31st Dáil

The Dáil, or Dáil Éireann (pronouned ), is the lower house of the Irish bicameral parliament. The upper house, the Senate, or Seanad Éireann and the Dáil together form the parliament, known as the Oireachtas. The "31st Dáil" is so called because it will be the 31st to sit since the foundation of the state.

Dáil Éireann (usually just called "the Dáil") has 166 members or Teachtaí Dálaí ("Teachta Dála", pronounced, is the singular form, abbreviated to "TD"), each elected to represent one of 43 multi-seat constituencies under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote.

Under the constitution, parliamentary elections must be held at least every seven years, though a lower limit may be set by statute law. The current statutory maximum term is every five years.

The government in the 30th Dáil consisted of a coalition of two parties: Fianna Fáil under Taoiseach Brian Cowen; and the Green Party. The main opposition parties in the 30th Dáil consisted of Fine Gael and Labour.

Results
Individually significant results included:

Constituencies
Key: FF: Fianna Fáil FG: Fine Gael Lab.: Labour PD: Progressive Democrats SF: Sinn Féin Grn.: Green Party Soc.: Socialist Party Other: Independents and/or members of small parties not listed above.

Formation of government
As no single party or pre-declared coalition achieved the 83 seats needed for a majority, negotiations to secure support for a viable government began almost immediately after the final results were known. Enda Kenny TD, leader of the Fine Gael party, proposed a coalition consisting of FG, Labour, the Greens, the PDs and independents, but this scenario was widely seen as being unlikely, given the ideological differences between the various parties.

Numerically, Bertie Ahern's Fianna Fáil party could have formed a coalition government with the support of just the two PD TDs and a number of independents. However, in addition to securing the support of the PDs and independents, Fianna Fáil also opened ten days of negotiations with the Green Party. Formal talks broke down on Friday 8th June, but resumed after informal discussions over the weekend. Eventually a deal was hammered out, and, as mandated by their constitution, on Wednesday 13th June, the Green Party put a proposal to party members (in a day-long conference held in Dublin's Mansion House) that they should enter government. The proposal was passed by over 86% of those voting. The Green's leader, Trevor Sargent, TD, had, prior to the election, announced that he personally did not favour entering power with Fianna Fáil. Following the Green Party vote, he stood down as party leader, though he did second the nomination of Ahern for the position of Taoiseach when the Dáil met.

Media reports also suggested that deals had been arranged to secure the support of either three or four of the five independent TDs, involving benefits for their constituencies. Tony Gregory TD was not approached as he shares the Taoiseach's constituency. While some media reports quoted Beverly Flynn TD as saying that no deal had been arranged with her, but that she would support Ahern for Taoiseach anyway,, contradictory reports spoke of a deal being brokered which would see her return to Fianna Fáil and receive a junior ministry. Flynn was twice formerly a member of Fianna Fáil but was expelled, and at the time of the speculation, faced a bankruptcy hearing, which would have resulted in her losing her seat automatically if she was declared bankrupt. (Flynn later rejoined the party).

The 30th Dáil met for the first time on the afternoon of Thursday 14th June, 2007, and, following tradition, the incoming TDs were called upon by the Clerk of the Dáil to elect a Ceann Comhairle. John O Donoghue TD (Fianna Fáil) was elected to the position, the other candidate being Labour's Ruairi Quinn TD. O Donoghue had previously been Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism in the government of the 29th Dáil.

In the following vote for the appointment of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern defeated Enda Kenny by 89 votes to 76. He therefore became only the second Taoiseach in the history of the state to be returned to office for a third term (the other being Éamon de Valera).

Due to ongoing controversies over his financial background, Ahern subsequently resigned as Taoiseach and as leader of Fianna Fáil. He was succeeded as Taoiseach and party leader by Brian Cowen, TD, on May 7th, 2008. Cowen subsequently resigned as party leader (but not as Taoiseach) in January 2011, following various controversies.

Ceann Comhairle O Donoghue was forced to resign in 2009 (being replaced by Séamus Kirk), following revelations in the media on the extent of expense claims. He remains a TD.

With the breakup of the Progressive Democrats political party, Mary Harney remained in government as an independent Minister for Health and Children. In late 2009, three Fianna Fáil TDs resigned the party whip (meaning they were not bound to support the party in votes), but didn't resign from the party itself.

Cabinet
After travelling to Áras an Uactaráin to receive his Seal of Office from the President, Ahern returned to the Dáil to announce his cabinet. The appointments (listed with previous incumbents and subsequent appointments following Ahern's resignation in May 2008) are as follows: