This was the same number as had been elected in the previous election. It is noticeable that the overall percentage of first preferences obtained by women candidates has been increasing consistently. Interestingly, as late as 1987 almost half of all constituencies had no female candidates. This may have been true in the past, but it no longer seems to be the case. It must be remembered, though, that the Dublin area has had virtually no 3-seat constituencies since 1977, and that Dublin is where women candidates tend to be most successful.
Women are more likely to be elected in Dublin than elsewhere.
The following table shows the results by constituency in the 1997 election, sorted by the percentage of women elected. Clare had the highest female first preference vote and the highest percentage of female candidates.