IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Ireland

Ireland

4,847,139
Population (as of Feb. 8, 2019)

3,614,450
Registered Voters (as of Oct. 24, 2025)

53.93%
Average Turnout

26
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.895
Regimes of the World Classification: Liberal Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Ratified
Ratified Date: Dec. 23, 1985

SIGI* Score: 14.3
Level of Discrimination: Very Low
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: March 30, 2007
Ratified Date: March 20, 2018

HDI* Score: 0.949
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Irish Senate	Seanad Éireann	Upper House
Irish Dáil	Dáil Éireann	Lower House
Irish Presidency	None	Head of State

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Michael D. HIGGINS (since 11 November 2011)
Head of Government: Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál MARTIN (since 11 February 2025)
Assembly: bicameral Parliament (Oireachtas) consisting of the Senate (Seanad Éireann) with 60 seats and the House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann) with 166 seats

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by a majority system with preferential vote to serve a 7-year term. The presidential term is renewable once. The electoral system is alternative vote. The President is a member of Parliament ex officio.
The Prime Minister (Taoiseach) is nominated by the House of Represenatives and appointed by the President.
In the Senate, 43 members are indirectly elected by vocational panels, 6 are indirectly elected by graduates of certain colleges, and 11 are appointed by the Taoiseach. All members serve 5-year terms.
In the House of Representatives, 166 members are elected through a single transferable vote (STV) proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms. One seat is reserved for the Speaker of the House. There are 43 multi-member districts with magnitudes from 3 to 5.

Elections

2025-10-24 | Status: Held
Irish Presidency
Votes 1,656,436
Registered 3,614,450
Turnout 45.83

2024-11-29 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 2,218,302
Registered -
Turnout -

2024-03-08 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,525,221
Registered 3,438,566
Turnout 44.36

2020-02-08 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 2,202,192
Registered 3,502,044
Turnout 62.88

2019-05-24 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,727,056
Registered 3,397,636
Turnout 50.83

2018-10-26 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,467,458
Registered 3,401,681
Turnout 43.14

2018-10-26 | Status: Held
Irish Presidency
Votes 1,473,900
Registered 3,401,681
Turnout 43.33

2018-05-25 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 2,159,655
Registered 3,367,556
Turnout 64.13

2016-02-26 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 2,132,795
Registered 3,202,442
Turnout 66.6

2015-05-22 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,949,725
Registered 3,221,681
Turnout 60.52

2015-05-22 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,949,438
Registered 3,221,681
Turnout 60.51

2013-10-04 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,240,729
Registered 3,167,384
Turnout 39.17

2012-11-10 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,066,239
Registered 3,183,686
Turnout 33.49

2012-05-31 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,591,385
Registered 3,144,828
Turnout 50.6

2011-10-27 | Status: Held
Irish Presidency
Votes 1,790,438
Registered 3,191,157
Turnout 56.11

2011-10-27 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,785,707
Registered 3,191,157
Turnout 55.96

2011-02-25 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 2,243,176
Registered 3,209,177
Turnout 69.9

2009-10-02 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,816,098
Registered 3,078,132
Turnout 59.0

2008-06-12 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,621,037
Registered 3,051,278
Turnout 53.13

2007-05-24 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 2,085,245
Registered 3,110,914
Turnout 67.03

2004-06-11 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2002-10-19 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,446,588
Registered 2,923,918
Turnout 49.47

2002-05-18 | Status: Held
Irish Dáil
Votes 1,878,609
Registered 3,002,173
Turnout 62.57

2002-03-06 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,247,526
Registered 2,741,262
Turnout 45.51

2001-06-07 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

1998-05-22 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,545,395
Registered 2,741,262
Turnout 56.38

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Irish Presidency	2025-10-24	Held	1,656,436	3,614,450	45.83
Irish Dáil	2024-11-29	Held	2,218,302	-	-
Referendum	2024-03-08	Held	1,525,221	3,438,566	44.36
Irish Dáil	2020-02-08	Held	2,202,192	3,502,044	62.88
Referendum	2019-05-24	Held	1,727,056	3,397,636	50.83
Referendum	2018-10-26	Held	1,467,458	3,401,681	43.14
Irish Presidency	2018-10-26	Held	1,473,900	3,401,681	43.33
Referendum	2018-05-25	Held	2,159,655	3,367,556	64.13
Irish Dáil	2016-02-26	Held	2,132,795	3,202,442	66.6
Referendum	2015-05-22	Held	1,949,725	3,221,681	60.52
Referendum	2015-05-22	Held	1,949,438	3,221,681	60.51
Referendum	2013-10-04	Held	1,240,729	3,167,384	39.17
Referendum	2012-11-10	Held	1,066,239	3,183,686	33.49
Referendum	2012-05-31	Held	1,591,385	3,144,828	50.6
Irish Presidency	2011-10-27	Held	1,790,438	3,191,157	56.11
Referendum	2011-10-27	Held	1,785,707	3,191,157	55.96
Irish Dáil	2011-02-25	Held	2,243,176	3,209,177	69.9
Referendum	2009-10-02	Held	1,816,098	3,078,132	59.0
Referendum	2008-06-12	Held	1,621,037	3,051,278	53.13
Irish Dáil	2007-05-24	Held	2,085,245	3,110,914	67.03
Referendum	2004-06-11	Held	-	-	-
Referendum	2002-10-19	Held	1,446,588	2,923,918	49.47
Irish Dáil	2002-05-18	Held	1,878,609	3,002,173	62.57
Referendum	2002-03-06	Held	1,247,526	2,741,262	45.51
Referendum	2001-06-07	Held	-	-	-
Referendum	1998-05-22	Held	1,545,395	2,741,262	56.38

Voter Turnout

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