22nd Dáil

22nd Dáil
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Overview
Legislative body	Dáil Éireann
Jurisdiction	Ireland
Meeting place	Leinster House
Term	30 June 1981 – 27 January 1982
Election	1981 general election
Government	17th government of Ireland
Members	166
Ceann Comhairle	John O'Connell
Taoiseach	Garret FitzGerald
Tánaiste	Michael O'Leary
Chief Whip	Fergus O'Brien — Gerry L'Estrange until 11 November 1981
Leader of the Opposition	Charles Haughey
Sessions
1st 30 June 1981 – 23 July 1981 2nd 20 October 1981 – 27 January 1982

The 22nd Dáil was elected at the 1981 general election on 11 June 1981 and met on 30 June 1981. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature), of Ireland are known as TDs. It sat with the 15th Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.

On 27 January 1982, President Patrick Hillery dissolved the Dáil at the request of the Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. The 22nd Dáil is the second shortest Dáil in history, lasting 212 days. There were no by-elections during the 22nd Dáil.

Party		June 1981	Jan. 1982	Change
	Fianna Fáil	78	78
●	Fine Gael	65	65
●	Labour	15	15
	Sinn Féin The Workers' Party	1	1
	Socialist Labour	1	1
	Independent	6	4	2
	Ceann Comhairle	—	1	1
	Vacant	—	1	1
Total		166

Fine Gael and the Labour Party, denoted with bullets (●), formed the 17th government of Ireland.

This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 22nd Dáil from June 1981. This was not the official seating plan.

On the meeting of the Dáil, John O'Connell (Ind) was proposed by Peter Barry (FG) and seconded by James Tully (Lab) for the position of Ceann Comhairle. He was elected without a vote.^[1]

The list of the 166 TDs elected is given in alphabetical order by Dáil constituency.^[2]

On 21 October 1981, a motion to move the writ for the vacancy in Cavan–Monaghan was rejected on a vote of 78 to 80.^[4] On 26 January 1982, a second motion in the same terms was defeated on a vote of 78 to 81.^[5] The Dáil was dissolved on the following day following the defeat of the budget.^[6]

• Houses of the Oireachtas: Debates: 22nd Dáil