View source for 2011 Irish general election

{{Short description|Election to the 31st Dáil}}
{{About|the general election in the Republic of Ireland|other elections in Ireland in 2011|2011 Irish elections (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name      = 2011 Irish general election
| country            = Ireland
| type               = parliamentary
| ongoing            = no
| previous_election  = 2007 Irish general election
| previous_year      = 2007
| previous_mps       = 30th Dáil
| next_election      = 2016 Irish general election
| next_year          = 2016
| seats_for_election = 166 seats in [[Dáil Éireann]]{{efn|name=CC|Including [[Séamus Kirk]] (FF), returned automatically for [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]] as outgoing [[Ceann Comhairle]], under Art. 16.6 of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 1992.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1980|number=23|name=Electoral Act 1980|date=23 December 1980|section=36|stitle=Re-election of outgoing Chairman of Dáil}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Louth: 2011 general election |url=https://www.irelandelection.com/election.php?elecid=1&constitid=39 |access-date=17 August 2022 |website=Irish Elections |archive-date=30 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930023034/http://www.irelandelection.com/election.php?elecid=1&constitid=39 |url-status=live }}</ref>}}
| majority_seats     = 84
| election_date      = 25 February 2011
| elected_mps        = 31st Dáil

<!--      Fine Gael     -->
| image1         = {{CSS image crop|Image =Enda Kenny EPP 2014 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader1        = [[Enda Kenny]]
| leader_since1  = [[2002 Fine Gael leadership election|2 June 2002]]
| party1         = Fine Gael
| leaders_seat1  = [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| last_election1 = 51 seats, 27.3%
| seats1         = '''76'''
| seat_change1   = {{increase}} 25
| popular_vote1  = '''801,628'''
| percentage1    = '''36.1%'''
| swing1         = {{increase}} 8.8 pp

<!--      Labour Party  -->
| image2         = {{CSS image crop|Image =Eamon Gilmore TD 2014 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader2        = [[Eamon Gilmore]]
| leader_since2  = 6 September 2007
| party2         = Labour Party (Ireland)
| leaders_seat2  = [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
| last_election2 = 20 seats, 10.1%
| seats2         = 37
| seat_change2   = {{increase}} 17
| popular_vote2  = 431,796
| percentage2    = 19.4%
| swing2         = {{increase}} 9.3 pp

<!--      Fianna Fáil      -->
| image3         =  {{CSS image crop|Image =Micheal Martin, 2010.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader3        = [[Micheál Martin]]
| leader_since3  = [[2011 Fianna Fáil leadership election|26 January 2011]]
| party3         = Fianna Fáil
| leaders_seat3  = [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
| last_election3 = 78 seats, 41.6%
| seats3         = 20
| seat_change3   = {{decrease}} 57
| popular_vote3  = 387,358
| percentage3    = 17.4%
| swing3         = {{decrease}} 24.2 pp

<!--      Sinn Féin  -->
| image4         = {{CSS image crop|Image =Gerry Adams (official portrait) (cropped).jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader4        = [[Gerry Adams]]
| leader_since4  = 13 November 1983
| party4         = Sinn Féin
| leaders_seat4  = [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]{{efn|Adams previously represented [[Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)|Belfast West]] in both the [[British House of Commons]] and the [[Northern Ireland Assembly]]. He successfully contested the [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth constituency]] in this election.}}
| last_election4 = 4 seats, 6.9%
| seats4         = 14
| seat_change4   = {{increase}} 10
| popular_vote4  = 220,661
| percentage4    = 9.9%
| swing4         = {{increase}} 3.0 pp

<!--      Socialist Party -->
| image5         = {{CSS image crop|Image =Socialist Party (Ireland) logo infobox.png|bSize = 115|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
| leader5        = — {{efn|Collective Leadership: The [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]], [[People Before Profit]] and the [[Workers and Unemployed Action]] contested the general election under the joint banner of the [[United Left Alliance]].|name="ULA"}}
| leader_since5  = —
| party5         = Socialist Party (Ireland)
| leaders_seat5  = —
| last_election5 = 0 seats, 0.6%
| seats5         = 2
| seat_change5   = {{increase}} 2
| popular_vote5  = 26,770
| percentage5    = 1.2%
| swing5         = {{increase}} 0.6 pp
| alliance5      = [[United Left Alliance]]

<!--      People Before Profit -->
| image6         = <div style="width:120px;"><span style="line-height:160px; vertical-align:center; text-align:center; color:{{party color|People Before Profit}}; font-size:38px;"> '''PBP'''</span></div> <!---See (for example) 2018 New Brunswick Legislative election for the lettering instead of leader's photo--->
| leader6        = —{{efn|name=ULA}}
| leader_since6  = —
| party6         = People Before Profit
| leaders_seat6  = —
| last_election6 = 0 seats, 0.4%
| seats6         = 2
| seat_change6   = {{increase}} 2
| popular_vote6  = 21,551
| percentage6    = 1.0%
| swing6         = {{increase}} 0.6 pp
| alliance6      = [[United Left Alliance]]

<!--     Workers and Unemployed Action -->
| image7         = {{CSS image crop|Image =Séamus Healy 2015.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader7        = [[Séamus Healy]]{{efn|name=ULA}}
| leader_since7  = 1985
| party7         = Workers and Unemployed Action 
| leaders_seat7  = [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
| last_election7 = 0 seats, 0.3%
| seats7         = 1
| seat_change7   = {{increase}} 1
| popular_vote7  = 8,818
| percentage7    = 0.4%
| swing7         = {{increase}} 0.1 pp
| alliance7      = [[United Left Alliance]]

<!--      Green Party  -->
| image8         = {{CSS image crop|Image =John Gormley TD, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.jpg|bSize = 120|cWidth = 120|cHeight = 160|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}}
| leader8        = [[John Gormley]]
| leader_since8  = 17 July 2007
| party8         = Green Party (Ireland)
| leaders_seat8  = [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]] ''(defeated)''
| last_election8 = 6 seats, 4.7%
| seats8         = 0
| seat_change8   = {{decrease}} 6
| popular_vote8  = 41,039
| percentage8    = 1.8%
| swing8         = {{decrease}} 2.9 pp

| map_image       = {{switcher
| [[File:2011 Irish general election.svg|400px]]
| Election results and first-preference votes in each constituency.
| [[File:2011 Irish general election, seats per constituency.svg|400px]]
| Number of seats gained by each party in each constituency.}}

| title           = [[Taoiseach]]
| posttitle       = Taoiseach after election
| before_election = [[Brian Cowen]]
| before_party    = Fianna Fáil
| after_election  = [[Enda Kenny]]
| after_party     = Fine Gael
| turnout         = 69.9% {{increase}} 2.9 [[percentage point|pp]]
}}
The '''2011 Irish general election''' took place on Friday 25 February to elect 166 [[Teachta Dála|Teachtaí Dála]] across [[Dáil constituencies|43 constituencies]] to [[Dáil Éireann]], the [[lower house]] of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]'s [[parliament]], the [[Oireachtas]]. The Dáil was [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolved]] and the [[general election]] called by [[President of Ireland|President]] [[Mary McAleese]] on 1 February, at the request of [[Taoiseach]] [[Brian Cowen]].<ref name="dissolution">{{cite news |url=http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/election-date-confirmed-as-february-25-491737.html |title=Election date confirmed as February&nbsp;25 |work=BreakingNews.ie |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=4 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204134510/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/election-date-confirmed-as-february-25-491737.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[31st Dáil]] met on 9 March 2011 to nominate a Taoiseach and approve the new ministers of the [[29th government of Ireland]], a Fine Gael and Labour Party coalition government with a majority of 58.

Cowen had previously announced on 20 January that the election would be held on 11 March, and that after the [[2011 Irish budget|2011 budget]] had been passed he would seek a [[Dissolution of parliament|dissolution]] of the [[30th Dáil]] by the President.<ref name="dail20110120">{{cite web |url=http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/01/20/00005.asp |title=Termination of Ministerial Appointments: Announcement by Taoiseach |date=20 January 2011 |work=Dáil Éireann Debate |publisher=[[Oireachtas]] |pages=Vol. 726 No. 5 |access-date=22 January 2011 |archive-date=2 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102082345/http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/01/20/00005.asp |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]], the junior party in [[coalition government]] with Cowen's [[Fianna Fáil]], withdrew from government on 23 January, stating that it would support only a truncated finance bill from the opposition benches, in order to force an earlier election.<ref name="rte20110123_1"/> On 24 January, [[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Finance Minister]] [[Brian Lenihan Jnr]] reached an agreement with the [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition]] in Dáil Éireann to complete all stages of passing the finance bill in both houses of the Oireachtas by 29 January—following which the Dáil was to be dissolved immediately.<ref name=dealstruck>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/election-due-after-deal-struck-2508837.html |title=Election due after deal struck |date=24 January 2011 |work=[[Irish Independent]] |access-date=24 January 2011 |archive-date=25 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110125151920/http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/election-due-after-deal-struck-2508837.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Constitutionally, following a Dáil dissolution, an election must be held within 30 days.{{efn|[[Constitution of Ireland]], Article 16.3.2°.}}

Following the collapse of the coalition, the then minority governing party, Fianna Fáil, sought to minimise its losses following historically low poll ratings in the wake of the [[Post-2008 Irish economic downturn|Irish financial crisis]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/the-silver-lining-in-the-cloud-over-fianna-fail-15068555.html |title=The silver lining in the cloud over Fianna Fáil |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019174924/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/the-silver-lining-in-the-cloud-over-fianna-fail-15068555.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Fine Gael]] sought to gain a dominant position in Irish politics after poor results in the 2000s, and to replace Fianna Fáil for the first time as the largest party in Dáil Éireann.<ref name="purity">{{cite news |url=http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11853:fianna-fail-must-seek-to-return-to-ethical-purity&catid=28&Itemid=100004 |title=Fianna Fáil must seek to return to ethical purity |date=1 February 2011 |work=[[The Mayo News]] |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=19 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219101536/http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11853:fianna-fail-must-seek-to-return-to-ethical-purity&catid=28&Itemid=100004 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] hoped to make gains from both sides, and was widely expected to become the second-largest party and to enter into coalition government with Fine Gael;<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-ireland-election-gilmore-idUKTRE7105ZI20110201 |title=Factbox - Irish Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore |publisher=Reuters |date=1 February 2011 |first=Padraic |last=Halpin |access-date=6 July 2021 |archive-date=2 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202070352/https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-ireland-election-gilmore-idUKTRE7105ZI20110201 |url-status=live }}</ref> its highest ambition at the start of the campaign, buoyed by record poll ratings in preceding months, was to become the leading partner in government for the first time in the party's 99-year history.<ref name="labourled">{{cite news |url=http://www.sbpost.ie/commentandanalysis/gilmore-can-succeed-with-perception-and-perseverance-53809.html |title=Gilmore can succeed with perception and perseverance |date=9 January 2011 |work=[[The Sunday Business Post]] |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721130509/http://www.sbpost.ie/commentandanalysis/gilmore-can-succeed-with-perception-and-perseverance-53809.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The Green Party, having been in coalition with Fianna Fáil during the [[Government of the 30th Dáil]], faced stiff competition for its votes and was expected to lose at least four of its six seats.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sbpost.ie/newsfeatures/where-the-battles-will-be-won-and-lost-54215.html |title=Where the battles will be won and lost |work=[[The Sunday Business Post]] |date=30 January 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721130515/http://www.sbpost.ie/newsfeatures/where-the-battles-will-be-won-and-lost-54215.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Sinn Féin]] was expected to make gains, encouraged by a [[2010 Donegal South-West by-election|by-election victory]] in November 2010 and by opinion polls which placed it ahead of Fianna Fáil. Some other [[left-wing politics|left-wing]] groups, including [[People Before Profit]], [[Workers and Unemployed Action]] and the [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]], contested the general election under a joint banner, the [[United Left Alliance]].<ref name=rtepress>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1125/united_left_alliance.html |title=New 'United Left Alliance' formed |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |date=25 November 2010 |access-date=25 November 2010 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102111851/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1125/united_left_alliance.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Fianna Fáil was swept from power in the worst defeat of a sitting government since the formation of the Irish state in 1922.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0228/1224291011457.html |title=Angry electorate coldly voted to liquidate Fianna Fáil |newspaper=[[The Irish Times]] |date=28 February 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |first=Miriam |last=Lord |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101103418/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0228/1224291011457.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The party lost more than half of its first-preference vote from 2007, and garnered only 20 seats. It was the third-largest party in the 31st Dáil; this was the first election since that of [[September 1927 Irish general election|September 1927]] out of which it did not emerge the largest party in the chamber. ''[[The Irish Times]]'', Ireland's [[newspaper of record]], described Fianna Fáil's meltdown as "defeat on a historic scale."<ref name=Relevance>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0301/1224291075967.html |title=Recapturing relevance a huge challenge for FF |author=Ferriter, Diarmaid |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303053110/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0301/1224291075967.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Fine Gael won 76 seats, becoming the largest party in the Dáil for the first time in its 78-year history, while the Labour Party became the second-largest party, with 37 seats; Sinn Féin also increased its number of seats, while the Greens lost all of theirs. Fine Gael leader [[Enda Kenny]] became Taoiseach, in a coalition with Labour.<ref name=BBC1>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12585048 |title=Irish election: Enda Kenny claims opposition victory |work=[[BBC News]] |date=26 February 2011 |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=15 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115081906/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-12585048 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=IT1>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking2.html |title=Fine Gael poised to lead next government as FF collapses |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=27 February 2011 |first=Kilian |last=Doyle |access-date=27 February 2011 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101114307/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking2.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Guardian>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/26/fianna-fail-irish-general-election |title=Fianna Fáil trounced as Fine Gael and Labour set to form coalition |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=McDonald, Henry |date=27 February 2011 |location=London |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-date=11 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111110654/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/26/fianna-fail-irish-general-election |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/first-steps-taken-to-form-coalition-government-2559449.html |title=First steps taken to form coalition government |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=28 February 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303044959/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/first-steps-taken-to-form-coalition-government-2559449.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Coalition>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/03/05/ireland.government |title=Irish parties agree to form coalition government |date=5 March 2011 |access-date=5 March 2011 |publisher=[[CNN]] |archive-date=9 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109123809/http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/03/05/ireland.government/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Background==
Following the [[Post-2008 Irish banking crisis|bailout of Irish banks]] and the deteriorating level of state debt that led to the [[Post-2008 Irish economic downturn|Irish financial crisis]], the Irish government agreed to a bailout from the [[European Union]] and the [[International Monetary Fund]] amid fears of a wider [[Eurozone crisis]]. The [[European Financial Stability Facility]] then offered the government a multibillion-euro deal for its new debt burden.

The notion of such a move was widely condemned in Ireland, with ''[[The Irish Times]]'' criticising [[Fianna Fáil]] that despite its "primary aims [to] the commitment 'to maintain the status of Ireland as a sovereign State'... The Republican Party's ideals are in tatters now."<ref name="Was it for this">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/1118/1224283626246.html |title=Was it for this? |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=18 November 2010 |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=21 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101121220628/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/1118/1224283626246.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the acceptance of the deal on 21 November 2010, the [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] leader [[John Gormley]] called for the Taoiseach to fix a date for a general election in the second half of January 2011;<ref name="Green Party calls for New Year election">{{cite web |url=http://greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_calls_for_new_year_election |title=Green Party calls for New Year election |date=22 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101229135130/http://www.greenparty.ie/en/news/latest_news/green_party_calls_for_new_year_election |archive-date=29 December 2010}}</ref> however, he added that the party would support the coalition for the "coming weeks and months".<ref name="Green Party calls for election date to be set">{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1122/politics.html |title=Green Party calls for election date to be set |publisher=RTÉ News |date=22 November 2010 |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=20 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020042644/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1122/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] and [[Fine Gael]] called for an immediate election<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11814283 |work=BBC News |title=Ireland bail-out: Calls for election intensify |date=22 November 2010 |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=18 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190918172553/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11814283 |url-status=live }}</ref> in order to seek "political certainty."<ref name="aljaz"/> On 22 November 2010, [[Taoiseach]] [[Brian Cowen]] indicated that the election would take place in early 2011 after the 2011 budgetary process<ref name="aljaz">{{cite news |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/11/2010112219263374514.html |title=Irish election set for early 2011 |work=Aljazeera |date=22 November 2010 |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=25 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125074623/http://english.aljazeera.net//news/europe/2010/11/2010112219263374514.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=RTE_221110>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1122/politics.html |title=Election to take place after the Budget |publisher=RTÉ News |date=22 November 2010 |access-date=22 November 2010 |archive-date=20 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020042644/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1122/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> (a prerequisite to the bailout) had been completed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-06/cowen-relies-on-sugar-daddy-to-gain-support-for-irish-budget-euro-credit.html |title=Cowen Relies on Sugar Daddy to Gain Support for Irish Budget: Euro Credit |publisher=[[Bloomberg L.P.]] |date=6 December 2010 |first1=Dara |last1=Doyle |first2=Finbarr |last2=Flynn |access-date=7 March 2017 |archive-date=27 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327233938/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-06/cowen-relies-on-sugar-daddy-to-gain-support-for-irish-budget-euro-credit.html |url-status=live }}</ref> There were fears that calling the election could trigger another credit downgrade.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-22/ireland-s-bid-for-financial-aid-prompts-moody-s-warning-election-threat.html |title=Irish Aid Bid Forces Cowen to Call Election, May Prompt Moody's Downgrade |publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |date=22 November 2010 |first1=Dara |last1=Doyle |first2=Simone |last2=Meier |access-date=7 March 2017 |archive-date=25 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125084525/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-22/ireland-s-bid-for-financial-aid-prompts-moody-s-warning-election-threat.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 16 January Cowen announced his decision to stay on as Taoiseach and to lead Fianna Fáil into the general election.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0116/politics.html |title=Cowen to continue as FF leader and Taoiseach |publisher=RTÉ News |date=16 January 2010 |access-date=16 January 2011 |archive-date=17 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110117014002/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0116/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 18 January he called for and won a vote of confidence within the party (which had been precipitated by revelations of two [[Brian Cowen#Golfgate: Meeting with Seán FitzPatrick|previously undisclosed meetings]] with [[Anglo Irish Bank]] chairman [[Seán FitzPatrick]]) with a majority of the 71 Fianna Fáil deputies supporting him.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011118221941635966.html |title=Irish PM survives confidence vote - Europe |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=19 January 2011 |access-date=28 January 2011 |archive-date=30 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130182337/http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/01/2011118221941635966.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite saying he would offer Cowen "full support", Foreign Minister [[Micheál Martin]] resigned.<ref>{{cite web |first=Alan |last=Fisher |url=http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe/2011/01/18/confidence-vote-claims-victim |title=Confidence vote claims a victim &#124; Al Jazeera Blogs |publisher=Blogs.aljazeera.net |date=18 January 2011 |access-date=28 January 2011 |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124001600/http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe/2011/01/18/confidence-vote-claims-victim |url-status=live }}</ref> However, following criticism within his party after his failed attempt to carry out a reshuffle of Fianna Fáil ministers, Cowen announced his resignation as leader of the party on 22 January. He confirmed he would remain as Taoiseach until after the election.<ref name=cowenres>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0122/politics.html |title=Cowen resigns as FF leader, remains Taoiseach |publisher=RTÉ News |date=22 January 2010 |access-date=22 January 2011 |archive-date=23 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123180306/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0122/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The key dates were:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="width:135px;"|Tuesday 1 February||Dissolution of the [[30th Dáil]] and campaigning officially begins
|-
|Thursday 3 February||Last day to request a postal or special vote<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/todays-the-deadline-to-register-for-postal-votes-2011-2/ |title=Today's the deadline to register for postal votes |work=thejournal.ie |date=3 February 2011 |access-date=19 February 2011 |archive-date=26 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226094807/http://www.thejournal.ie/todays-the-deadline-to-register-for-postal-votes-2011-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|Tuesday 8 February||Last day to register to vote<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0208/breaking11.html |title=Last day for registering to vote |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=8 February 2011 |first=Aoife |last=Carr |access-date=19 February 2011 |archive-date=11 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110211190557/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0208/breaking11.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|Wednesday 9 February||Last day to file nomination papers<ref name=IT_02022011_cowen>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0202/1224288773126.html |title=Cowen bows out with call for respectful election campaign |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=2 February 2011 |first=Stephen |last=Collins |access-date=19 February 2011 |archive-date=12 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212220310/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0202/1224288773126.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|Thursday 24 February|| Campaigning officially ends
|-
|Friday 25 February|| Polling day
|-
|Saturday 26 February|| Counting of votes begins
|-
|Wednesday 9 March||[[31st Dáil]] assembles and [[Enda Kenny]] is elected Taoiseach<ref name=IT_02022011_cowen/>
|}

==Electoral system==
[[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] uses [[proportional representation]] with a [[single transferable vote]], also known as PR–STV.<ref name=prstv>{{cite web |url=http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/government-in-ireland/elections-and-referenda/voting/proportional_representation |title=Proportional Representation – Information |work=Irish Citizens Information Board |access-date=26 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201073348/http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/government-in-ireland/elections-and-referenda/voting/proportional_representation |archive-date=1 December 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The general election took place in [[Dáil constituencies|43 parliamentary constituencies]] throughout the state for 165 of the 166 seats in the [[Dáil]], with the final seat taken by the outgoing [[Ceann Comhairle]] (chairman), returned automatically. Each multi-member constituency returns three, four or five [[Teachta Dála|Teachtaí Dála]] (Dáil deputies).<ref name=prstv/>

The closing date for nominations was 9 February 2011. A total of 566 candidates contested the election, nearly 100 more than the [[2007 Irish general election|2007 general election]]. The number of candidates per party was: [[Fine Gael]] (104), [[Fianna Fáil]] (75), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (68), [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] (43), [[Sinn Féin]] (41), and Independents and smaller parties (233).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0209/politics.html |title=Surge in number of Independent candidates |publisher=RTÉ News |date=9 February 2011 |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-date=10 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210174754/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0209/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The latter figure includes 20 candidates affiliated to the [[United Left Alliance]], 20 independents who ran under the [[New Vision (electoral alliance)|New Vision]] label, eight [[Christian Solidarity Party]] candidates, six [[Workers' Party (Ireland)|Workers' Party]] and five [[Fís Nua]] candidates.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0210/1224289432263.html |title=FF runs 30 fewer candidates as Independents standing doubles |newspaper=The Irish Times |last1=De Bréadún |first1=Deaglán |last2=Duncan |first2=Pamela |date=10 February 2011 |access-date=10 February 2011 |archive-date=10 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210033533/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0210/1224289432263.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Voting took place between 07:00 and 22:00 ([[Western European Time|WET]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/02/taoiseach-at-aras-an-uachtarain/?cat=3 |title=Taoiseach at Áras an Uachtaráin |publisher=Irish Government News Service |work=merrionstreet.ie |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216123809/http://www.merrionstreet.ie//index.php//2011//02//taoiseach-at-aras-an-uachtarain//?cat=3 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Date==
{{Politics of the Republic of Ireland|Politics of Ireland}}
Section 7 of the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1927 requires that the Dáil be dissolved within five years after its first meeting following the previous election (14 June 2007).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1927/en/act/pub/0021/sec0007.html#sec7 |title=Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1927 |publisher=[[Irish Statute Book]] |access-date=3 September 2010 |archive-date=3 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503221616/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1927/en/act/pub/0021/sec0007.html#sec7 |url-status=live }}</ref> Article 16.3.2 of the [[Constitution of Ireland]] requires that a general election for members of Dáil Éireann must take place not later than thirty days after the dissolution. The next general election had to, therefore, take place no later than 14 July 2012.{{efn|Article 16.5 of the constitution states that the Dáil may sit for a period of up to seven years from its first meeting. It also allows a shorter period to be fixed by law; this is currently five years.}}

The current statutory framework for the setting of a date for polling day in the general election was set out in the Electoral Act 1992, as amended. Section 96 of the Electoral Act 1992 requires that the poll is held, not earlier than the seventeenth day or later than the twenty-fifth day, following the day on which the Dáil is formally dissolved by the President. The [[writ of election|writs for the election]] are issued by the Clerk of the Dáil on the day the Dáil is dissolved.

[[Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport|Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport]] [[Mary Hanafin]] said the general election was likely to take place in mid-March 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2010/1214/1224285491072.html |title=Hanafin predicts election in mid-March |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=14 December 2010 |archive-date=22 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122174641/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2010/1214/1224285491072.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Batt O'Keeffe]], the [[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation]], hinted that the election might take place on 25 March.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/batt-okeeffe-flags-march-25-as-possible-election-date-487997.html |title=Batt O'Keeffe flags March 25 as possible election date |work=BreakingNews.ie |date=4 January 2011 |access-date=4 January 2011 |archive-date=8 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108031058/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/batt-okeeffe-flags-march-25-as-possible-election-date-487997.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 19 January the Green Party indicated that they expected the budgetary process to be completed by the end of February, and that the election should be held no later than the end of March.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0119/politics.html |title=Green Party wants election by March |publisher=RTÉ News |date=19 January 2011 |access-date=19 January 2011 |archive-date=21 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121024005/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0119/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Brian Cowen attempted a reshuffle of his party's ministers on 20 January 2011. However, following the resignation of six cabinet ministers, it became clear that the Green Party would not allow him to fill the vacancies. He subsequently announced that the election for the 31st Dáil would take place on 11 March.<ref name="dail20110120"/> Motions of no confidence in the outgoing government were tabled by Fine Gael for 25 January and by the Labour Party for 26 January;<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0122/breaking19.html |title=Cowen to face FG confidence vote |date=22 January 2011 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=22 January 2011 |archive-date=29 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129071718/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0122/breaking19.html |url-status=live }}</ref> both parties said they would be willing to give the government time to expedite the Finance Act in return for bringing forward the election date.<ref name="rte20110123">{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics.html |title=Greens to consider next move |date=23 January 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=23 January 2011 |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124053348/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Finance Minister [[Brian Lenihan Jnr|Brian Lenihan]] said it could be moved by "a week or two at most".<ref name="rte20110123_1">{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics1.html |title=Green Party withdraws from Government |date=23 January 2011 |publisher=[[RTÉ.ie]] |access-date=23 January 2011 |archive-date=24 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124114818/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0123/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Cowen resigned as Fianna Fáil leader on 22 January,<ref name="rte20110123_1"/> and the Green Party withdrew from government the next day, but promised to support the Finance Act.<ref name="rte20110123_1"/>

On 28 January it was announced that Cowen intended to ask McAleese to dissolve the Dáil on 1 February.<ref name=dissolution2>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0128/politics.html |title=Dáil set to be dissolved on Tuesday - Cowen |publisher=RTÉ News |date=28 January 2011 |access-date=28 January 2011 |archive-date=29 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129233019/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0128/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Cowen formally asked for a Dáil dissolution on 1 February, after the finance bill cleared parliament. In accordance with Irish constitutional practice (no Irish president has ever refused such a request), McAleese granted the dissolution.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics.html |title=LIVE – Dissolution of the 30th Dáil |work=RTÉ |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=16 February 2020 |archive-date=3 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203013912/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

As usual, certain [[List of islands of Ireland|offshore islands]] voted earlier than the rest of the country. Voters on [[Arranmore]], [[Clare Island]], [[Gola Island|Gola]], [[Inishbiggle]], [[Inishbofin, County Donegal|Inishbofin]] ([[County Donegal]]), Inishfree, [[Inishturk]] and [[Tory Island]] headed to the polls on 23 February; voters on the [[Aran Islands]] and [[Inishbofin, County Galway|Inishbofin]] ([[County Galway]]) cast their ballots on 24 February.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/live-on-an-island-off-ireland-check-your-polling-dates-here-2011-02/ |work=TheJournal.ie |title=Live on an island off Ireland? Check your polling dates here |date=2 February 2011 |access-date=12 February 2011 |archive-date=26 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226084442/http://www.thejournal.ie/live-on-an-island-off-ireland-check-your-polling-dates-here-2011-02/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Constituency changes==
{{Main|Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009}}
The number of TDs elected and the number of constituencies contested remained the same as for the previous general election, though there were substantial boundary changes.<ref name="ea-2009">{{cite web |title=Electoral (Amendment) Act 2009 |url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0004/index.html |publisher=Irish Statute Book |access-date=28 September 2010 |archive-date=2 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100602124505/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/act/pub/0004/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs%5Ccon2007.pdf |title=Report on Dáil and European Parliament Constituencies 2007 |publisher=Constituency Commission |date=23 October 2007 |access-date=14 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071119033516/http://www.constituency-commission.ie/docs/con2007.pdf |archive-date=19 November 2007 }}</ref>

*[[Limerick East (Dáil constituency)|Limerick East]] (5) replaced by [[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]] (4)
*[[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]] (3) replaced by [[Limerick County (Dáil constituency)|Limerick]] (3)
*[[Kerry North (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North]] (3) replaced by [[Kerry North–West Limerick (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North–West Limerick]] (3)
*[[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]] (from 3 to 4)
*[[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]] (from 5 to 4)
*[[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]] (from 4 to 5)
:<small>Number of seats given in brackets after constituency name.</small>
Boundary changes were also made in twenty other constituencies.<ref name="ea-2009"/>

==Retiring incumbents==
The following 39 members of the 30th Dáil did not contest the 2011 general election.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Constituency
! Departing TD
! colspan="2"|Party
|-
| [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
| [[M. J. Nolan]]<ref name=Nolan>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1213/breaking57.html |title=Cowen pays tribute to departing TD |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=13 December 2010 |access-date=13 December 2010 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101112719/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1213/breaking57.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan–Monaghan]]
| [[Seymour Crawford]]<ref name=Crawford>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1125/breaking42.html |title=FG's Crawford to retire from politics |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=25 November 2010 |access-date=25 November 2010 |archive-date=30 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130051539/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1125/breaking42.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
|[[Rory O'Hanlon]]<ref name=Ohanlon>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ffs-ohanlon-will-not-contest-seat-at-election-483828.html |title=FF's O'Hanlon will not contest seat at Election |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |date=30 November 2010 |access-date=30 November 2010 |archive-date=13 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713060743/http://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/ffs-ohanlon-will-not-contest-seat-at-election-483828.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| [[Tony Killeen]]<ref name=Killeen>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0106/killeent.html |title=Tony Killeen will not contest General Election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=6 January 2011 |access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-date=7 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107083642/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0106/killeent.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Cork East (Dáil constituency)|Cork East]]
| [[Ned O'Keeffe]]<ref name=Okeefe_Ahern>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0124/politics1.html |title=Ahern, O'Keeffe not contesting election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=24 January 2011 |access-date=24 January 2011 |archive-date=28 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128020605/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0124/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Cork North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-Central]]
| [[Bernard Allen (Irish politician)|Bernard Allen]]<ref name=Allen>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0118/allenb.html |title=FG's Bernard Allen to retire from politics |publisher=RTÉ News |date=18 January 2011 |access-date=18 January 2011 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102181552/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0118/allenb.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[Noel O'Flynn]]<ref name=Oflynn_Blaney>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0130/politics_oflynnn.html |title=O'Flynn & Blaney not running in election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=30 January 2011 |access-date=30 January 2011 |archive-date=31 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131080455/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0130/politics_oflynnn.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Cork North-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-West]]
| [[Batt O'Keeffe]]<ref name=Battokeeffe>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0120/politics.html |title=Cowen expected to address Dáil at 1.30&nbsp;pm |publisher=RTÉ News |date=20 January 2011 |access-date=20 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121024030/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0120/politics.html |archive-date=21 January 2011 }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
| [[Jim O'Keeffe]]<ref name=Jimokeeffe>{{cite news|url=http://www.southernstar.ie/article.php?id=2346 |title=Political change for West Cork |work=[[The Southern Star (County Cork)|The Southern Star]] |date=20 November 2010 |access-date=18 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721130628/http://www.southernstar.ie/article.php?id=2346 |archive-date=21 July 2011 }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[P. J. Sheehan]]<ref name=8retire/>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Donegal North-East (Dáil constituency)|Donegal North-East]]
| [[Niall Blaney]]<ref name=Oflynn_Blaney/>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| <sup>†</sup>[[Jim McDaid]]<ref name=Mcdaid>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1102/mcdaid.html |title=Tánaiste regrets Jim McDaid's resignation |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=23 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110123160907/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1102/mcdaid.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]]
| [[Bertie Ahern]]<ref name=Bahern>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1230/ahernb.html |title=Bertie Ahern to step down as TD |publisher=RTÉ News |date=30 December 2010 |access-date=30 December 2010 |archive-date=2 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102011916/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1230/ahernb.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
| [[Mary Harney]]<ref name=Harney>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0119/harneym.html |title=Mary Harney to retire from politics |publisher=RTÉ News |date=19 January 2011 |access-date=19 January 2011 |archive-date=21 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121023930/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0119/harneym.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
|-
| [[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
| [[Michael Woods (Irish politician)|Michael Woods]]<ref name=Woods>{{cite news |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/michael-woods-joins-fianna-fails-retiring-ranks-2011-01/ |title=Michael Woods joins Fianna Fáil's retiring ranks |work=TheJournal.ie |date=6 January 2011 |access-date=6 January 2011 |archive-date=8 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110108133415/http://www.thejournal.ie/michael-woods-joins-fianna-fails-retiring-ranks-2011-01/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
| [[Noel Ahern]]<ref name=Okeefe_Ahern/>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
| [[Tom Kitt (politician)|Tom Kitt]]<ref name=Kitt>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0508/fiannafail.html |title=FF's Kitt to step down at next election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=8 May 2008 |access-date=7 April 2009 |archive-date=12 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512132033/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0508/fiannafail.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| <sup>†</sup>[[George Lee (journalist)|George Lee]]<ref name=Lee>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0208/leeg.html |title=Fine Gael TD George Lee resigns |publisher=RTÉ News |date=8 February 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211115335/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0208/leeg.html |archive-date=11 February 2010 }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
| <sup>†</sup>[[Seán Ardagh]]<ref name=Ardagh>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/veteran-fianna-fail-td-sean-ardagh-to-quit-politics-2455812.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120804202725/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/veteran-fianna-fail-td-sean-ardagh-to-quit-politics-2455812.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 August 2012 |title=Veteran Fianna Fáil TD Sean Ardagh to quit politics |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=10 December 2010 |access-date=10 December 2010 |first=Fionnan |last=Sheahan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/02/01/00003.asp |title=Dáil Éireann – Announcement of Business |work=Houses of the Oireachtas |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-date=2 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102082416/http://debates.oireachtas.ie/dail/2011/02/01/00003.asp |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Mary Upton]]<ref name=Upton>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0921/uptonm.html |title=Labour's Upton will not contest next election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=21 September 2010 |access-date=21 September 2010 |archive-date=24 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924033059/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0921/uptonm.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|-
| rowspan=3|[[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
| [[Ulick Burke (politician)|Ulick Burke]]<ref name=Burke>{{cite news |url=http://www.galwaynews.ie/16274-galway-east-td-ulick-burke-announces-his-retirement |title=Galway East TD Ulick Burke announces his retirement |work=Galway Bay FM |date=26 November 2010 |access-date=26 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127022836/http://galwaynews.ie/16274-galway-east-td-ulick-burke-announces-his-retirement |archive-date=27 November 2010}}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[Paul Connaughton Snr]]<ref name=Connaughton>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1123/breaking33.html |title=FG's Paul Connaughton to retire |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=23 November 2010 |access-date=23 November 2010 |archive-date=27 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127190946/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1123/breaking33.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[Noel Treacy]]<ref name=Treacy>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0125/breaking15.html |title=FF's Noel Treacy to stand down |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=25 January 2011 |access-date=26 January 2011 |first=Aoife |last=Carr |archive-date=28 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128184003/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0125/breaking15.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
| [[Michael D. Higgins]]<ref name="8retire">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1018/1224281342481.html |title=Eight TDs ready to retire at next election, with many considering their position |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=18 October 2010 |access-date=25 November 2010 |archive-date=1 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101201030929/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/1018/1224281342481.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|-
| [[Pádraic McCormack]]<ref name=Mccormack>{{cite news |url=http://www.galwaynews.ie/16438-mccormack-%E2%80%98won%E2%80%99t-consider%E2%80%99-being-added-fg-ticket |title=McCormack 'won't consider' being added to the FG ticket |work=Connacht Sentinel |date=7 December 2010 |access-date=8 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101209030609/http://www.galwaynews.ie/16438-mccormack-%E2%80%98won%E2%80%99t-consider%E2%80%99-being-added-fg-ticket |archive-date=9 December 2010 }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
| [[Jackie Healy-Rae]]<ref name=Healyrae>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/healyrae-to-retire-at-next-general-election-1421319.html |title=Healy-Rae to retire at next general election |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=26 June 2008 |access-date=29 June 2008 |archive-date=20 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520042703/http://www.independent.ie/breaking-news/national-news/healyrae-to-retire-at-next-general-election-1421319.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
| [[Olwyn Enright]]<ref name=Enright>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0830/enrighto.html |title=Olwyn Enright will not contest next election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=30 August 2010 |access-date=30 August 2010 |archive-date=1 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901065315/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0830/enrighto.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
|-
| [[Brian Cowen]]<ref name=Cowen>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0131/cowenb.html |title=Cowen will not contest General Election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=31 January 2011 |access-date=31 January 2011 |archive-date=1 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201211004/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0131/cowenb.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]]
| [[John Cregan (politician)|John Cregan]]<ref name=Cregan>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics1.html |title=FF deputy whip pulls out of election campaign |publisher=RTÉ News |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=2 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202220855/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| [[Arthur Morgan (Irish politician)|Arthur Morgan]]<ref name=Morgan>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1109/breaking74.html |title=SF TD not to contest next election |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=9 November 2010 |access-date=9 November 2010 |archive-date=13 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113100800/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1109/breaking74.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Sinn Féin}}" |
| [[Sinn Féin]]
|-
| [[Dermot Ahern]]<ref name=Dahern>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1130/breaking12.html |title=Dermot Ahern to step down at upcoming general election |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=30 November 2010 |access-date=30 November 2010 |archive-date=6 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206205244/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1130/breaking12.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| [[Beverley Flynn]]<ref name=Flynn>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1216/politics1.html |title=Beverley Flynn will not contest election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=16 December 2010 |access-date=16 December 2010 |archive-date=17 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217184613/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1216/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Meath East (Dáil constituency)|Meath East]]
| [[Mary Wallace]]<ref name=Wallace>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0108/breaking15.html |title=Meath FF TD Wallace to retire |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=8 January 2011 |access-date=8 January 2011 |archive-date=22 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122211853/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0108/breaking15.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Meath West (Dáil constituency)|Meath West]]
| [[Noel Dempsey]]<ref name=Dempsey>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1217/dempseyn.html |title=Noel Dempsey will not contest election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=17 December 2010 |access-date=17 December 2010 |archive-date=19 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219121229/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1217/dempseyn.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Roscommon–South Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon–South Leitrim]]
| [[Michael Finneran]]<ref name=Finneran>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0106/1224286878551.html |title=Finneran will not fight election |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=6 January 2011 |access-date=6 January 2011 |first=Mary |last=Minihan |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101112650/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0106/1224286878551.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Sligo–North Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–North Leitrim]]
| [[Jimmy Devins]]<ref name=Devins>{{cite news |url=http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/ffs-devins-to-step-down-at-election-488918.html |title=FF's Devins to step down at next election |date=11 January 2011 |access-date=11 January 2011 |archive-date=16 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110116043912/http://breakingnews.ie/ireland/ffs-devins-to-step-down-at-election-488918.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| rowspan=2|[[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
| <sup>†</sup>[[Martin Cullen]]<ref name=Cullen>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0308/cullenm.html |title=Martin Cullen resigns from Dáil and Cabinet |publisher=RTÉ News |date=8 March 2010 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=8 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408130932/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0308/cullenm.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
|-
| [[Brian O'Shea (politician)|Brian O'Shea]]<ref name=Oshea>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0111/election.html |title=Labour's O'Shea will not contest election |date=11 January 2011 |access-date=11 January 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |archive-date=14 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110114000115/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0111/election.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|-
| [[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
| [[Liz McManus]]<ref name=Mcmanus>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0903/mcmanusl.html |title=Labour's McManus will not seek re-election |publisher=RTÉ News |date=3 September 2010 |access-date=3 September 2010 |archive-date=4 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904134304/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0903/mcmanusl.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|}
<sup>†</sup>Vacant seat, deputy had resigned before the dissolution of Dáil Éireann.

In four constituencies (Cavan–Monaghan, Cork North-West, Dublin North-West, and Dublin South-Central) Fianna Fáil nominated fewer candidates than it had outgoing TDs, effectively conceding a seat in each.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/ff-to-give-up-on-at-least-four-seats-2511041.html |title=FF to give up on at least four seats |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=26 January 2011 |access-date=28 January 2011 |first=Fionnan |last=Sheahan}}</ref>

==Campaign==
[[Sinn Féin]] leader [[Gerry Adams]] (an [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] and [[3rd Northern Ireland Assembly|MLA]] for [[Belfast West (UK Parliament constituency)|Belfast West]]) announced on 15 November 2010 that he would resign both these seats and contest the [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]] constituency at the following Irish general election, in an attempt to retain the seat being vacated by the retirement of [[Arthur Morgan (Irish politician)|Arthur Morgan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1114/adamsg.html |title=Adams to run for election in Louth |publisher=RTÉ News |date=15 November 2010 |access-date=20 November 2010 |archive-date=17 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117085152/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1114/adamsg.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

A number of election candidates were given formal warnings not to place election posters until the date had been announced.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0125/1224288250539.html |title=Posters banned until election is called |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=25 January 2011 |access-date=28 January 2011 |first=Ronan |last=McGreevy |archive-date=28 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128065749/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0125/1224288250539.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Fianna Fáil]] leader [[Micheál Martin]] stated that the party would not rule out supporting a minority [[Fine Gael]] government if its policies were in line with Fianna Fáil's programme for economic recovery.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0129/politics.html |title=FF may support FG minority government |publisher=RTÉ News |date=29 January 2011 |access-date=30 January 2011 |archive-date=30 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130231631/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0129/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 31 January 2011 Martin named [[Mary Hanafin]] as the new deputy leader,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0131/politics.html |title=Mary Hanafin named new FF Deputy Leader |publisher=RTÉ News |date=31 January 2011 |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-date=1 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201211034/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0131/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> while the government chief whip [[John Curran (Irish politician)|John Curran]] was named as justice spokesman. Barry Andrews was appointed as health spokesman, [[Billy Kelleher]] transport, [[Peter Power (politician)|Peter Power]] foreign affairs and trade, and [[Niall Collins]] defence. He also appointed [[Willie O'Dea]], a former [[Department of Defence (Ireland)|Minister of Defence]] who had resigned in February 2010 after [[Willie O'Dea affidavit incident|committing perjury in front of the High Court]], as communications spokesperson. Brian Lenihan would continue as the finance spokesman in addition to being Finance Minister.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12328573 |title=New Fianna Fáil front bench is named |work=BBC News |date=31 January 2011 |access-date=2 February 2011 |archive-date=7 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107083339/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12328573 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In early February, [[European Central Bank]] President [[Jean-Claude Trichet]] told political parties to go ahead with the terms of the EU-IMF financial bailout plan. This came despite Fine Gael and Labour saying they would like to see a renegotiation of some of the key elements of the deal.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0204/1224288985792.html |title=Trichet urges party leaders to accept terms of EU-IMF rescue package |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=4 February 2011 |first1=Arthur |last1=Beesley |first2=Harry |last2=McGee |first3=Paul |last3=Cullen |first4=Mary |last4=Minihan |access-date=9 February 2011 |archive-date=12 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212235026/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0204/1224288985792.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Labour Party leader [[Eamon Gilmore]] asked voters to choose between "[[Frankfurt's Way or Labour's Way]]".

Micheál Martin was involved in an alleged racist gaffe, mocking a [[Chinese language|Chinese]] accent while speaking on his party's innovation proposals at the Dublin Web Summit.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/election2011/2011/02/14/ff-leader-martin-in-chinese-gaffe/ |title=FF leader Martin in Chinese gaffe |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=14 February 2011 |access-date=20 February 2011 |archive-date=18 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218051146/http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/election2011/2011/02/14/ff-leader-martin-in-chinese-gaffe/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the campaign, there were numerous reports of infighting between Fianna Fáil candidates [[Peter Power (politician)|Peter Power]] and [[Willie O'Dea]] in [[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Sheridan |first=Anne |url=http://www.limerickleader.ie:80/news/general-election-2011/willie_o_dea_accuses_limerick_running_mate_of_dishonest_trick_1_2447173 |title=Willie O'Dea accuses Limerick running mate of "dishonest" trick |publisher=[[Limerick Leader]] |access-date=27 February 2011 |archive-date=28 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110228075657/http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/general-election-2011/willie_o_dea_accuses_limerick_running_mate_of_dishonest_trick_1_2447173 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Cyprian Brady]] and [[Mary Fitzpatrick]] in [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]],<ref>{{cite web |author=Eating out |url=http://www.herald.ie/national-news/ff-turn-on-each-other-over-scraps-2556172.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120909222422/http://www.herald.ie/national-news/ff-turn-on-each-other-over-scraps-2556172.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 September 2012 |title=FF turn on each other over scraps |work=[[Evening Herald]] |date=18 November 2010 |access-date=27 February 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Michael|last=White|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/25/irish-general-election-parties-divided|title=Irish general election turns into slanging match with parties divided|work=The Guardian|date=25 February 2011|access-date=27 February 2011|location=London|archive-date=21 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921065508/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/feb/25/irish-general-election-parties-divided|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Mary Hanafin]] and [[Barry Andrews (politician)|Barry Andrews]] in [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]].

===New parties and groupings===
A number of parties and political alliances were set up in order to contest the election.

The [[United Left Alliance]] was set up on 25 November 2010, announcing it would field twenty candidates in the election. The group consisted of [[People Before Profit]], the [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]] and the [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]-based [[Workers and Unemployed Action]].<ref name="rtepress"/> However, the group failed to get its name mentioned on the ballot.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0202/1224288771153.html |title=Grouping abandons move to get its name on ballot |last=Cullen |first=Paul |date=2 February 2011 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=4 February 2011 |archive-date=4 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110204070624/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0202/1224288771153.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{anchor|Democracy Now}} A number of public figures, including journalists [[Fintan O'Toole]], [[David McWilliams (economics pundit)|David McWilliams]] and [[Eamon Dunphy]], discussed standing as members of a loose alliance dubbed "Democracy Now" to reform the political system and replace the IMF bailout agreement with a structured debt default.<ref name="OToole20110129"/><ref name="okeefee20110131">{{cite news |url=http://www.herald.ie/national-news/democracy-now-celebs-ditch-their-election-bid-2517860.html |title=Democracy Now celebs ditch their election bid |last=O'Keeffe |first=Alan |date=31 January 2011 |work=Evening Herald |access-date=3 February 2011 |archive-date=3 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203011612/http://www.herald.ie/national-news/democracy-now-celebs-ditch-their-election-bid-2517860.html |url-status=live }}</ref> O'Toole wrote on 29 January that, once the election date was brought forward from late March, "the risk of going off half-cocked seemed to outweigh the hope of making a difference", and the plan was abandoned.<ref name="OToole20110129">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0129/1224288524065.html |title=The decision that I made on contesting this general election |last=O'Toole |first=Fintan |date=29 January 2011 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=29 January 2011 |archive-date=31 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131010928/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2011/0129/1224288524065.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Evening Herald]]'' reported that "almost half of the 20 figures approached by Democracy Now in [late January] were unable to commit to the campaign".<ref name="okeefee20110131"/> [[Finian McGrath]], [[Catherine Murphy (politician)|Catherine Murphy]], and [[Shane Ross]], who stood as [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]]s, were also involved in the proposal.<ref name="okeefee20110131"/>

The newly registered party [[Fís Nua]] announced on 5 February that it was running six candidates in the election, three of whom were former Green Party members.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0207/1224289183570.html |title=New party targets corruption |last=Gartland |first=Fiona |date=7 February 2011 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=7 February 2011 |archive-date=13 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213002405/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0207/1224289183570.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Television debates===
[[Micheál Martin]] proposed that a series of debates between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Labour Party should take place on [[RTÉ]], [[TV3 (Ireland)|TV3]] and a debate in [[Irish language|Irish]] on [[TG4]]. This proposal was accepted by the Labour Party leader [[Eamon Gilmore]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eysnauidsngb/ |title=Gilmore agrees to Martin's debate proposal 'in principle' |work=BreakingNews.ie |date=26 January 2011 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721122948/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eysnauidsngb/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 27 January, Fine Gael leader [[Enda Kenny]] proposed a five-way debate which was also to include Sinn Féin and the Green Party.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eysnausngbcw/|title=Kenny calls for five-way TV election debates|work=BreakingNews.ie|date=27 January 2011|access-date=5 February 2011|archive-date=21 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721122953/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/eysnausngbcw/|url-status=live}}</ref> Kenny refused to take part in any debate that would involve TV3 news broadcaster [[Vincent Browne]]. In September 2010, Browne had made a comment on his show that Kenny "should go into a dark room with a gun and bottle of whiskey".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/browne-to-apologise-for-silly-suggestion-of-kenny-suicide-2363468.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120802093543/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/browne-to-apologise-for-silly-suggestion-of-kenny-suicide-2363468.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 August 2012 |title=Browne to apologise for 'silly' suggestion of Kenny suicide |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=4 October 2010 |first=Michael |last=Brennan }}</ref> Browne has since apologised for the remark,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0205/1224289077071.html |title=Kenny refuses to take part in TV3 debate |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=5 February 2011 |first=Paul |last=Cullen |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101114400/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0205/1224289077071.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and said he would step aside as moderator of the TV3 three-way leaders' debate if Kenny agreed to take part.<ref name=RTE_05022011>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0205/election.html |title=Gilmore urges Kenny to take part in TV3 debate |publisher=RTÉ News |date=5 February 2011 |access-date=5 February 2011 |archive-date=6 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206150537/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0205/election.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Responding to TV3's offer to replace Browne as moderator, Kenny stated that a clash in his schedule meant he was unable to take part in the debate.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0206/election.html |title=Enda Kenny rules out TV3 debate |publisher=RTÉ News |date=6 February 2011 |access-date=6 February 2011 |archive-date=7 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207174157/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0206/election.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In negotiations, TV3 proposed following the British model, in which the moderator does not ask follow-up questions and does not criticise or comment on the leaders' answers. However, the right of journalist Vincent Browne to "seek factual clarification where necessary" was reserved. It was agreed Browne would sit between Micheál Martin and Eamon Gilmore, and their positions either to the right or left of him were determined by the drawing of lots. Although both Martin and Gilmore had requested that an empty chair be left to represent the absence of Kenny, this was ruled out by TV3.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0209/1224289346846.html |title=Order in the house: debate rules |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=9 February 2011 |first=Mary |last=Minihan |access-date=14 February 2011 |archive-date=10 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210052218/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0209/1224289346846.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

A second debate lasting an hour took place on RTÉ on 14 February. The debate was hosted by [[Pat Kenny]] and involved leaders of the five main parties; Micheál Martin, Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore, John Gormley and Gerry Adams. The studio audience consisted of 140 undecided voters, six of whom asked pre-set questions. Leaders were given 45 seconds to respond to the question with efforts made to confine contributions to 45 seconds during the "free debate".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0215/1224289832383.html |title=No clear winner as Kenny holds his own in five-way leader debate |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=15 February 2011 |first=Harry |last=Mcgee |access-date=15 February 2011 |archive-date=19 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219005933/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2011/0215/1224289832383.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The third debate took place on [[TG4]] in Irish, the first debate to take place in the [[Irish language]]. The fourth and final debate took place on RTÉ on 22 February.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0222/politics.html |title=Leaders clash in final election debate |date=23 February 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=23 February 2011 |archive-date=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222221747/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0222/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The final debate was watched by an average television audience of 800,000 people.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0223/primetime.html |title=800,000 watch leaders' debate |date=23 February 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=23 February 2011 |archive-date=25 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110225235544/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/0223/primetime.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%"
|-<sup>†</sup>
! style="background:#B0C4DE" colspan="16"| 2011 Irish general election debates
|-
!style="white-space:nowrap;"|&nbsp;<small>'''''N°.'''''</small> || <small>Date </small>|| <small>Broadcaster</small> || <small>Moderator </small>|| <small>Language </small>|| scope="col" colspan="10"| <small>Participants</small>
|-
!colspan="5" |{{Colors|black|#90ff90|&nbsp;P&nbsp;}} <small>Participant. &nbsp;</small> {{Colors|black|#ff9090|&nbsp;N&nbsp;}} <small>Non-invitee. &nbsp; </small>  {{Colors|black|#ffffdd|&nbsp;A&nbsp;}} <small>Absent invitee. &nbsp;</small>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|<small>[[Gerry Adams|Adams]]</small>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|<small>[[Eamon Gilmore|Gilmore]]</small>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|<small>[[John Gormley|Gormley]]</small>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|<small>[[Enda Kenny|Kenny]]</small>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;"|<small>[[Micheál Martin|Martin]]</small>
|-
! 1
| style="white-space:nowrap;"|8 February
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[TV3 (Ireland)|TV3]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[Vincent Browne]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|English
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes-No|'''A'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|-
! 2
| style="white-space:nowrap;"|14 February
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[RTÉ]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[Pat Kenny]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|English
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|-
! 3
| style="white-space:nowrap;"|16 February
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[TG4]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[Eimear Ní Chonaola]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|Irish
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|-
! 4
| style="white-space:nowrap;"|22 February
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[RTÉ]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|[[Miriam O'Callaghan (media personality)|Miriam O'Callaghan]]
|style="white-space:nowrap;"|English
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{No|'''N'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|{{Yes|'''P'''}}
|}

===Directors of Elections===
The following people were appointed by their parties to act as their director of elections:<ref name=February2011IrishExaminer>{{cite web |url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfeyojididey/rss2/ |title=The men behind the parties |publisher=The Examiner |date=21 February 2011 |access-date=15 July 2011 |archive-date=24 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224221922/http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/kfeyojididey/rss2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
*Fianna Fáil – [[Tony Killeen]]
*Fine Gael – [[Phil Hogan]]
*Labour Party – [[Ruairi Quinn]]
*Green Party – Donal Geoghegan
*Sinn Féin – Brian Tumilty

==Opinion polls==
{{main|Opinion polling for the 2011 Irish general election}}
{{original research|section|date=February 2017}}
[[File:Election opinion polls irish 2007-2011.png|thumb|center|900px|4-point average trend line of poll results from 23 September 2007 to 26 February 2011, with each line corresponding to a political party.
{{columns-list|colwidth=18em|
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}} solid 5px|[[Fianna Fáil]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Fine Gael}} solid 5px|[[Fine Gael]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}} solid 5px|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}} solid 5px|[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]}}
 {{Legend-line|{{party color|Sinn Féin}} solid 5px|[[Sinn Féin]]}}
 {{Legend-line|#777777 solid 5px|Others}}
}}]]

The parties maintained their results from the 2007 general election for about eighteen months afterwards, with little change in polling figures. Fianna Fáil enjoyed a small bounce in May 2008 after the election of Brian Cowen to succeed Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach.

Fine Gael took the lead in opinion polls after the October 2008 budget, which included tax increases and spending cuts to address the growing financial crisis. A second emergency budget in April 2009 continued the downward trend in the popularity of the government parties, with Labour now capturing the gains from disaffected Fianna Fáil supporters. Two polls in the first half of 2009 showed Fianna Fáil coming third, behind both Fine Gael and Labour. Most polls between the [[2009 Irish local elections|2009 local elections]] and the summer of 2010 showed Fine Gael far ahead in first place, around the mid-30s, with Fianna Fáil in the mid-20s and Labour in the low 20s.

An ''Irish Times'' poll on 11 June 2010 gave Labour an unprecedented 32%, ahead of Fine Gael on 28% and Fianna Fáil on 17%. This surprise result was followed by the unsuccessful leadership challenge by Fine Gael deputy leader [[Richard Bruton]] against Enda Kenny; a period of instability followed, during which Labour challenged Fine Gael for first place in the polls.

As the economic crisis continued to worsen in late 2010, Fianna Fáil fell below 20% support, and did not recover from this in any opinion polls taken before the election. In November 2010, the EU/IMF rescue, followed by an historic defeat at the [[2010 Donegal South-West by-election|Donegal South-West by-election]], marked a new period in opinion polling. Fianna Fáil and the Green Party fell to unprecedented lows, with improvements for Sinn Féin, Fine Gael and independent candidates, and a decline in Labour's position. Fine Gael took a strong lead in polling, with Labour safely in second place, while Fianna Fáil struggled to maintain third place, just ahead of Sinn Féin and independents, all polling in the low teens.

As the election campaign began in February, Fine Gael enjoyed a surge at the expense of the other parties. Results in the high 30s suggested that Fine Gael could form a government on its own, rather than with its traditional coalition partners in the Labour Party. However, the exit poll taken on election night, and the subsequent results on the following days, showed an eleventh-hour fall in Fine Gael support to the mid-30s, the benefits of which seemed to accrue to Fianna Fáil and Independents.

Polling for parliamentary represented parties is as such:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Date
!class=unsortable|Source
!Polling Agency
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}"|[[Fianna Fáil|{{color|black|Fianna Fáil}}]]
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}"|[[Fine Gael|{{color|black|Fine Gael}}]]
!style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}"|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|{{color|White|Labour Party}}]]
!style="background:{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}"|[[Green Party (Ireland)|{{color|black|Green Party}}]]
!style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}}"|[[Sinn Féin|{{color|White|Sinn Féin}}]]
!Ind./Others
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-27|'''25 February 2011'''}}
|General election
|N/A
|'''17.5%'''
|'''36.1%'''
|'''19.5%'''
|'''1.8%'''
|'''9.9%'''
|'''15.4%'''
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-25|25 February 2011}}
|''[[RTÉ]]'' exit poll<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0226/election_count_live_saturday.html |title=Live - Election Count |publisher=RTÉ News |date=26 February 2011 |access-date=26 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227222417/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0226/election_count_live_saturday.html |archive-date=27 February 2011}}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|15.1%
|36.1%
|20.5%
|2.7%
|10.1%
|15.5%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-23|23 February 2011}}
|''[[Paddy Power]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0223/politics.html |title=Enda Kenny focused on 'real poll' |publisher=RTÉ News |date=23 February 2011 |access-date=23 February 2011 |archive-date=23 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223095537/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0223/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|16%
|40%
|18%
|3%
|10%
|14%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-23|23 February 2011}}
|''[[Irish Independent]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0222/election_2011.html |title=Live - Election 2011 Debate |publisher=RTÉ News |date=22 February 2011 |access-date=2 February 2011 |archive-date=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222102021/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0222/election_2011.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|14%
|38%
|20%
|1%
|11%
|16%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-21|21 February 2011}}
|''[[The Irish Times]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0220/politics2.html |title=New poll sees FG gain at Labour's expense |publisher=RTÉ News |date=20 February 2011 |access-date=20 February 2011 |archive-date=22 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110222103049/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0220/politics2.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|16%
|37%
|19%
|2%
|11%
|15%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-20|20 February 2011}}
|''[[The Sunday Business Post]]''<ref name=20febpoll>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0219/polls_election.html |title=Fine Gael leads in opinion polls |publisher=RTÉ News |date=19 February 2011 |access-date=19 February 2011 |archive-date=20 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220163435/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0219/polls_election.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|16%
|39%
|17%
|2%
|12%
|14%
|-
|{{sort|2011-01-20|20 February 2011}}
|''[[Sunday Independent (Ireland)|Sunday Independent]]''<ref name=20febpoll/>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|16%
|37%
|20%
|1%
|12%
|14%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-17|17 February 2011}}
|''[[Irish Daily Star]]''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thejournal.ie/latest-opinion-poll-gives-fg-further-breathing-space-2011-2/ |title=Latest opinion poll gives FG further breathing space |work=TheJournal.ie |date=16 February 2011 |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-date=19 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219012855/http://www.thejournal.ie/latest-opinion-poll-gives-fg-further-breathing-space-2011-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|OI Research
|17%
|39%
|18%
|2%
|10%
|14%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-16|16 February 2011}}
|''Irish Independent''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0215/politics.html |title=FG prioritises job creation & economic growth |publisher=RTÉ News |date=15 February 2011 |access-date=15 February 2011 |archive-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110216161910/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0215/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|12%
|38%
|23%
|1%
|10%
|16%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-13|13 February 2011}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0212/poll.html |title=FG on course to form government - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=12 February 2011 |access-date=12 February 2011 |archive-date=13 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213172312/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0212/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|15%
|38%
|20%
|3%
|10%
|14%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-06|6 February 2011}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''.<ref name="RTE_05022011"/> 
|RED C
|17%
|35%
|22%
|2%
|13%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-03|3 February 2011}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref name=RTE_02022011>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0202/election.html |title=Parties launch General Election campaigns |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 February 2011 |access-date=2 February 2011 |archive-date=3 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203161505/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0202/election.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|15%
|33%
|24%
|1%
|12%
|15%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-02|2 February 2011}}
|''Paddy Power''<ref name=RTE_02022011/>
|RED C
|18%
|37%
|19%
|2%
|12%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2011-02-02|2 February 2011}}
|''Irish Independent''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics_poll.html |title=Drop in support for Fine Gael - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=1 February 2011 |access-date=2 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203013916/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0201/politics_poll.html |archive-date=3 February 2011}}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|16%
|30%
|24%
|1%
|13%
|15%
|-
|{{sort|2011-01-30|30 January 2011}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=RTE_poll_29012011/>
|RED C
|16%
|33%
|21%
|2%
|13%
|15%
|-
|{{sort|2011-01-30|30 January 2011}}
|''Sunday Independent''<ref name=RTE_poll_29012011>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0129/poll.html |title=Polls show support for FF has stabilised |publisher=RTÉ News |date=29 January 2011 |access-date=29 January 2011 |archive-date=30 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130231637/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0129/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|16%
|34%
|24%
|1%
|10%
|15%
|-
|{{sort|2011-01-07|7 January 2011}}
|''Paddy Power''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0107/poll.html |title=New poll shows continued Fianna Fáil slide |publisher=RTÉ News |date=7 January 2011 |access-date=7 January 2011 |archive-date=10 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110032725/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0107/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|14%
|35%
|21%
|4%
|14%
|12%
|-
|{{sort|2010-12-19|19 December 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1218/poll.html |title=Support for Fine Gael increases - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=18 December 2010 |access-date=18 December 2010 |archive-date=19 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219225717/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1218/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|17%
|34%
|23%
|2%
|14%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2010-12-16|16 December 2010}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1215/politics.html |title=Support for Govt at lowest ever level - Poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=15 December 2010 |access-date=15 December 2010 |archive-date=17 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217010628/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1215/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|17%
|30%
|25%
|2%
|15%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2010-12-03|3 December 2010}}
|''[[The Irish Sun]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1202/politics.html |title=Poll sees Fianna Fáil support drop further |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 December 2010 |access-date=3 December 2010 |archive-date=22 December 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222093435/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1202/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|13%
|32%
|24%
|3%
|16%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2010-11-21|21 November 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1120/politics.html |title=Record low for Fianna Fáil in Red C poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=20 November 2010 |access-date=20 November 2010 |archive-date=22 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101122071229/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1120/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|17%
|33%
|27%
|3%
|11%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2010-10-24|24 October 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1023/poll.html |title=Support for Fianna Fáil hits new low - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=23 October 2010 |access-date=23 October 2010 |archive-date=25 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101025001150/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/1023/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|18%
|32%
|27%
|4%
|9%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2010-09-30|30 September 2010}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0929/politics1.html |title=FG drops further behind Labour - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=29 September 2010 |access-date=29 September 2010 |archive-date=1 October 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001195826/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0929/politics1.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|24%
|24%
|33%
|2%
|8%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2010-09-26|26 September 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0925/poll.html |title=Support for FF remains steady - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=25 September 2010 |access-date=25 September 2010 |archive-date=27 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100927211859/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0925/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|31%
|23%
|3%
|10%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2010-09-23|23 September 2010}}
|''[[TV3 News]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0923/politics.html |title=Poll - Interview damaged Cowen's credibility |publisher=RTÉ News |date=23 September 2010 |access-date=23 September 2010 |archive-date=24 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924201238/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0923/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown Lansdowne
|22%
|30%
|35%
|2%
|4%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2010-06-27|27 June 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0626/poll.html |title=Poll shows FG recovery after Kenny challenge |publisher=RTÉ News |date=26 June 2010 |access-date=26 June 2010 |archive-date=29 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100629155147/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0626/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|33%
|27%
|2%
|8%
|6%
|-
|{{sort|2010-06-11|11 June 2010}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0610/politics.html |title=Labour most popular party - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=10 June 2010 |access-date=10 June 2010 |archive-date=12 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612230109/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0610/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|17%
|28%
|32%
|3%
|9%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2010-05-30|30 May 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0529/poll.html |title=Fianna Fáil regains second place in poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=29 May 2010 |access-date=29 May 2010 |archive-date=1 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601021602/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0529/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|30%
|22%
|5%
|10%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2010-05-02|2 May 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0501/poll.html |title=Dramatic surge in support for Labour - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=1 May 2010 |access-date=1 May 2010 |archive-date=3 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503001003/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0501/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|23%
|33%
|24%
|6%
|6%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2010-03-28|28 March 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0327/poll.html |title=Support for Fianna Fáil drops - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=27 March 2010 |access-date=27 March 2010 |archive-date=29 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329134855/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0327/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|35%
|17%
|5%
|10%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2010-02-28|28 February 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0227/poll.html |title=Support for main parties unchanged - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=27 February 2010 |access-date=27 February 2010 |archive-date=1 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301035313/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0227/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|27%
|34%
|17%
|5%
|9%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2010-02-13|13 February 2010}}
|''Irish Independent''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0212/politics.html |title=Increase in support for FG - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=12 February 2010 |access-date=16 December 2010 |archive-date=26 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326075953/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0212/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown IMS
|27%
|34%
|19%
|2%
|8%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2010-01-31|31 January 2010}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0130/poll.html |title=Poll shows jump in support for Fianna Fáil |publisher=RTÉ News |date=30 January 2010 |access-date=30 January 2010 |archive-date=1 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201022936/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0130/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|27%
|34%
|17%
|5%
|8%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2010-01-22|22 January 2010}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0121/poll.html |title=Poll shows moderate rise in support for FF |publisher=RTÉ News |date=21 January 2010 |access-date=21 January 2010 |archive-date=24 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100124112247/http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0121/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} Ipsos MRBI
|22%
|32%
|24%
|3%
|8%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2009-11-22|22 November 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1121/poll.html |title=Support for Fine Gael at highest level - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=21 November 2009 |access-date=21 November 2009 |archive-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124081320/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1121/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|23%
|36%
|17%
|5%
|10%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2009-10-25|25 October 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-10-27 |title=FG retains lead in polls |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1024/123380-politics1/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=[[RTÉ News]] |language=en}}</ref>
|RED C
|25%
|35%
|19%
|3%
|9%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2009-09-27|27 September 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal>{{cite news |url=http://www.guthanphobail.net/pobalbhreitheanna.htm |title=Na Pobalbhreitheanna is deireanaí |work=Guth an Phobail |access-date=28 January 2011 |language=Irish |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110219061825/http://www.guthanphobail.net/pobalbhreitheanna.htm |archive-date=19 February 2011}}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|35%
|18%
|4%
|8%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2009-09-26|26 September 2009}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0925/poll.html |title=Support for Govt, Cowen & FF rise - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=25 September 2009 |access-date=27 September 2009 |archive-date=28 September 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090928041043/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0925/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|20%
|31%
|25%
|4%
|9%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2009-09-13|13 September 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|24%
|33%
|19%
|5%
|8%
|11%
|-
|{{sort|2009-09-03|3 September 2009}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0902/poll.html |title=Satisfaction with Taoiseach falls to 15% |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 September 2009 |access-date=2 September 2009 |archive-date=23 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223034016/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0902/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|17%
|34%
|24%
|3%
|10%
|12%
|-
|{{sort|2009-06-05|'''5 June 2009'''}}
|[[2009 European Parliament election in Ireland|European election]]
|N/A
|'''24.1%'''
|'''29.1%'''
|'''13.9%'''
|'''1.9%'''
|'''11.2%'''
|'''19.7%'''
|-
|{{sort|2009-06-05|'''5 June 2009'''}}
|[[2009 Irish local elections|Local elections]]
|N/A
|'''25.4%'''
|'''32.2%'''
|'''14.7%'''
|'''2.3%'''
|'''7.4%'''
|'''18.0%'''
|-
|{{sort|2009-05-31|31 May 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/poll.html |title=Further drop in support for FF |publisher=RTÉ News |date=30 May 2009 |access-date=30 May 2009 |archive-date=31 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531041248/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|21%
|34%
|18%
|4%
|10%
|13%
|-
|{{sort|2009-05-29|29 May 2009}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/poll.html |title=Poll shows rise in support for Labour |publisher=RTÉ News |date=28 May 2009 |access-date=30 May 2009 |archive-date=31 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531041248/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0528/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|20%
|36%
|23%
|3%
|8%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2009-05-17|17 May 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0516/poll.html |title=Poll shows drop in support for Green Party |publisher=RTÉ News |date=16 May 2009 |access-date=16 May 2009 |archive-date=19 May 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519014453/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0516/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|24%
|34%
|18%
|5%
|7%
|12%
|-
|{{sort|2009-05-15|15 May 2009}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{Cite news |date=2009-05-15 |title=Polls shows Fine Gael popularity surge |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0514/117403-politics/ |access-date=2025-01-25 |work=[[RTÉ News]] |language=en}}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|21%
|38%
|20%
|3%
|9%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2009-04-26|26 April 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0425/poll.html |title=Poll shows drop in support for FF |publisher=RTÉ News |date=25 April 2009 |access-date=25 April 2009 |archive-date=27 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090427193158/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0425/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|23%
|33%
|19%
|7%
|8%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2009-03-29|29 March 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0328/poll.html |title=Poll shows increase for Fianna Fáil |publisher=RTÉ News |date=28 March 2009 |access-date=29 March 2009 |archive-date=30 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090330003545/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0328/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|28%
|31%
|17%
|7%
|7%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2009-03-01|1 March 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0228/poll.html |title=FF falls to lowest ever rating - poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=28 February 2009 |access-date=28 February 2009 |archive-date=4 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304002722/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0228/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|23%
|30%
|22%
|6%
|11%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2009-02-27|27 February 2009}}
|''Irish Independent''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0226/poll.html |title=10% satisfied with Govt performance |publisher=RTÉ News |date=26 February 2009 |access-date=26 February 2009 |archive-date=28 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228055803/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0226/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|Millward Brown IMS
|25%
|30%
|22%
|5%
|7%
|10%
|-
|{{sort|2009-02-13|13 February 2009}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0212/poll.html |title=Labour surge past FF in latest poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=12 February 2009 |access-date=26 February 2009 |archive-date=15 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215060953/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0212/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|22%
|32%
|24%
|4%
|9%
|9%
|-
|{{sort|2009-02-01|1 February 2009}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0131/poll.html |title=Fall in support for two main parties |publisher=RTÉ News |date=31 January 2009 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=7 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307165450/http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0131/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|28%
|33%
|14%
|8%
|9%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2008-11-23|23 November 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1122/poll.html |title=Poll shows recovery for Fianna Fáil |publisher=RTÉ News |date=22 November 2008 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=14 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214035256/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1122/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|30%
|35%
|14%
|5%
|8%
|8%
|-
|{{sort|2008-11-14|14 November 2008}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1113/poll.html |title=Massive drop in support for Fianna Fáil |publisher=RTÉ News |date=13 November 2008 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=23 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110223111207/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1113/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|27%
|34%
|14%
|4%
|8%
|13%
|-
|{{sort|2008-10-26|26 October 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1025/poll.html |title=Fianna Fáil down 10% in poll |publisher=RTÉ News |date=26 October 2008 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=9 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081209115421/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1025/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|26%
|33%
|15%
|6%
|10%
|10% ([[Progressive Democrats|PD]]s 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-09-21|21 September 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0920/poll.html |title=Poll shows fall in support for Fianna Fáil |publisher=RTÉ News |date=20 September 2008 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=30 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030052432/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0920/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|36%
|28%
|9%
|7%
|9%
|11% (PDs 3%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-07-27|27 July 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|40%
|24%
|10%
|9%
|9%
|8% (PDs 1%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-06-22|22 June 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|40%
|25%
|10%
|7%
|10%
|8% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-06-07|7 June 2008}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref name=pobal/>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|42%
|23%
|15%
|5%
|8%
|7% (PDs 1%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-05-25|25 May 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|38%
|29%
|10%
|8%
|7%
|8% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-05-16|16 May 2008}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref name=pobal/>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|42%
|26%
|15%
|4%
|6%
|7% (PDs 1%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-04-27|27 April 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|38%
|29%
|10%
|8%
|7%
|8% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-03-30|30 March 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0329/poll.html |title=New poll shows drop in support for FF |publisher=RTÉ News |date=29 March 2008 |access-date=27 February 2009 |archive-date=6 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506072517/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0329/poll.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|RED C
|35%
|30%
|10%
|8%
|9%
|8% (PDs 1%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-03-02|2 March 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|37%
|31%
|10%
|7%
|8%
|7% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-01-27|27 January 2008}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|36%
|32%
|10%
|7%
|9%
|6% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2008-01-25|25 January 2008}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref name=pobal/>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|34%
|31%
|12%
|6%
|8%
|9% (PDs 3%)
|-
|{{sort|2007-11-25|25 November 2007}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|32%
|31%
|13%
|9%
|7%
|9% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2007-11-02|2 November 2007}}
|''The Irish Times''<ref name=pobal/>
|{{hs|MRBI}} TNS-MRBI
|33%
|31%
|15%
|5%
|7%
|9% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2007-10-28|28 October 2007}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|39%
|27%
|10%
|7%
|8%
|9% (PDs 2%)
|-
|{{sort|2007-09-23|23 September 2007}}
|''The Sunday Business Post''<ref name=pobal/>
|RED C
|40%
|27%
|11%
|7%
|6%
|9% (PDs 3%)
|-
|{{sort|2007-05-24|'''24 May 2007'''}}
|[[2007 Irish general election|General election]]
|N/A
|'''41.5%'''
|'''27.3%'''
|'''10.1%'''
|'''4.7%'''
|'''6.9%'''
|'''9.4% ([[Progressive Democrats|PD]]s 2.7%)'''
|}

==Results==
{{see also|Members of the 31st Dáil}}<ref>{{Cite web
| url = https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/publications/?q=D%C3%A1il%20General%20Election%20Results%20and%20Transfer%20of%20Votes&author%5B%5D=dail-eireann&date=&term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fdail%2F33&fromDate=10%2F06%2F2020&toDate=10%2F06%2F2020&topic%5B%5D=elections&topic%5B%5D=election-results
| title = 31st DÁIL GENERAL ELECTION February, 2011 Election Results and Transfer of Votes
| website = oireachtas.ie
| access-date = 2020-06-10
| archive-date = 10 June 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200610191629/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/publications/?q=D%C3%A1il%20General%20Election%20Results%20and%20Transfer%20of%20Votes&author%5B%5D=dail-eireann&date=&term=%2Fie%2Foireachtas%2Fhouse%2Fdail%2F33&fromDate=10%2F06%2F2020&toDate=10%2F06%2F2020&topic%5B%5D=elections&topic%5B%5D=election-results
| url-status = live
}}</ref>
{| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;"
|-
|rowspan=2|Party
|'''[[Fine Gael]]'''
|'''[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour]]'''
|'''[[Fianna Fáil]]'''
|'''[[Sinn Féin]]'''
|'''[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]'''
|'''[[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist]]'''
|'''[[People Before Profit|PBP]]'''
|'''[[Workers and Unemployed Action|WUA]]'''
|- 
|  style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}};"|
|  style="background:{{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}};"|
|-
|Leader
|<small>[[Enda Kenny]]</small>
|<small>[[Eamon Gilmore]]</small>
|<small>[[Micheál Martin]]</small>
|<small>[[Gerry Adams]]</small>
|<small>[[John Gormley]]</small>
|<small>''None''</small>
|<small>''None''</small>
|<small>[[Séamus Healy]]</small>
|-
|rowspan=2|Votes
|36.1%<br />801,628
|19.5%<br />431,796
|17.5%<br />387,358
|9.9%<br />220,661	
|1.8%<br />41,039	
|1.2%<br />26,770	
|1.0%<br />21,551	
|0.4%<br />8,818		
|-
|{{center|{{percentage bar|36.1||6699FF}}}} 
|{{center|{{percentage bar|19.5||CC0000}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|17.5||66BB66}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|9.9||008800}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|1.8||99CC33}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|1.2||FF3300}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|1.0||660000}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|0.4||FA8072}}}}
|-
|rowspan=2|Seats
| 76 (45.8%)
| 37 (22.3%)
| 20 (12.0%)
| 14 (8.4%)
| 0 (0.0%)
| 2 (1.2%)
| 2 (1.2%)
| 1 (0.6%)
|-
|{{center|{{percentage bar|45.8||6699FF}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|22.3||CC0000}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|12||66BB66}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|8.4||008800}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|0||99CC33}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|1.2||FF3300}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|1.2||660000}}}}
|{{center|{{percentage bar|0.6||FA8072}}}}
|}
{| style="width:90%; text-align:center;"
|+ ↓
|- style="color:white;"
| style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; width:45.8%;" | '''76'''
| style="background:{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}; width:22.3%;" | '''37'''
| style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; width:12.0%;" | '''20'''
| style="background:grey; width:8.5%;" | '''15'''
| style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}}; width:8.4%;" | '''14'''
| style="background:{{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}; width:1.2%;" | '''2'''
| style="background:{{party color|People Before Profit}}; width:1.2%;" | '''2'''
| style="background:{{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}; width:0.6%;" | '''1'''
|-
| {{color|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|'''Fine Gael'''}}
| {{color|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|'''Labour Party'''}}
| {{color|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|'''Fianna Fáil'''}}
| {{color|grey|'''Independents'''}}
| {{color|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|'''Sinn Féin'''}}
| {{color|{{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}|}}
| {{color|{{party color|People Before Profit}}|}}
| {{color|{{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}|}}
|}
{{election table|title=|sortable=yes}}
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" colspan="13"|31st Irish general election – 25 February 2011
|-
! style="background-color:white;" colspan=13| [[File:Irish general election 2011.svg|center|360px]]
|- style="text-align:left;"
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" colspan=2 | Party<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | Leader<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | First<br>Pref votes<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | % FPv<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | [[Swing (politics)|Swing]]%<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | [[Teachta Dála|TDs]]<br>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | Change<br><small>(since 2007)</small>
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9; text-align:center;" | % of<br> seats<br>
|-
| {{Party name with color|Fine Gael}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Enda|Kenny}}
| 801,628
| 36.1
| {{increase}}8.8
| 76
| {{increase}}25
| 45.8
|-
| {{Party name with color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Eamon|Gilmore}}
| 431,796
| 19.5
| {{increase}}9.3
| 37
| {{increase}}17
| 22.3
|-
| {{Party name with color|Fianna Fáil}}{{efn|name=CC}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Micheál|Martin}}
| 387,358
| 17.5
| {{decrease}}24.2
| 20
| {{decrease}}58
| 12.0
|-
| {{Party name with color|Sinn Féin}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Gerry|Adams}}
| 220,661
| 9.9
| {{increase}}3.0
| 14
| {{increase}}10
| 8.4
|-
| {{Party name with color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}
| style="text-align:left;" |''None''
| 26,770
| 1.2
| {{increase}}0.6
| 2
| {{increase}}2
| 1.2
|-
| {{Party name with color|People Before Profit Alliance}}
| style="text-align:left;" |''None''
| 21,551
| 1.0
| {{increase}}0.6
| 2
| {{increase}}2
| 1.2
|-
| {{Party name with color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Séamus|Healy}}
| 8,818
| 0.4
| {{increase}}0.1
| 1
| {{increase}}1
| 0.6
|-
| {{Party name with color|Green Party (Ireland)}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|John|Gormley}}
| 41,039
| 1.8
| {{decrease}}2.9
| 0
| {{decrease}}6
| 0
|-
| {{Party name with color|South Kerry Independent Alliance}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Michael|Gleeson|dab=politician}}
| 4,939
| 0.2
| {{increase}}0.2
| 0
| {{steady}}
| 0
|-
| {{Party name with color|Workers' Party (Ireland)}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Mick|Finnegan}}
| 3,056
| 0.1
| {{steady}} 0
| 0
| {{steady}}
| 0
|-
| {{Party name with color|Christian Solidarity Party}}
| style="text-align:left;" |{{sortname|Richard|Greene|Richard Greene (politician)}}
| 2,102
| 0.1
| {{steady}} 0
| 0
| {{steady}}
| 0
|-
| {{Party name with color|Fís Nua}}
| style="text-align:left;" |''None''
| 938
| 0
| ''New''
| 0
| ''New''
| 0
|-
| {{Party name with color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
| style="text-align:left;" |—{{efn|Elected independent candidates were [[Stephen Donnelly]], [[Luke 'Ming' Flanagan]] (of [[New Vision (electoral alliance)|New Vision]]), [[Tom Fleming (Irish politician)|Tom Fleming]], [[Noel Grealish]], [[John Halligan (politician)|John Halligan]], [[Michael Healy-Rae]], [[Michael Lowry (politician)|Michael Lowry]], [[Finian McGrath]], [[Mattie McGrath]], [[Catherine Murphy (politician)|Catherine Murphy]], [[Maureen O'Sullivan (politician)|Maureen O'Sullivan]], [[Thomas Pringle (politician)|Thomas Pringle]], [[Shane Ross]], and [[Mick Wallace]].}}
| 269,703
| 12.1
| {{increase}}6.9
| 14
| {{increase}}9
| 8.4
|- class="unsortable"
! colspan=3 style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | Total
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | 2,220,359
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | 100
! {{n/a}}
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | 166
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | Turnout
! style="background-color:#E9E9E9" | 70.0%
{{end}}
The [[United Left Alliance]] (ULA) won 59,423 votes (2.7%) and five seats. The ULA comprised the [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]], the [[People Before Profit Alliance]], the [[Workers and Unemployed Action]] and independent candidate [[Declan Bree]] (2,284 votes).

Independents include [[New Vision (electoral alliance)|New Vision]] candidates (25,422 votes) and People's Convention candidates (1,512 votes).
*Fine Gael and Labour Party majority coalition government formed.

===Voting summary===
{{Pie chart
|caption= First preference vote Share of different parties in the election.
|other = yes
|value1 = 36.1	
|label1 = [[Fine Gael]]
|color1 = {{party color|Fine Gael}}
|value2 = 19.5
|label2 = [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|color2 = {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|value3 = 17.5
|label3 = [[Fianna Fáil]]
|color3 = {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}
|value4 = 9.9
|label4 = [[Sinn Féin]]
|color4 = {{party color|Sinn Féin}}
|value5 = 1.8
|label5 = [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]
|color5 = {{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}
|value6 = 1.2
|label6 = [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]]
|color6 = {{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}
|value7 = 1.0
|label7 = [[People Before Profit]]
|color7 = {{party color|People Before Profit}}
}}
{{bar box
|title=First preference vote
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=350px
|bars=
{{bar percent|'''Fine Gael'''|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|36.10}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|19.45}}
{{bar percent|Fianna Fáil|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|17.44}}
{{bar percent|Sinn Féin|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|9.94}}
{{bar percent|Green|{{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}|1.85}}
{{bar percent|Socialist|{{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}|1.21}}
{{bar percent|People Before Profit|{{party color|People Before Profit}}|0.97}}
{{bar percent|Workers and Unemployed Action|{{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}|0.40}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.50}}
{{bar percent|Independent|{{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}|12.15}}
}}

===Seats summary===
{{bar box
|title=Dáil seats
|titlebar=#ddd
|width=600px
|barwidth=350px
|bars=
{{bar percent|'''Fine Gael'''|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|45.78}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|22.29}}
{{bar percent|Fianna Fáil|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|12.05}}
{{bar percent|Sinn Féin|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|8.43}}
{{bar percent|Socialist|{{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}|1.20}}
{{bar percent|People Before Profit|{{party color|People Before Profit}}|1.20}}
{{bar percent|Workers and Unemployed Action|{{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}|0.60}}
{{bar percent|Independent|{{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}|8.43}}
}}

===Fianna Fáil===
Fianna Fáil suffered the worst defeat of a sitting government in the history of the Irish state, and amongst the worst ever suffered by any Western European governing party. The party's first-preference vote plunged to 17.5 per cent – less than half of its first-preference vote from 2007. Without a significant number of transfers, the election count quickly turned into a rout.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0227/election.html |title=FG looks to form Govt as final results emerge |publisher=RTÉ News |date=27 February 2011 |access-date=28 February 2011 |archive-date=27 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110227191146/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0227/election.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

From 77 seats at dissolution, the party was reduced to a rump of 20 TDs, the worst election result in the party's 85-year history.<ref name=IT1/> The 57-seat loss far exceeded Fine Gael's 15-seat loss in [[1977 Irish general election|1977]], the previous record for the worst defeat of a sitting government. By comparison, after the five elections since 1932 at which Fianna Fáil was consigned to opposition, it remained the largest party in the Dáil, with well over 60 TDs.

The party suffered a near-total meltdown in [[Dublin]], which had been one of the party's strongholds since [[1977 Irish general election|1977]]. Twelve of the party's 13 Dublin TDs seeking re-election were defeated. Outgoing [[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Finance Minister]] [[Brian Lenihan Jnr]] barely retained his [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]] seat on the fifth count, and was, until his death on 10 June 2011, the lone Fianna Fáil TD from the capital.<ref name=ITDublin>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking5.html |title=FF almost wiped out in Dublin |newspaper=The Irish Times |author=Doyle, Kilian |date=27 February 2011 |access-date=28 February 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304202623/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking5.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Notably, the party was completely shut out in [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]], which former Taoiseach [[Bertie Ahern]] had represented for 34 years.

The most high-profile casualty was [[Tánaiste]] and [[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education and Skills]] [[Mary Coughlan (politician)|Mary Coughlan]], who lost the seat she had held in [[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]] since 1987. ''[[The Guardian]]'' newspaper described it as "Ireland's [[Portillo moment]]".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/feb/28/fianna-fail-ireland-election |work=The Guardian |first=Padraig |last=Reidy |title=After Fianna Fáil: a new Ireland takes shape |date=28 February 2011 |location=London |access-date=11 December 2016 |archive-date=25 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125185532/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/feb/28/fianna-fail-ireland-election |url-status=live }}</ref> She was the second Tánaiste in a row to lose their own seat in an election, after [[Michael McDowell (politician)|Michael McDowell]] in 2007.<ref name=Guardian/> Other senior cabinet ministers who lost their seats included [[Pat Carey]] and [[Mary Hanafin]]. [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Junior ministers]] who lost their seats included [[Barry Andrews (politician)|Barry Andrews]], [[Áine Brady]], [[Seán Connick]], [[John Curran (Irish politician)|John Curran]], [[Seán Haughey]], [[Conor Lenihan]], [[Martin Mansergh]], [[Peter Power (politician)|Peter Power]] and [[Dick Roche]]. Fianna Fáil also had no women TDs in the 31st Dáil.<ref name=IT1/>

The severity of the defeat came as a shock to many of Fianna Fáil's senior leaders. Martin and others had concluded almost as soon as the election writ was drawn up that the party would not win a record fifth consecutive term in government. However, while they anticipated massive losses, they had hoped to hold on to at least 30 seats.<ref name=Relevance/>

===Fine Gael===
Fine Gael became largest party in the Dáil for the first time in its 78-year history.  The party won 76 seats, six more than its previous record seat count in [[November 1982 Irish general election|1982]].<ref name=IT1/> There initially had been talk of Fine Gael winning an overall majority—something no Irish party has done since 1977—but the party ultimately came up seven seats short.<ref name=BBC1/> The party also took 17 seats in the Dublin region-its best result in 29 years-to become the second party in the capital.<ref name=ITDublin/>

===Labour Party===
The Labour Party made a very strong showing, almost doubling its share of the vote to become the second-largest party in the Dáil, its best showing ever.<ref name=BBC1/><ref name=IT1/><ref name=Guardian/> It also took 18 seats in Dublin to become the first party in the capital.<ref name=ITDublin/> However, in contrast to predictions by [[Eamon Gilmore]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0721/breaking2.html |title=Gilmore rules out FF coalition |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=21 July 2010 |access-date=16 April 2011 |archive-date=11 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311220433/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0721/breaking2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> most of the party's gains were in the [[Greater Dublin]], [[Munster]] and [[Leinster]] constituencies. Despite an increase in its vote, the party only managed to win two seats in [[Connacht]], both of which were in [[County Galway]].

===Sinn Féin===
Sinn Féin also made significant gains. All its sitting TDs were returned, [[Seán Crowe]] regaining the seat in [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]] he lost in 2007, and party president [[Gerry Adams]] retaining Arthur Morgan's seat in [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]], topping the poll. In addition to winning targeted seats such as [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]], [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]] and [[Meath West (Dáil constituency)|Meath West]] the party gained unexpected seats in [[Cork East (Dáil constituency)|Cork East]] and [[Sligo–North Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–North Leitrim]].<ref name=IT1/> It won 14 seats, the best performance for the party's current incarnation.

===Green Party===
The [[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]] lost all of the six seats it had previously held, including that of party leader [[John Gormley]] and [[Eamon Ryan]], both of whom served as cabinet ministers in the previous government.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking2.html |newspaper=The Irish Times |title=Kenny leads Fine Gael to win as Fianna Fáil vote collapses |date=27 February 2011 |access-date=27 February 2011 |first=Kilian |last=Doyle |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101114307/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0227/breaking2.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Three out of their six incumbent [[Teachta Dála|TD]]s lost their deposits. The party's share of the vote fell below 2%, meaning that they could not reclaim election expenses, and their lack of parliamentary representation led to the ending of state funding for the party. This financial crisis made it likely that the Greens may have been forced to close their Dublin office and make "some if not all" of their staff redundant.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0301/1224291080510.html |title=Failure to get votes likely to result in party's office closing |last=McGee |first=Harry |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303231808/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0301/1224291080510.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===United Left Alliance===
The [[United Left Alliance]] won five seats. Two former TDs returned to the Dáil: [[Joe Higgins (politician)|Joe Higgins]] of the [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]] and [[Séamus Healy]] of the [[Workers and Unemployed Action]]. [[Clare Daly]] became the Socialist Party's second-ever TD. The [[People Before Profit]] won its first two seats in Dáil Éireann, with [[Richard Boyd Barrett]] and [[Joan Collins (politician)|Joan Collins]] elected. United Left Alliance candidates won a combined vote share of 2.7%, more than the Green Party.

===Notable firsts===
The 2011 election resulted in a record number of first time TDs, with 76 elected for the first time.<ref name="Breaking_the_mould">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/breaking-the-mould-as-70-in-dail-for-first-time-2559049.html |title=Breaking the mould as 70 in Dáil for first time |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=28 February 2011 |first=Fiach |last=Kelly |access-date=28 February 2011 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101110736/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/elections/latest-news/breaking-the-mould-as-70-in-dail-for-first-time-2559049.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

It was the first occasion in which no political party won a seat in every constituency. [[Fine Gael]] took a seat in every constituency with the exception of [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]].

Labour Party TDs [[Dominic Hannigan]] and [[John Lyons (Dublin politician)|John Lyons]] became the first openly gay people to be elected to the Dáil.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/first-openly-gay-tds-are-proud-to-blaze-a-trail-2560433.html |title=First openly gay TDs are proud to blaze a trail |work=Evening Herald |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304160927/http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/first-openly-gay-tds-are-proud-to-blaze-a-trail-2560433.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===TDs who lost their seats===
Forty-five sitting TDs (27% of the total) lost their Dáil seats: Fianna Fáil (35), Green Party (6), Fine Gael (3) and Independent (1).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/election2011/results/index.html |title=Election 2011 Results: National Summary |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=1 March 2011 |date=2 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110903011006/http://www.rte.ie/news/election2011/results/index.html |archive-date= 3 September 2011 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!colspan=2|Party
!Name
!Constituency
!Other offices held during 30th Dáil
|-
! rowspan=35 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| rowspan=35|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[Michael Ahern (Irish politician)|Michael Ahern]]
|[[Cork East (Dáil constituency)|Cork East]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Barry Andrews (politician)|Barry Andrews]]
|[[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Chris Andrews (politician)|Chris Andrews]]
|[[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
|
|-
|[[Bobby Aylward]]
|[[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
|
|-
|[[Áine Brady]]
|[[Kildare North (Dáil constituency)|Kildare North]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Cyprian Brady]]
|[[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]]
|
|-
|[[Johnny Brady]]
|[[Meath West (Dáil constituency)|Meath West]]
|
|-
|[[Thomas Byrne (Meath politician)|Thomas Byrne]]
|[[Meath East (Dáil constituency)|Meath East]]
|
|-
|[[Pat Carey]]
|[[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
|[[Minister for Children, Disability and Equality|Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs]]
|-
|[[Margaret Conlon]]
|[[Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan–Monaghan]]
|
|-
|[[Seán Connick]]
|[[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Mary Coughlan (politician)|Mary Coughlan]]
|[[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
|[[Tánaiste]] and [[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education and Skills]]
|-
|[[John Curran (Irish politician)|John Curran]]
|[[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]]
|-
|[[Frank Fahey (politician)|Frank Fahey]]
|[[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
|
|-
|[[Michael Fitzpatrick (Kildare politician)|Michael Fitzpatrick]]
|[[Kildare North (Dáil constituency)|Kildare North]]
|
|-
|[[Mary Hanafin]]
|[[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
|[[Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport|Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport]]
|-
|[[Seán Haughey]]
|[[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Máire Hoctor]]
|[[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Peter Kelly (Irish politician)|Peter Kelly]]
|[[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
|
|-
|[[Brendan Kenneally]]
|[[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
|
|-
|[[Michael Kennedy (Dublin politician)|Michael Kennedy]]
|[[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
|
|-
|[[Conor Lenihan]]
|[[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Martin Mansergh]]
|[[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Tom McEllistrim (born 1968)|Tom McEllistrim]]
|[[Kerry North–West Limerick (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North–West Limerick]]
|
|-
|[[John Moloney (Irish politician)|John Moloney]]
|[[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Michael Mulcahy (politician)|Michael Mulcahy]]
|[[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
|
|-
|[[Darragh O'Brien]]
|[[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
|
|-
|[[Charlie O'Connor]]
|[[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
|
|-
|[[John O'Donoghue (politician)|John O'Donoghue]]
|[[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
|Former [[Ceann Comhairle]]
|-
|[[Mary O'Rourke]]
|[[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
|
|-
|[[Christy O'Sullivan]]
|[[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
|
|-
|[[Peter Power (politician)|Peter Power]]
|[[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Seán Power (politician)|Seán Power]]
|[[Kildare South (Dáil constituency)|Kildare South]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Dick Roche]]
|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Eamon Scanlon]]
|[[Sligo–North Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–North Leitrim]]
|
|-
! rowspan=6 style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party (Ireland)}}" |
| rowspan=6|[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]
|[[Ciarán Cuffe]]
|[[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Paul Gogarty]]
|[[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
|
|-
|[[John Gormley]]
|[[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government]]
|-
|[[Eamon Ryan]]
|[[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources]]
|-
|[[Trevor Sargent]]
|[[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
|[[Mary White (Green Party politician)|Mary White]]
|[[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
|[[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]]
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| rowspan=3|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[Deirdre Clune]]
|[[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
|
|-
|[[Michael W. D'Arcy]]
|[[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
|
|-
|[[Tom Sheahan]]
|[[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
|
|-
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
|[[Joe Behan]]
|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
|
|}

===Former TDs re-elected===
Eight former TDs were re-elected.<ref name=nealons_guide>{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Stephen|author-link=Stephen Collins (journalist)|title=Nealon's Guide to the 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad|year=2011|publisher=Gill & Macmillan|location=Dublin|page=185|isbn=9780717150595}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!colspan=2|Party
!Name
!Constituency
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
| [[Eric Byrne]]
| [[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Sinn Féin}}" |
| [[Sinn Féin]]
| [[Seán Crowe]]
| [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Frances Fitzgerald (politician)|Frances Fitzgerald]]
| [[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Workers and Unemployed Action}}" |
| [[Workers and Unemployed Action|WUA]]
| [[Séamus Healy]]
| [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Socialist Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Socialist Party (Ireland)|Socialist Party]]
| [[Joe Higgins (politician)|Joe Higgins]]
| [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
| [[Seán Kenny (politician)|Seán Kenny]]
| [[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| [[Catherine Murphy (politician)|Catherine Murphy]]
| [[Kildare North (Dáil constituency)|Kildare North]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Liam Twomey]]
| [[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
|}

===Leading vote-getters===
The leading vote-getter in 2011 was Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny. The candidate who won the highest percentage of a [[Droop quota|quota]] was Fine Gael's Michael Noonan.<ref name=nealons_guide/> The top ten by votes won were:

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
|-
!colspan=2|Party
!Name
!Constituency
!Votes
!Quotas
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Enda Kenny]]
| [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| 17,472
| 1.41
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| [[Shane Ross]]
| [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
| 17,075
| 1.41
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Sinn Féin}}" |
| [[Sinn Féin]]
| [[Gerry Adams]]
| [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| 15,072
| 1.09
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Sinn Féin}}" |
| [[Sinn Féin]]
| [[Pearse Doherty]]
| [[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
| 14,262
| 1.32
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| [[Michael Lowry (politician)|Michael Lowry]]
| [[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
| 14,104
| 1.17
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]
| [[Mick Wallace]]
| [[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
| 13,329
| 1.05
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Michael Noonan (Fine Gael politician)|Michael Noonan]]
| [[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]]
| 13,291
| 1.54
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Michael Ring]]
| [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| 13,180
| 1.06
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
| [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
| [[Pat Rabbitte]]
| [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
| 12,867
| 1.37
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Fine Gael]]
| [[Martin Heydon]]
| [[Kildare South (Dáil constituency)|Kildare South]]
| 12,755
| 1.33
|}

===Reactions===
Kenny said he would work on a quick formation of a new government, calling the verdict a "democratic revolution." He also said his top priority will be renegotiating the bailout.<ref>{{cite news |last=Doyle |first=Dara |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-28/ireland-s-kenny-to-reopen-eu-bailout-talks-after-democratic-revolution-.html |title=Kenny Starts Irish Coalition Talks, Aims to Ease Bailout Terms |publisher=Bloomberg |date=28 February 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303070929/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-28/ireland-s-kenny-to-reopen-eu-bailout-talks-after-democratic-revolution-.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Despite his attempts to renegotiate the bailout, which was a condition in coalition talks, German Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]] response was read as a blow to these attempts when she said "We can't get to a point where Ireland pays lower interest rates than Portugal. [Ireland and Greece had] tapped an aid programme [and agreed to conditions that they must fulfil]. If the Irish government now has a problem with interest rates, our job is to figure out what we can do – or whether we can do anything."<ref>{{cite news |author=Taxing issue |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/kenny-bailout-blow-2563678.html |title=Kenny bailout blow |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=18 November 2010 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=5 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305214529/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/kenny-bailout-blow-2563678.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Pressure continued to mount on Kenny's attempt to reconfigure the loan terms of the bailout as Merkel was scheduled to attend a [[European People's Party]] leaders' meet that Kenny, Polish Prime Minister [[Donald Tusk]] and European Union President [[Herman Van Rompuy]] (of Belgium's [[Christen-Democratisch en Vlaams|CD&V]]) were also attending. Host Finnish Finance Minister [[Jyrki Katainen]], facing an [[2011 Finnish parliamentary election|election]] of his own, also opposed lowering Ireland's average loan rate of 5.8%. In response to talking about indebted states cannot expect concessions having agreed to additional measures to boost competitiveness and stabilise their finances, he said: "You can't be rewarded by others for doing your job well. The concession is that those countries' credibility in the markets will improve."<ref>{{cite news |last=Czuczka |first=Tony |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-03/merkel-risks-clash-on-calls-to-cut-irish-bailout-terms-in-euro-rescue-push.html |title=Merkel Risking Clash Over Ireland's Bailout Terms in Push to Rescue Euro |publisher=Bloomberg |date=4 March 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=6 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110306065329/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-03/merkel-risks-clash-on-calls-to-cut-irish-bailout-terms-in-euro-rescue-push.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[euro]] declined after the election on speculation the new government would seek to revalue the bailout with senior bank bond holders.<ref>{{cite news |last=Zachariahs |first=Candice |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-27/euro-is-near-two-week-low-versus-yen-on-ireland-vote-middle-east-unrest.html |title=Yen, Franc Strengthen as Middle East Tension Spurs Demand for Safer Assets |publisher=Bloomberg |date=28 February 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303071953/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-27/euro-is-near-two-week-low-versus-yen-on-ireland-vote-middle-east-unrest.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Irish Stock Exchange]]'s ISEQ index increased by over 1% on 28 February following the election.

The ''[[Irish Independent]]'' blamed [[Bertie Ahern]] and his finance ministers [[Charlie McCreevy]] and [[Brian Cowen]] for having ignored warnings on public finances from civil servants during the [[Celtic Tiger]] days.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/how-ahern-ignored-key-warnings-on-economy-2561798.html |title=How Ahern ignored key warnings on economy |work=[[Irish Independent]] |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |first=Siobhan |last=Creaton |archive-date=5 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305031837/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/how-ahern-ignored-key-warnings-on-economy-2561798.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Analysis==
The election result was read as harsh on the [[euro]] which [[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]] read as its intention was to "provide economic harmony... [and] ensure political stability." Of which it said neither has happened. It also suggested that:<ref>{{cite web |first=Matthew |last=Lynn |url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-28/euro-saviors-flinch-at-place-in-history-s-dustbin-matthew-lynn.html |title=Euro Saviors Flinch at Place in History's Dustbin |publisher=Businessweek |date=28 February 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=3 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303211107/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-02-28/euro-saviors-flinch-at-place-in-history-s-dustbin-matthew-lynn.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{blockquote|What happens in Ireland doesn't matter much to anyone but the Irish... But the Irish results are a sneak preview of greater turmoil ahead. Chancellor [[Angela Merkel]]'s approval ratings are at risk as her party strikes electoral trouble in Germany. President [[Nicolas Sarkozy]]'s re-election in France is surely in doubt. And Prime Minister [[Silvio Berlusconi]] seems finished as a force in Italian politics, not just because of his interest in young women.}}

''The Irish Times'' columnist [[Diarmaid Ferriter]] likened Fianna Fáil's electoral meltdown to the [[1918 Irish general election|1918 election]], which saw the [[Irish Parliamentary Party]] nearly wiped off the map by Sinn Féin. According to Ferriter, in both cases the electorate rejected "a tired old movement, arrogant from long-time electoral dominance". He even suggested Fianna Fáil might have been swept out of the chamber entirely in a [[First-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] system, and that the party now faced a battle to stay relevant on the Irish political scene.<ref name=Relevance/>

==Government formation==
With the largest number of seats, but not a majority, Fine Gael was the most likely party to lead the [[29th government of Ireland|new government]]. There had been speculation that the party might be able to form a single-party minority government supported by a number of independents or by Fianna Fáil. However, it became clear almost as soon as the result was beyond doubt that Fine Gael's senior leadership preferred to go into coalition with the Labour Party.<ref name=Guardian/><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0301/1224291080459.html |title=Senior FG politicians in favour of Labour deal |last=Collins |first=Stephen |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304203313/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0301/1224291080459.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Following a meeting of the leaders of the two parties, negotiating teams were appointed on 1 March to discuss the possibility of agreeing a joint programme for government.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0301/breaking1.html|title=FG, Labour talks continue|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=1 March 2011|access-date=1 March 2011|archive-date=2 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302130836/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0301/breaking1.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Talks on Coalition formation begin |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0301/politics.html |publisher=RTÉ News |date=1 March 2011 |access-date=1 March 2011 |archive-date=2 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302130833/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0301/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The teams were [[Michael Noonan (Fine Gael politician)|Michael Noonan]], [[Phil Hogan]] and [[Alan Shatter]] for [[Fine Gael]] and [[Joan Burton]], [[Brendan Howlin]] and [[Pat Rabbitte]] for Labour. After meeting for a second day they described the talks as "friendly". Officials from the Department of Finance and the [[National Treasury Management Agency]] also briefed them on economic issues as opposition parties had not been briefed before the election. Burton then said there was a "very challenging situation in the banking sector".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0302/politics.html |title=Fine Gael and Labour briefed on economy |publisher=RTÉ News |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=4 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110304000024/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0302/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Late on the night of 5 March, Fine Gael and Labour reached a formal coalition agreement.<ref name=Coalition/> The programme for government was ratified the following day by a special delegate conference of the Labour Party and by a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party. This cleared the way for Enda Kenny to be nominated as Taoiseach on 9 March.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0306/politics.html |title=Fine Gael & Labour to form next Government |date=6 March 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102235554/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0306/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The coalition deal was opposed within the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] by [[Tommy Broughan]] and [[Joanna Tuffy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/general-election/labours-deal-with-fg-was-opposed-by-second-td-15106750.html |title=Labour's deal with FG was opposed by second TD |work=[[Belfast Telegraph]] |date=8 March 2011 |access-date=8 March 2011 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019174947/http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/republic-of-ireland/general-election/labours-deal-with-fg-was-opposed-by-second-td-15106750.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

When the 31st Dáil convened on 9 March, Kenny was the only candidate proposed for [[Dáil vote for Taoiseach|nomination as Taoiseach]], and was nominated by 117 votes for to 27 against. As well as Fine Gael and Labour, he was supported by a number of independent TDs, while Fianna Fáil abstained on the vote.<ref name="kennytaoiseach">{{cite news |url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0310/1224291778434.html |title=Kenny elected Taoiseach by record 90-vote majority |last=O'Halloran |first=Marie |date=10 March 2010 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=10 March 2011 |archive-date=1 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111101110734/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0310/1224291778434.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Labour had five of the fifteen cabinet ministers, including Gilmore as [[Tánaiste]] and [[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0309/politics.html |title=Enda Kenny reveals new Cabinet |date=9 March 2011 |publisher=RTÉ News |access-date=10 March 2011 |archive-date=10 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310061842/http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0309/politics.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/03/taoiseach-names-new-cabinet/?cat=3 |title=Taoiseach names new Cabinet |date=9 March 2011 |publisher=Irish Government News Service |access-date=10 March 2011 |archive-date=10 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310152741/http://www.merrionstreet.ie/index.php/2011/03/taoiseach-names-new-cabinet/?cat=3 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Seanad election==
The Dáil election was followed by the election to the [[24th Seanad]].

==Notes, citations and sources==
===Notes===
{{notelist}}

===References===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Further reading===
* {{cite journal|last=White|first=Timothy J.|title=The 2011 Irish General Election: Critical, Realigning, Deviating, or Something Else?.|journal=Irish Journal of Public Policy|volume=3|issue=2|date=2011|pages=77–90 |doi=10.33178/ijpp.3.2.7 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273381470|doi-access=free}}

===External links===
{{commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924060239/http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/publications/2011_Electoral_Handbookrev.pdf Official election results handbook by the Irish Government]
*[http://electionsireland.org/results/general/31stdail/candidates.cfm Retirements and Candidates for 31st Dáil] (ElectionsIreland.org)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20111213184751/http://www.rte.ie/news/election2011/ RTÉ News – Election 2011] (Archived)
*[http://www.irishtimes.com/topics/election2011/ The Irish Times – Election 2011]
*[http://www.irishpoliticians.com/ IrishPoliticians.com – Candidates by constituency, party and gender]
*[http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/ireland/ NSD: European Election Database – Ireland] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140623114525/http://www.nsd.uib.no/european_election_database/country/ireland/ |date=23 June 2014 }} publishes regional level election data; allows for comparisons of election results, 1992–2011

===Manifestos===
*[[Fianna Fáil]]: ''[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110221163115/http://election.fiannafail.ie/page/-/images/Election%202011/FF-RealPlan-RealFuture.pdf Real Plan Better Future]''
*[[Fine Gael]]: ''{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20111014163110/http://www.finegael2011.com/pdf/Fine%20Gael%20Manifesto%20low-res.pdf Let’s Get Ireland Working/ Cuirimis Éire Ag Obair]}}''
*[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green Party]]: ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120307001558/http://vote.greenparty.ie/downloads/manifesto.pdf Renewing Ireland]''
*[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]: ''[http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/labour_election_manifesto_2011.pdf One Ireland - Jobs, Reform, Fairness] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319055756/http://www.labour.ie/download/pdf/labour_election_manifesto_2011.pdf |date=19 March 2012 }}''
*[[Sinn Féin]]: ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20110221172128/http://www.sinnfein.ie/files/SF_GeneralElectionManifesto2011.pdf There Is A Better Way/ Tá Bealach Níos Fearr Ann]''

{{Irish elections}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish General Election, 2011}}
[[Category:2011 Irish general election| ]]
[[Category:2011 in Irish politics|General]]
[[Category:2011 elections in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:General elections in the Republic of Ireland|2011]]
[[Category:31st Dáil]]
[[Category:February 2011 in Ireland]]