Fine Gael (or its predecessor Cumann na nGaedheal) or Fianna Fáil have led every government since independence in 1922.
The current government is a coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party.
Only members of the armed forces and diplomatic staff abroad may vote in Dáil elections, while only expatriates who are graduates of the National University of Ireland or Trinity College Dublin may vote in Seanad elections to the university constituencies.
Military personnel, whether serving at home or abroad, vote by postal ballot.
[5] Following an amendment to electoral law in 2022, early voting on the islands is allowed only in exceptional circumstances.
Electoral law provides that the "same Dáil shall not continue for a longer period than five years from the date of its first meeting".
[10][11][12] Elections are by single transferable vote (STV), with each constituency returning between three and five deputies, each called a Teachta Dála or TD.
The erection and removal of campaign posters by candidates is governed by the Litter Pollution Act 1997 and the Electoral (Amendment) (No.
[18][19] Forty-three are elected by an electorate of serving politicians (members of the incoming Dáil, the outgoing Seanad, and city and county councillors)[20] for five vocational panels.
[23] Until the Local Government Reform Act 2014, elections were also held for borough and town councils.
Some members of Údarás na Gaeltachta were directly elected by Gaeltacht residents between 1980 and 2012; since then all have been appointed by the government.
[26][28] In a County Cork town, Charleville was chosen in a 1989 four-option plebiscite ahead of Ráth Luirc, An Rath, and Rathgoggan.
[29][30] The Official Languages Act 2003 prevented the plebiscite provision applying to places in the Gaeltacht, and so a 2005 plebiscite to change the name of Dingle, County Kerry was ruled invalid; in 2011, the 2003 Act was amended to remove the restriction.