30th Dáil
TDs from 2007 to 2011
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 30th Dáil was elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007 and met on 14 June 2007. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. It sat with the 23rd Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.
1 February 2011
| 30th Dáil | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||
 | |||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||
| Legislative body | Dáil Éireann | ||||||||||
| Jurisdiction | Ireland | ||||||||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||||||||
| Term | 14 June 2007 – 1 February 2011 | ||||||||||
| Election | 2007 general election | ||||||||||
| Government |
| ||||||||||
| Members | 166 | ||||||||||
| Ceann Comhairle | Séamus Kirk — John O'Donoghue until 13 October 2009 | ||||||||||
| Taoiseach | Brian Cowen — Bertie Ahern until 7 May 2008 | ||||||||||
| Tánaiste | Mary Coughlan — Brian Cowen until 7 May 2008 | ||||||||||
| Chief Whip | John Curran — Pat Carey until 23 March 2010 — Tom Kitt until 7 May 2008 | ||||||||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Enda Kenny | ||||||||||
| Sessions | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
The 30th Dáil lasted 3 years, 232 days, and saw a change of Taoiseach from Bertie Ahern to Brian Cowen. The 30th Dáil was dissolved by President Mary McAleese on 1 February 2011, at the request of the Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
Composition of the 30th Dáil
- 27th, 28th government coalition parties[a]
| Party | May 2007 | Jan. 2011 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 78 | 71 |  7 | |
| Fine Gael | 51 | 51 |  | |
| Labour | 20 | 20 | | |
| Green | 6 | 6 | | |
| Sinn Féin | 4 | 5 |  1 | |
| Progressive Democrats[a] | 2 | N/a | 2 | |
| Independent[a] | 5 | 8 | 3 | |
| Ceann Comhairle | N/a | 1 | 1 | |
| Vacant | N/a | 4 | 4 | |
| Total | 166 | | ||
- When the Progressive Democrats dissolved, their TDs became Independent politicians and remained members of the government.
Graphical representation
This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 30th Dáil in January 2011, shortly before its dissolution. This was not the official seating plan.
Ceann Comhairle
- Ceann Comhairle:
- John O'Donoghue (Fianna Fáil), until 13 October 2009
- Séamus Kirk (Fianna Fáil), from 13 October 2009
- Leas-Cheann Comhairle: Brendan Howlin (Labour Party), from 26 June 2007
On 14 June 2007, John O'Donoghue (FF) was proposed by Bertie Ahern for the position of Ceann Comhairle. Ruairi Quinn (Lab) was proposed by Pat Rabbitte and seconded by Enda Kenny. O'Donoghue was approved by a vote of 90 to 75.[1]
On 13 October 2009, O'Donoghue resigned as Ceann Comhairle.[2] Séamus Kirk was proposed by Brian Cowen and seconded by Mary Coughlan. Dinny McGinley (FG) was proposed by Enda Kenny and seconded by Pádraic McCormack. Kirk was approved by a vote of 87 to 51.[3][4]
Political leadership
Government
- Taoiseach:
- Bertie Ahern, until 7 May 2008
- Brian Cowen, from 7 May 2008
- Tánaiste:
- Brian Cowen, until 7 May 2008
- Mary Coughlan, from 7 May 2008
- Leader of Fianna Fáil:
- Bertie Ahern, until 7 May 2008
- Brian Cowen, until 22 January 2011
- Micheál Martin, from 26 January 2011
- Leader of the Green Party:
- Trevor Sargent, until 17 July 2007
- John Gormley, from 17 July 2007 (Left government on 23 January 2011)
- Leader of the Progressive Democrats:
- Mary Harney, until 17 April 2008
- Ciarán Cannon, until 24 March 2009
- Noel Grealish, from 24 March 2009 to 20 November 2009
Opposition
- Leader of the Opposition and Leader of Fine Gael: Enda Kenny
- Leader of the Labour Party:
- Pat Rabbitte, until 6 September 2007
- Eamon Gilmore, from 6 September 2007
- Leader of the Technical Group: Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Sinn Féin), from 10 December 2010
List of TDs
This is a list of TDs elected to Dáil Éireann in the 2007 general election, sorted by party.[5] The Changes table below records all changes in party affiliation.
Changes
| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 June 2007 | Kerry South | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | John O'Donoghue is elected Ceann Comhairle[1] | ||
| 28 November 2007 | Cork East | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Ned O'Keeffe resigns from the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party | ||
| 27 February 2008 | Cork East | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Ned O'Keeffe rejoins the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party | ||
| 8 April 2008 | Mayo | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Beverley Flynn re-joins Fianna Fáil[6] | ||
| 9 July 2008 | Dublin South | Fianna Fáil | Death of Séamus Brennan[7] | |||
| 17 October 2008 | Wicklow | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Joe Behan resigns from Fianna Fáil[8] | ||
| 13 November 2008 | Donegal North-East | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Jim McDaid loses the Fianna Fáil party whip after abstaining in a vote on a health issue | ||
| 2 January 2009 | Dublin Central | Independent | Death of Tony Gregory[9] | |||
| 5 June 2009 | Dublin South | Fine Gael | George Lee gains the seat vacated by the death of Brennan[10] | |||
| 5 June 2009 | Dublin Central | Independent | Maureen O'Sullivan holds the seat vacated by the death of Gregory[10] | |||
| 5 June 2009 | Donegal South-West | Fianna Fáil | Pat "the Cope" Gallagher elected as a Member of the European Parliament[10] | |||
| 5 August 2009 | Sligo–North Leitrim | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Jimmy Devins resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in protest at cuts in cancer services at Sligo General Hospital | ||
| 5 August 2009 | Sligo–North Leitrim | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Eamon Scanlon resigns the Fianna Fáil party whip in protest at cuts in cancer services at Sligo General Hospital | ||
| 13 October 2009 | Kerry South | Ceann Comhairle | Fianna Fáil | John O'Donoghue resigns as Ceann Comhairle[2] | ||
| 13 October 2009 | Louth | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | Séamus Kirk is elected Ceann Comhairle[3] | ||
| 20 November 2009 | Dublin Mid-West | Progressive Democrats | Independent | Mary Harney becomes an Independent TD following the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats | ||
| 20 November 2009 | Galway West | Progressive Democrats | Independent | Noel Grealish becomes an Independent TD following the dissolution of the Progressive Democrats | ||
| 8 February 2010 | Dublin South | Fine Gael | George Lee resigns from Dáil Éireann[11] | |||
| 24 March 2010 | Waterford | Fianna Fáil | Martin Cullen resigns from Dáil Éireann[12] | |||
| 29 June 2010 | Tipperary South | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Mattie McGrath loses the Fianna Fáil party whip after voting against Wildlife (Amendment) Bill 2010. Resigned from Fianna Fáil on 25 January 2011. | ||
| 2 November 2010 | Donegal North-East | Independent | Jim McDaid resigns from Dáil Éireann[13] | |||
| 26 November 2010 | Donegal South-West | Sinn Féin | Pearse Doherty takes the seat vacated by Gallagher's election to the European Parliament[14] | |||
| 13 January 2011 | Sligo–North Leitrim | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Eamon Scanlon rejoins the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party[15] | ||
| 25 January 2011 | Sligo–North Leitrim | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Jimmy Devins rejoins the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party[16] | ||
| 28 January 2011 | Dublin South-Central | Fianna Fáil | Seán Ardagh resigns from Dáil Éireann[17] | |||
On 12 July 2010, Pearse Doherty was granted leave to bring judicial review against the government seeking a declaration that due to the length of the vacancy in Donegal South-West, the government was under a duty not to oppose a motion for a writ. On 3 November 2010, Nicholas Kearns, president of the High Court, made a declaration that there has been an unreasonable delay in moving the writ for the by-election in Donegal South-West.[18] The writ was moved the following day.[19] However, the moving of the writ was opposed for three remaining vacancies.[20]