Irish General Election 2024: A look at the major parties ahead of polling on Friday

The Irish General Election 2024 will be held on Friday, November 29 after Irish President Michael D. Higgins dissolved the 33rd Dáil Éireann (Irish Parliament) at the request of Taoiseach Simon Harris on November 8.

The last Irish General Election was held in February 2020.

In the Irish General Election 2024, the number of members in the Dáil (Teachtaí Dála, “TDs”) will increase to 174 from 160, and the number of Dáil constituencies will increase to 43 from 39.

In Ireland, the party that wins the most Dáil seats gains control – or, sometimes, multiple parties will agree to govern as a coalition. The leader of the party in control is typically voted into office as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) by the Dáil when it enters session following the election.

The outgoing Dáil saw three parties form a coalition to win control – Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, and The Green Party. Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael) and Micheál Martin (Fianna Fáil) both served as Taoiseach during this term of the Dáil Éireann, while Simon Harris (Fine Gael) is the current Taoiseach.

Ireland’s Electoral Commission says that there are currently 30 political parties registered to contest elections in Ireland. RTÉ News reports that there are 20 parties running candidates in this year’s election, as well as 171 Independents who are part of no party.

In the 2020 Irish General Election, nine different parties won seats in the Dáil – Fianna Fáil (38 seats), Sinn Féin (37), Fine Gael (35), Greens (12), Labour (6), Social Democrats (6), People Before Profit – Solidarity (6), Aontú (1), and Independents for Change (4). 19 Independents also won seats.

According to RTÉ News, there are 686 candidate nominations in the running to contest the Irish General Election 2024. RTÉ notes that no single party is fielding enough candidates to win a majority on its own in the next Dáil.

On Wednesday evening, less than two days before polls open, a Red C / Business Post opinion poll of more than 1,000 people had Fianna Fáil in the lead by a slim margin:

• Fianna Fáil – 21
• Fine Gael – 20
• Sinn Féin – 20
• Social Democrats – 6
• The Green Party – 4
• Independent Ireland – 4
• Labour – 4
• Aontú – 4 
• People Before Profit -Solidarity – 2
• Independents/others – 14

Ireland uses proportional representation (PR) for voting in elections, with each voter having a single transferable vote (STV). In this system, voters can choose to vote for as many, or as few candidates as they like, in order of their preference.

The voter’s first preference vote – the candidate they give their number 1 vote to – is most important and is always counted. A voter’s second (and further preferences) may be counted if their preferred candidate is eliminated at the end of a round of counting, or is elected with a surplus. These are known as transfers.

Counting the votes sometimes day several days to complete.

Below is a brief guide to the major political parties contesting the Irish General Election 2024:

Fianna Fáil

General Election 2024 slogan: “Moving Ireland forward, together.”

General Election 2024 issues: Helping families and businesses cope with high prices; A major programme of investment and reform in health services; Further expanding homebuilding and support for first-time buyers and renters; Support for safe, clean and successful communities; Protecting Ireland’s economy and its voice in Europe and the wider world; Investment in schools and all levels of education.

Party leader: TD Micheál Martin, since 2011. Martin is currently Ireland’s Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs; he served as Taoiseach from June 2020 through December 2022.

Seats won in 2020: 38, the most of any one party.

Candidates running in 2024: 82. (83 if you include Seán Ó Fearghaíl, the current who is automatically re-elected as a member of the next Dáil.)

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Fianna Fáil’s General Election Manifesto 2024 here.

Fine Gael

General Election 2024 slogan: “Securing your future.”

General Election 2024 issues: Giving our children the best start in life; Delivering homes and building better communities; Having a fair but firmer migration and criminal justice system; Protecting the economy and investing in your future.

Party leader: TD Simon Harris. Harris has been serving as Taoiseach since April 2024 following the shock resignation of party colleague Leo Varadkar which was announced in March.

Seats won in 2020: 35, the third most of any one party.

Candidates running in 2024: 80.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Fine Gael’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Green Party

General Election 2024 slogan: “Greens deliver.”

General Election 2024 issues: Climate action that makes life better; More homes in the right places; Support for children and families.

Party leader: TD Roderic O’Gorman, since July 2024. O’Gorman, currently Ireland’s Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration, and Youth, became leader of the Greens upon Eamon Ryan’s resignation in June after 13 years at the helm.

Seats won in 2020: 12.

Candidates running in 2024: 43.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read The Green Party’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Sinn Féin

General Election 2024 slogan: “The choice for change.”

General Election 2024 issues: Housing; Health; €10 a day childcare; Scrap the USC for average workers; Abolish the means test for carers; Planning for Irish Unity; Tackling government waste; Investing in communities.

Party leader: TD Mary Lou McDonald, since 2018. McDonald is currently the leader of the Opposition in the Dáil.

Seats won in 2020: 37, the second most of any one party.

Candidates running in 2024: 71.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Sinn Féin’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Labour

General Election 2024 slogan: “Building better together.”

General Election 2024 issues: Housing; Cost of living; Climate; Work; Health; Childcare.

Party leader: TD Ivana Bacik, since March 2022.

Seats won in 2020: 6.

Candidates running in 2024: 32.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Labour’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Social Democrats

General Election 2024 slogan: #ForTheFuture, #ItStartsHere

General Election 2024 issues: Building 50,000 affordable purchase homes; Fully implementing Sláintecare; Reaching climate targets; Appointing a full cabinet Minister for Disability; Building high quality public childcare.

Party leader: TD Holly Cairns, since March 2023.

Seats won in 2020: 6.

Candidates running 2024: 26.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Social Democrats’ General Election 2024 manifesto here.

People Before Profit-Solidarity

General Election 2024 slogan: “End 100 years of Fine Fail / Fine Gael. Another Ireland is possible.”

General Election 2024 issues: Provide affordable housing; Stop rising inequality and protect the many from the Cost of Living Crisis; Provide public services free at the point of delivery; Provide care for those who need it; Cut carbon emissions and protect our biodiversity; Defend our neutrality and protect refugees; and Stand with Palestine.

Party leader: TD Richard Boyd-Barrett, since October 2024. The party had previously run under collective ownership. 

Seats won in 2020: 6.

Candidates running 2024: 42.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read People Before Profit-Solidarity’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Aontú

General Election 2024 slogan: “#AontúAccountability.”

General Election 2024 issues: Economic justice; Fix political culture; Unified economy; Right to Life; Brexit & Irish Unity; Jobs & employment; Environment; Farming & Rural Ireland; Health; Irish Language; Regional Development; Workers’ Rights; Housing Crisis; Crime & Antisocial Behaviour; Safeguarding Values; Immigration.

Party leader: TD Peadar Tóibín, since January 2019.

Seats won in 2020: 1.

Candidates running 2024: 28.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Aontú’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Independent Ireland

General Election 2024 slogan: “Common Sense Solutions for a Better Ireland.”

General Election 2024 issues: Affordable homes for “Generation rent, Declare a housing emergency; More healthcare staff, reduced waiting lists, easier access to care; Freeze “Green taxes” reward workers, support older people; 1 Billion Euros in additional supports for agriculture; Secure our borders, new courts to deal with illegal immigration; Tough on crime, safer cities and safer rural communities.

Party leader: TD Michael Collins, since November 2023.

Seats won in 2020: 0. (Party founded in 2023).

Candidates running 2024: 28.

Social Media: Website, Facebook, X. You can read Independent Ireland’s General Election 2024 manifesto here.

Other Parties

Other parties also running candidates in the Irish General Election 2024 are the Irish People (21 candidates), Irish Freedom Party (16), National Party (9), Liberty Republic (6), Centre Party of Ireland (3), Independents 4 Change (3), Party for Animal Welfare (3), Rabharta (3), Ireland First (2), 100% Redress (1), and Right to Change (1).