# 1992 Irish general election

The 1992 Irish general election to the 27th Dáil was held on Wednesday, 25 November, almost three weeks after the dissolution of the 26th Dáil on 5 November by President Mary Robinson, on the request of Taoiseach Albert Reynolds 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, under a revision in the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1990. Three referendums on abortion were held on the same date.
The 27th Dáil met at Leinster House on 14 December 1992 to nominate the Taoiseach for appointment by the president and to approve the appointment of a new government of Ireland. No government was formed on that date, but on 12 January 1993, Reynolds was re-appointed Taoiseach, forming the 23rd government of Ireland, a coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party.

## Campaign

The general election of 1992 was precipitated by the collapse of the Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition government. Allegations of dishonesty at the Beef Tribunal forced Desmond O'Malley and his party to part ways with Albert Reynolds's Fianna Fáil. Both Albert Reynolds and John Bruton of Fine Gael were fighting their first general election as leader of their respective parties. For Reynolds it would be his only election as leader. The campaign went very poorly for Fianna Fáil with Reynolds's support dropping by 20%.
On the left, the Labour Party had increased their support in the local elections the previous year and many were predicting major gains for the party in the Dáil. The Workers' Party had split at a special convention that year over a motion to re-constitute the party, similar to the move made the same year by the Italian Communist Party, and sever all links with the Official IRA. Six out of their seven TDs and a majority of their councillors left the party when the motion failed to be passed and formed Democratic Left in early 1992.
Many political pundits had predicted that Fianna Fáil would not be re-elected and that a "Rainbow Coalition" involving Fine Gael, the Labour Party and possibly Democratic Left would be formed. John Bruton, the leader of Fine Gael, had problems of his own. Opinion polls showed that if a "Rainbow Coalition" came to power, Dick Spring of the Labour Party was seen as a better potential Taoiseach than Bruton. The possibility of a rotating Taoiseach was also hinted at in the media.
The big winner of the campaign was Dick Spring and the Labour Party. They distanced themselves completely from Fine Gael and fought an independent line. During the campaign Spring made very little comment about what the party would do after the election, however, he did say that if the Labour Party was part of a coalition he would have to be granted a turn as Taoiseach.
The election also saw Moosajee Bhamjee (Labour Party) become the first Muslim Teachta Dála (TD).

## Results

Election to the 27th Dáil – 25 November 1992 :
| Party | Party | Leader | Seats | ± | % of seats | First pref. votes | % FPv | ±% |
| | Fianna Fáil | Albert Reynolds | 68 | 9 | 41.0 | 674,650 | 39.1 | 5.0 |
| | Fine Gael | John Bruton | 45 | 10 | 27.1 | 422,106 | 24.5 | 4.8 |
| | Labour | Dick Spring | 33 | 18 | 19.8 | 333,013 | 19.3 | 9.8 |
| | Progressive Democrats | Desmond O'Malley | 10 | 4 | 6.0 | 80,787 | 4.7 | 0.8 |
| | Democratic Left | Proinsias De Rossa | 4 | New | 2.4 | 47,945 | 2.8 | New |
| | Sinn Féin | Gerry Adams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27,809 | 1.6 | 0.4 |
| | Green | N/A | 1 | 0 | 0.6 | 24,110 | 1.4 | 0.1 |
| | Workers' Party | Tomás Mac Giolla | 0 | 7 | 0 | 11,533 | 0.7 | 4.3 |
| | Christian Centrist | | 0 | New | 0 | 3,413 | 0.2 | – |
| | Independent | N/A | 5 | 1 | 3.0 | 99,487 | 5.8 | 2.5 |
| Spoilt votes | Spoilt votes | Spoilt votes | Spoilt votes | Spoilt votes | Spoilt votes | 26,498 | — | — |
| Total | Total | Total | 166 | 0 | 100 | 1,751,351 | 100 | — |
| Electorate/Turnout | Electorate/Turnout | Electorate/Turnout | Electorate/Turnout | Electorate/Turnout | Electorate/Turnout | 2,557,036 | 68.5% | — |
In 1989 the Democratic Socialist Party won 0.6% of the vote and 1 seat; the party merged with the Labour Party in 1990. Independents include Independent Fianna Fáil (5,248 votes, 1 seat).

### Voting summary

First preference vote
Fianna Fáil
39.11%
Fine Gael
24.47%
Labour
19.31%
Progressive Democrats
4.68%
Democratic Left
2.78%
Sinn Féin
1.61%
Green
1.40%
Others
0.87%
Independent
5.77% :

### Seats summary

Dáil seats
Fianna Fáil
40.96%
Fine Gael
27.11%
Labour
19.88%
Progressive Democrats
6.02%
Democratic Left
2.41%
Green
0.60%
Independent
3.01% :

## Government formation

Fianna Fáil had its worst performance since 1927, winning less than 40% of the vote. Fine Gael, in spite of predictions of success, lost 10 seats. The Labour Party recorded its best ever result, an event dubbed the "Spring Tide" and more than doubled its number of seats. Talks between Fine Gael and Labour on establishing a minority government floundered after several weeks, partly over the issue of the "revolving Taoiseach". Spring had to enter into coalition with Fianna Fáil, or force another election. The coalition deal proved very unpopular with many of Labour's supporters, because Dick Spring had campaigned heavily against Fianna Fáil and particularly Albert Reynolds. As a result of the coalition, Albert Reynolds was elected Taoiseach with over 100 votes, the biggest majority by any Taoiseach until 2011.
Following a number of scandals in 1994, particularly over the beef industry, the Labour Party left the coalition and, after negotiations, formed the Rainbow Coalition with Fine Gael and Democratic Left on 15 December 1994, as three by-election gains had by then made a Fine Gael-Labour-Democratic Left majority government possible. This was the first and to date, the only, time a new government with new coalition parties took office within a Dáil term.

## Dáil membership changes

The following changes took place as a result of the election:
* 11 outgoing TDs retired
* 155 TDs stood for re-election
** 126 of those were re-elected
** 30 failed to be re-elected
* 41 successor TDs were elected
** 33 were elected for the first time
** 8 had previously been TDs
* There were 10 successor female TDs, increasing the total number by 7 to 20
* There were changes in 29 of the 41 constituencies contested
Outgoing TDs are listed in the constituency they contested in the election. For some, such as John Stafford, this differs from the constituency they represented in the outgoing Dáil. Where more than one change took place in a constituency the concept of successor is an approximation for presentation only.
| Constituency | Departing TD | Party | Party | Change | Comment | Successor TD | Party | Party |
| Carlow–Kilkenny | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Cavan–Monaghan | John Wilson | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | | Brendan Smith | | Fianna Fáil |
| Cavan–Monaghan | Bill Cotter | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Seymour Crawford | | Fine Gael |
| Clare | Brendan Daly | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Tony Killeen | | Fianna Fáil |
| Clare | Madeleine Taylor-Quinn | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Moosajee Bhamjee | | Labour Party |
| Cork East | Joe Sherlock | | Democratic Left | Lost seat | | John Mulvihill | | Labour Party |
| Cork North-Central | Denis Lyons | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Burke – Former TD | Liam Burke | | Fine Gael |
| Cork North-West | Laurence Kelly | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Moynihan – Former TD | Donal Moynihan | | Fianna Fáil |
| Cork South-Central | John Dennehy | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | O'Keeffe – Former TD | Batt O'Keeffe | | Fianna Fáil |
| Cork South-Central | Pearse Wyse | | Progressive Democrats | Retired | | Pat Cox | | Progressive Democrats |
| Cork South-West | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Donegal North-East | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Donegal South-West | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Dublin Central | Dermot Fitzpatrick | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Joe Costello | | Labour Party |
| Dublin North | | | | New seat | | Trevor Sargent | | Green Party |
| Dublin North-Central | Vincent Brady | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | | Derek McDowell | | Labour Party |
| Dublin North-Central | Charles Haughey | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | Son of outgoing TD | Seán Haughey | | Fianna Fáil |
| Dublin North-Central | Pat Lee | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central |
| Dublin North-Central | John Stafford | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central | Previously represented Dublin Central but due to boundary changes ran in Dublin North-Central |
| Dublin North-East | Michael Joe Cosgrave | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Seán Kenny | | Labour Party |
| Dublin North-East | Pat McCartan | | Democratic Left | Lost seat | | Tommy Broughan | | Labour Party |
| Dublin North-West | Michael Barrett | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | | Noel Ahern | | Fianna Fáil |
| Dublin North-West | Jim Tunney | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Róisín Shortall | | Labour Party |
| Dublin South | Nuala Fennell | | Fine Gael | Retired | | Eithne FitzGerald | | Labour Party |
| Dublin South | Roger Garland | | Green Party | Lost seat | | Liz O'Donnell | | Progressive Democrats |
| Dublin South-Central | Eric Byrne | | Democratic Left | Lost seat | | Pat Upton | | Labour Party |
| Dublin South-Central | Fergus O'Brien | | Fine Gael | Retired | Seats reduced from 5 to 4 | Seats reduced from 5 to 4 | Seats reduced from 5 to 4 | Seats reduced from 5 to 4 |
| Dublin South-East | Garret FitzGerald | | Fine Gael | Retired | | Frances Fitzgerald | | Fine Gael |
| Dublin South-East | Joe Doyle | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | McDowell – Former TD | Michael McDowell | | Progressive Democrats |
| Dublin South-East | Gerard Brady | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Eoin Ryan | | Fianna Fáil |
| Dublin South-West | | | | New seat | | Éamonn Walsh | | Labour Party |
| Dublin West | Tomás Mac Giolla | | Workers' Party | Lost seat | | Joan Burton | | Labour Party |
| Dún Laoghaire | Monica Barnes | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Helen Keogh | | Progressive Democrats |
| Dún Laoghaire | Brian Hillery | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Became a minister on first day | Niamh Bhreathnach | | Labour Party |
| Galway East | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Galway West | Frank Fahey | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Éamon Ó Cuív | | Fianna Fáil |
| Kerry North | Tom McEllistrim | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Foley – Former TD | Denis Foley | | Fianna Fáil |
| Kerry South | Michael Moynihan | | Labour Party | Retired | Daughter of outgoing TD | Breeda Moynihan-Cronin | | Labour Party |
| Kildare | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Laois–Offaly | Tom Enright | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Pat Gallagher | | Labour Party |
| Limerick East | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Limerick West | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Longford–Roscommon | Louis Belton | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | Represented Longford–Westmeath but due to constituency changes was one of 5 outgoing TDs standing in this new 4 seat constituency | Represented Longford–Westmeath but due to constituency changes was one of 5 outgoing TDs standing in this new 4 seat constituency | Represented Longford–Westmeath but due to constituency changes was one of 5 outgoing TDs standing in this new 4 seat constituency | Represented Longford–Westmeath but due to constituency changes was one of 5 outgoing TDs standing in this new 4 seat constituency |
| Longford–Roscommon | Terry Leyden | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Doherty – Former TD | Seán Doherty | | Fianna Fáil |
| Louth | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Mayo East | Seán Calleary | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | | Tom Moffatt | | Fianna Fáil |
| Mayo West | Martin O'Toole | | Fianna Fáil | Retired | | Séamus Hughes | | Fianna Fáil |
| Meath | John Farrelly | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Brian Fitzgerald | | Labour Party |
| Sligo–Leitrim | Gerry Reynolds | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | | Declan Bree | | Labour Party |
| Tipperary North | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Tipperary South | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Waterford | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes | No membership changes |
| Westmeath | Due to boundary changes, only 2 outgoing TDs from Longford–Westmeath moved to this 3-seat constituency | Due to boundary changes, only 2 outgoing TDs from Longford–Westmeath moved to this 3-seat constituency | Due to boundary changes, only 2 outgoing TDs from Longford–Westmeath moved to this 3-seat constituency | Due to boundary changes, only 2 outgoing TDs from Longford–Westmeath moved to this 3-seat constituency | Due to boundary changes, only 2 outgoing TDs from Longford–Westmeath moved to this 3-seat constituency | Willie Penrose | | Labour Party |
| Wexford | Séamus Cullimore | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | Byrne – Former TD | Hugh Byrne | | Fianna Fáil |
| Wexford | Michael D'Arcy | | Fine Gael | Lost seat | Doyle – Former TD | Avril Doyle | | Fine Gael |
| Wicklow | Dick Roche | | Fianna Fáil | Lost seat | | Johnny Fox | | Independent |
| Wicklow | | | | New seat | | Liz McManus | | Democratic Left |

## Seanad election

The Dáil election was followed in early 1993 by the election to the 20th Seanad.