[1] Richard Burke, the Fine Gael TD for Dublin West, resigned his seat on 30 March 1982 to take up an appointment as Ireland's European Commissioner.
In selecting a candidate, Fine Gael cast its net outside its own ranks, and chose Skelly, a businessman who had not previously been a member of a political party.
Eileen Lemass, contesting for Fianna Fáil, and who had been a TD for Dublin West until her defeat at the February 1982 general election, received more first-preference votes but Skelly won the seat on transfers.
[3] Skelly was re-elected at the November 1982 general election, but found himself increasingly out of step with the direction taken by the government, and clashed with the leadership and with the constituency organisation.
[7] He contested the election as an independent for the rest of the 24th Dáil, but won only 3.4% of the first-preference votes and lost his seat.