There are a number of political parties in Ireland, and coalition governments are common. The two historically largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, arose from a split in the original Sinn Féin, Fine Gael from the faction Cumann na nGaedheal that supported the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty and Fianna Fáil from the anti-Treaty faction. The division on the Treaty had also caused the Irish Civil War (1922–23), leading to the difference between the parties being described as "Civil War politics", to distinguish it from a more common left-right political divide. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael together are sometimes pejoratively referred to as "FFG".[1][2]

As of 2023, Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin jointly have the greatest representation in Dáil Éireann, followed closely by Fine Gael in third position. The Green Party surpassed the Labour Party in 2020. The Labour Party was formed in 1912, and it had usually been the third party in parliamentary strength, though it is currently the fifth largest party in the Dáil, followed closely by the Social Democrats.

Political party registration is governed by the Electoral Reform Act 2022, with a Register of Political Parties maintained by the Electoral Commission.[3] Prior to the establishment of the Commission 2023, the register was maintained by the Houses of the Oireachtas.[4] In order to be registered to contest national elections a party must have either at least one member in Dáil Éireann or the European Parliament, or 300 recorded members aged 18 or over. Parties that register only to contest elections in part of the state or in local elections need only 100 recorded members aged 18 or over. In either case, at least half of the recorded members must be on the register of electors.[5]

Political parties with representation at a local, national or European level

Party details

Party Current leader(s) Founded Inaugural
leader(s)		 Position International
affiliation		 EP group
Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin 1926 Éamon de Valera Centre to
centre-right		 LI Renew
Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald 1905 / 1970[lower-alpha 1] Arthur Griffith Centre-left to
left-wing		 none GUE/NGL
Fine Gael Leo Varadkar 1933 Eoin O'Duffy Centre-right CDI EPP
Green
Comhaontas Glas		 Eamon Ryan 1981 none[lower-alpha 2] Centre-left GG Greens/EFA
Labour Ivana Bacik 1912 James Connolly
James Larkin
William O'Brien		 Centre-left PA,
SI		 S&D
Social Democrats Holly Cairns 2015 Catherine Murphy
Róisín Shortall
Stephen Donnelly		 Centre-left none none
PBP–Solidarity Collective leadership 2015 none Left-wing to
far-left		 none none
Independent Ireland Michael Collins 2023 Michael Collins none none
Aontú Peadar Tóibín 2019 Peadar Tóibín none none
RTOC Joan Collins 2020 Joan Collins Left-wing none none
Inds. 4 Change none 2014 none Left-wing none GUE/NGL
Human Dignity Alliance Rónán Mullen 2018 Rónán Mullen Right-wing none none
An Rabharta Glas none 2021 none Left-wing none none
WUA Séamus Healy 1985 Séamus Healy Left-wing none none
Workers' Party Michael Donnelly 1905 / 1970[lower-alpha 3] Arthur Griffith Far-left IMCWP none
Republican Sinn Féin Seosamh Ó Maoileoin 1986[lower-alpha 4] Ruairí Ó Brádaigh Left-wing none none
Independent Left none 2019 none Left-wing none none

    Party representation

    Party Representation (as of Nov. 2023)
    Oireachtas European Parliament Local councils
    Dáil Éireann Seanad Éireann
    Fianna Fáil
    36 / 160
    21 / 60
    2 / 12
    276 / 949
    Sinn Féin[lower-alpha 5]
    36 / 160
    4 / 60
    1 / 12
    80 / 949
    Fine Gael
    34 / 160
    16 / 60
    5 / 12
    254 / 949
    Green[lower-alpha 6]
    12 / 160
    4 / 60
    2 / 12
    45 / 949
    Labour
    7 / 160
    4 / 60
    0 / 12
    57 / 949
    Social Democrats
    6 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    21 / 949
    PBP–Solidarity[lower-alpha 7]
    5 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    10 / 949
    Independent Ireland
    2 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    0 / 949
    Aontú[lower-alpha 8]
    1 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    3 / 949
    RTOC
    1 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    0 / 949
    Human Dignity Alliance
    0 / 160
    1 / 60
    0 / 12
    0 / 949
    Inds. 4 Change
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    2 / 12
    3 / 949
    An Rabharta Glas[lower-alpha 9]
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    2 / 949
    WUA
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    1 / 949
    Workers' Party
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    1 / 949
    KIA
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    1 / 949
    Republican Sinn Féin[lower-alpha 9]
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    1 / 949
    Independent Left[lower-alpha 9]
    0 / 160
    0 / 60
    0 / 12
    1 / 949

      Parties and groupings represented in the Oireachtas

      Fianna Fáil

      Fianna Fáil is the joint largest party in the Dáil and has the largest number of city and county council seats. It has been in government more than any other party: 1932–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1973, 1977–1981, 1982, 1987–1994, and 1997–2011, and 2020 to date. On all occasions up to 1989, it was in a single-party government; on all occasions since then it was the leading party in a coalition government. It is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and is led by Tánaiste Micheál Martin. It was founded in 1926 by Éamon de Valera as a radical anti-Treaty party, drawing support from small farmers and urban workers but has since become a party of the establishment. It was first elected to power in 1932 on a constitutional republican platform, promising to remove constitutional links with Britain and reduce poverty by creating employment. It oversaw much of the industrial development of the Republic and has consequently drawn support from all social classes, making it a classic populist party.[6][7][8]

      Fianna Fáil has 36 TDs, 21 Senators, 2 MEPs and 276 councillors.[9]

      Sinn Féin

      Sinn Féin is the joint largest party in the Dáil and the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The name Sinn Féin, meaning "ourselves" or "we ourselves", has been used by a number of political organisations in Ireland since 1905, when first used by Arthur Griffith. Sinn Féin was the party of separatism before Irish independence, and broke through in the Westminster election of 1918, where it won 73 of the 105 Irish seats.

      The modern-day Sinn Féin party emerged in 1970 after a split in the party, and was often distinguished as Provisional Sinn Féin. It was closely linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army. It is led by Mary Lou McDonald.

      Sinn Féin has 36 TDs, 4 Senators, 1 MEP and 80 councillors in the Republic of Ireland.

      Fine Gael

      Fine Gael is the third largest party in the Dáil, the second largest party in local government in Ireland and has the largest delegation of MEPs from Ireland. It was founded in 1933 by a merger of the Cumann na nGaedheal, which had supported the Treaty and formed the government between 1922 and 1932, the National Guard (popularly called the Blueshirts) and the small National Centre Party. It is a member of the centre-right European People's Party and is led by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar. It has been in government in the periods 1922–1932, 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1994–1997, and 2011–2020. On each occasion until 2016, it was the leading party of a coalition with the Labour Party, and in three of those cases also with other smaller parties. At the 2011 general election, Fine Gael became the largest party in the Oireachtas with 36.1% of the vote.

      Fine Gael has 34 TDs, 16 Senators, 5 MEPs and 254 councillors.

      Green Party

      The Green Party was established in 1981 and is allied to the European Green Party. The Green Party Northern Ireland voted in 2005 to become a region of the Irish Green Party, making it the second party to be organised on an all-Ireland basis. It has Northern Ireland members on the Irish Green Party national executive.

      In June 2007, the Green Party entered coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. In January 2011 they left the coalition, and at the 2011 general election, lost all of their Dáil seats.[10]

      In the 2020 election, they became the fourth party in parliamentary strength. The Green Party has 12 TDs, 4 Senators, 2 MEPs and 45 councillors.[10]

      Labour Party

      The Labour Party is a social democratic party, founded in 1912 as part of the trade union movement, with which it maintains organisational links. For most of the history of the state, it was the third largest party, though it is currently in fifth position in parliamentary strength.

      It has been in government in the periods 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1993–1994, 1994–1997, and 2011–2016. On each of those occasions, it was in coalition with Fine Gael, with the exception of the period 1993 to 1994, when it was in coalition with Fianna Fáil. The Labour Party merged with the smaller Democratic Left party in 1999. It is a member of the Party of European Socialists and has been led by Ivana Bacik since 24 March 2022.

      The Labour Party has 7 TDs, 4 Senators and 57 councillors.

      Social Democrats

      The Social Democrats were founded in July 2015 by three independent TDs Catherine Murphy, Róisín Shortall and, Stephen Donnelly (who has since left the party for Fianna Fáil.)

      The Social Democrats have 6 TDs and 21 councillors.

      People Before Profit–Solidarity

      People Before Profit–Solidarity is an electoral alliance between People Before Profit (PBP), Solidarity and the Socialist Party.[11] In October 2015, they formed a new alliance for electoral purposes, but continue to organise separately. The founding TDs have stated their aim to build a mass party of the left and ultimately help form a left-wing government.[12]

      Together they have 5 TDs (four from PBP, one from Solidarity) and ten councillors.

      Independent Ireland

      Independent Ireland was registered in November 2023 and was founded by two TDs, Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue, both members of the Rural Independents Dáil grouping.[13]

      Aontú

      Aontú is an all-Ireland republican party with a left-wing economic stance and a conservative social position. It was founded in 2019 by Peadar Tóibín who left Sinn Féin because of its support for the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.

      It has 1 TD and 3 councillors in the Republic of Ireland, and 2 councillors in Northern Ireland.

      Right to Change

      Right to Change was founded in May 2020. The only TD is Joan Collins.

      Independents 4 Change

      Independents 4 Change has been registered as a political party since 2014. Its registered officer is MEP Mick Wallace.

      They have 2 MEPs and 3 councillors.

      Human Dignity Alliance

      The Human Dignity Alliance (HDA) was founded by Senator Rónán Mullen in June 2018. HDA has one senator.

      Parties represented only on local authorities

      Workers and Unemployed Action

      Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA) is a left-wing political organisation formed in 1985 by Séamus Healy. At the 2011 election, the WUA formed part of the United Left Alliance, but it left in 2012.[14][15]

      WUA has one councillor.

      Workers' Party

      The Workers' Party is a Marxist–Leninist party allied with the international workers and communist parties. It is organised in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. A special Ardfheis in 1992 called to re-constitute the party and remove links with the Official IRA resulted in a split with the bulk of the parliamentary party and councillors leaving to form Democratic Left. Democratic Left voted to merge with the Labour Party in 1999. The Workers' Party has one councillor on Cork City Council.

      Kerry Independent Alliance

      The Kerry Independent Alliance (previously the South Kerry Independent Alliance) have one councillor on Kerry County Council. It is registered to contest elections for Dáil Éireann and in Killarney for local elections.

      Republican Sinn Féin

      Republican Sinn Féin were formed in 1986 by members of Sinn Féin who did not support the decision made at the party's ard fheis in that year to end its policy of abstentionism and to allow elected Sinn Féin TDs take their seats in Dáil Éireann.[16] They have one councillor, Tomás Ó Curraoin on Galway County Council. As the party is not registered, he is officially an independent councillor.

      Independent Left

      Independent Left have one councillor, former PBP member John Lyons, on Dublin City Council.[17] As the party is not registered, he is officially an independent councillor.

      An Rabharta Glas

      An Rabharta Glas is an eco-socialist party that was formed predominantly by former members of the Green Party in 2021. It has two councillors, Lorna Bogue (who was elected leader in November 2021) on Cork City Council and Liam Sinclair on South Dublin County Council, who had previously been elected as Green Party members in 2019. As the party is not registered, they are officially independent councillors.

      Other parties

      Socialist Party

      The Socialist Party (known as Militant Labour until 1996) was formed in 1989 by members of the Militant Tendency who were expelled from the Labour Party. Joe Higgins was its first member elected at national level. It was part of the United Left Alliance in the 2011 general election,[14] but that alliance disintegrated over the course of the following Dáil term. It now contests elections as part of the People Before Profit–Solidarity party.

      Socialist Workers Network

      The Socialist Workers Network (SWN) was founded in 1971 as the Socialist Workers Movement. Later known as the Socialist Workers Party (SWP), the party was set up by supporters of the International Socialists of Britain living in Ireland. SWN member Richard Boyd Barrett was elected to the Dáil Éireann, on behalf of People Before Profit, in the 2011 Irish general election.

      Centre Party of Ireland (formerly Renua)

      Renua was founded in March 2015 with Lucinda Creighton as its founding leader. The founding parliamentary party deputies all left Fine Gael over their opposition to the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013. Renua lost all three TDs at the 2016 general election. It had one councillor elected at the 2019 local elections, but he resigned from the party shortly after.[18] In April 2023, it changed its name to the Centre Party of Ireland.[19]

      Communist Party of Ireland

      The Communist Party of Ireland was first founded in 1921, and re-founded in 1933. The party's only national representative was Patrick Gaffney, who contested the 1922 Irish general election as a Labour candidate, but later switched party allegiances. While it remains a registered party, it rarely stands candidates in elections.

      Éirígí

      Éirígí, officially Éirígí For A New Republic, is a far-left socialist republican party, active mainly in Dublin, Galway and Westmeath. The party name, Éirígí, means "Arise" or "Rise Up" in Irish, a reference to a famous speech by trade union leader James Larkin. Éirígí was formed in 2006 by a group of community and political activists. Its candidates have run in several local elections, in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, without success.

      Parties with no elected representation

      Party Leader Ideology Position
      Centre Party (formerly Renua) None Anti-abortion Right-wing to far-right
      Direct Democracy Pat Greene Direct democracy Right-wing
      Fís Nua None Green politics Left-wing
      Ireland First Derek Blighe Irish nationalism Far-right
      Irish Freedom Hermann Kelly Hard Euroscepticism Right-wing to far-right
      Irish Republican Socialist[lower-alpha 9] Ard Chomhairle Communism Far-left
      National Party Disputed Irish nationalism Far-right
      Party for Animal Welfare Carol Johnson Animal welfare N/A
      Saoradh[lower-alpha 9] Brian Kenna Irish republicanism Far-left
      United People[lower-alpha 10] Jeffrey Rudd N/A
      100% Redress[20][21] Mica scandal
      The Irish People

      Former parties

      See also

      Notes

      1. ↑ The current party known as Sinn Féin broke from the party then known as Sinn Féin in 1970 and was initially commonly referred to as Provisional Sinn Féin.
      2. ↑ For the first twenty years of its existence, the Green Party did not have a national leader. Trevor Sargent was elected as the first national leader in 2001.
      3. ↑ The Workers' Party emerged as the majority faction from a split in Sinn Féin in 1970, becoming known as Official Sinn Féin. In the Republic of Ireland, it renamed itself as Sinn Féin The Workers' Party in 1977. In Northern Ireland, it continued with the Republican Clubs name used by Sinn Féin to escape a 1964 ban, and later as Workers Party Republican Clubs. Both sections adopted the current name in 1982.
      4. ↑ Republican Sinn Féin split from Sinn Féin in 1986 over the policy of abstentionism.
      5. ↑ Sinn Féin also has 7 members of the UK House of Commons, 27 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 105 local councillors in Northern Ireland.
      6. ↑ The Green Party also has 2 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and 8 local councillors in Northern Ireland
      7. ↑ People Before Profit also has 1 member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and 5 local councillors in Northern Ireland
      8. ↑ Aontú also has 2 local councillors in Northern Ireland.
      9. 1 2 3 4 5 Unregistered party
      10. ↑ Split from Direct Democracy Ireland in 2015

      References

      1. ↑ Yates, Ivan (6 February 2020). "Wipeout on the cards for Fine Gael and contagion will impact Fianna Fail". Racing Post. Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
      2. ↑ McCarthy, Justine; O'Brien, Stephen (19 April 2020). "The war is over between Fine Gael and Fianna Fail". The Times (of London). Archived from the original on 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
      3. ↑ "What We Do". Electoral Commission.
      4. ↑ "Publications". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
      5. ↑ "Registering a political party in Ireland". Citizens' Information Board. 16 March 2009. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
      6. ↑ Curran, Catherine (1996). "Fianna Fáil and the Origins of the Irish Press" (PDF). Irish Communications Review. 6: 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 December 2016. Retrieved 25 December 2019.
      7. ↑ Hayward, Katy; Murphy, Mary C., eds. (2013). "Ireland's EU Referendum Experience". The Europeanization of Party Politics in Ireland, North and South. Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 9780955820373.
      8. ↑ Patterson, Henry (1988). "Fianna Fáil and the Working Class: The Origins of the Enigmatic Relationship". Saothar. Irish Labour History Society. 13: 81–88. JSTOR 23196031.
      9. ↑ "Local elections results 2009". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 27 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2009.
      10. 1 2 O'Halloran, Marie (28 February 2011). "Regroup and rebuild is already the Green mantra after election wipeout". The Irish Times. p. 13. Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
      11. ↑ "Paul Murphy's party joins forces with People Before Profit". Irish Examiner. 1 March 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
      12. ↑ "AAA and PBP join to form new 'left of Labour' party". The Irish Times. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 12 October 2015. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
      13. ↑ McGee, Harry (10 November 2023). "New Independent Ireland party registered with Electoral Commission". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
      14. 1 2 Minihan, Mary (28 February 2011). "Higgins pledges to build new party of left as five elected under ULA banner". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
      15. ↑ "Seamus Healy withdraws from United Left Alliance over Wallace frustrations". RTÉ News. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
      16. ↑ Melaugh, Dr Martin. "Issues: Abstentionism: Sinn Fein Ard Fheis 1-2 November 1986 - Details of Source Material". CAIN. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
      17. ↑ "Independent Left". Archived from the original on 31 May 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
      18. ↑ Kelly, Justin (11 June 2019). "Offaly Councillor Leahy steps down as leader and leaves Renua". Offaly Express. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
      19. ↑ McQuinn, Cormac (4 April 2023). "Renua changes name to Centre Party of Ireland". Irish Times. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
      20. ↑ Horgan-Jones, Jack (15 September 2023). "100% Redress Party is expected to field candidates in 2024 local elections". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
      21. ↑ "New Political Party Registered to Stand Candidates". Electoral Commission. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
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