaire |
| Democratic Left (4) | Liz McManus | Wicklow |
| Democratic Left (4) | Pat Rabbitte | Dublin South-West |
| Progressive Democrats (4) | Mary Harney | Dublin South-West |
| Progressive Democrats (4) | Bobby Molloy | Galway West |
| Progressive Democrats (4) | Liz O'Donnell | Dublin South |
| Progressive Democrats (4) | Desmond O'Malley | Limerick East |
| Green Party (2) | John Gormley | Dublin South-East |
| Green Party (2) | Trevor Sargent | Dublin North |
| Independent Fianna Fáil (1) | Harry Blaney | Donegal North-East |
| Sinn Féin (1) | Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin | Cavan–Monaghan |
| Socialist Party (1) | Joe Higgins | Dublin West |
| Independent (5) | Mildred Fox | Wicklow |
| Independent (5) | Tom Gildea | Donegal South-West |
| Independent (5) | Tony Gregory | Dublin Central |
| Independent (5) | Jackie Healy-Rae | Kerry South |
| Independent (5) | Michael Lowry | Tipperary North |

## Changes

| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note |
| 26 June 1997 | Carlow–Kilkenny | Labour | Ceann Comhairle | Séamus Pattison takes office as Ceann Comhairle |
| 25 September 1997 | Limerick East | Labour | | Death of Jim Kemmy |
| 20 October 1997 | Dublin North | Fianna Fáil | | Ray Burke resigns from Dáil Éireann |
| 11 March 1998 | Limerick East | | Labour | Jan O'Sullivan holds the seat vacated by the death of Jim Kemmy |
| 11 March 1998 | Dublin North | | Labour | Seán Ryan takes the seat vacated by Ray Burke |
| 14 March 1998 | Cork South-Central | Fine Gael | | Death of Hugh Coveney |
| 13 October 1998 | Louth | Labour | Independent | Michael Bell resigns from the Labour Party |
| 23 October 1998 | Cork South-Central | | Fine Gael | Simon Coveney holds the seat vacated by the death of his father Hugh Coveney |
| 30 November 1998 | Louth | Independent | Labour | Michael Bell rejoins the Labour Party |
| 24 January 1999 | Dublin North-West | Democratic Left | Labour | Proinsias De Rossa joins the Labour Party in a merger with Democratic Left |
| 24 January 1999 | Dublin South-West | Democratic Left | Labour | Pat Rabbitte joins the Labour Party in a merger with Democratic Left |
| 24 January 1999 | Dún Laoghaire | Democratic Left | Labour | Eamon Gilmore joins the Labour Party in a merger with Democratic Left |
| 24 January 1999 | Wicklow | Democratic Left | Labour | Liz McManus joins the Labour Party in a merger with Democratic Left |
| 22 February 1999 | Dublin South-Central | Labour | | Death of Pat Upton |
| 24 February 1999 | Mayo | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Beverley Flynn resigns from Fianna Fáil |
| 27 October 1999 | Dublin South-Central | | Labour | Mary Upton holds the seat vacated by the death of her brother Pat Upton |
| 3 November 1999 | Mayo | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Beverley Flynn rejoins Fianna Fáil |
| 9 February 2000 | Kerry North | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Denis Foley resigns from Fianna Fáil |
| 20 March 2000 | Tipperary South | Labour | | Death of Michael Ferris |
| 7 June 2000 | Dublin West | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Liam Lawlor resigns from Fianna Fáil |
| 22 June 2000 | Tipperary South | | Independent | Séamus Healy takes the seat vacated by the death of Michael Ferris |
| 20 September 2000 | Tipperary South | Fine Gael | | Death of Theresa Ahearn |
| 11 April 2001 | Mayo | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Beverley Flynn is expelled from Fianna Fáil |
| 1 July 2001 | Tipperary South | | Fine Gael | Tom Hayes (FG) holds the seat vacated by the death of Theresa Ahearn |