Éamon de Valera Fianna Fáil John A. Costello Fine Gael The 1948 Irish general election to the 13th Dáil was held on Wednesday, 4 February following the dissolution of the 12th Dáil on 12 January 1948 by the President Seán T. O'Kelly on the request of Taoiseach Éamon de Valera.

A revision of Dáil constituencies under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1947 had increased the number of seats by 9 since the previous election.

The general election of 1948 was called by the Taoiseach Éamon de Valera, in the hope of stopping the rise of a new party, Clann na Poblachta.

Although World War II had ended three years earlier, rationing continued, and massive inflation plagued the economy.

A prolonged teachers' strike during the lifetime of the previous Dáil damaged the government due to its inability to settle the dispute.

Allegations that de Valera and Seán Lemass were involved in bribery and corruption raised questions about certain public officials.

However, republicans such as Seán MacBride refused to serve under Fine Gael leader, Richard Mulcahy, the man who had been the commander of the National Army during the civil war.

The government's survival depended on a united dislike of Fianna Fáil, the skill of Costello as Taoiseach and the independence of various ministers.