General Election, 29 November 2024

Ireland held its general elections on 29 November 2024, to elect the 34th Dáil Éireann (lower house of parliament), following the dissolution of the 33rd Dáil on 8 November 2024 (Halpin 2024).

Ireland employs a Proportional Representation – Single Transferable Vote (PR-SVT) system across 43 multi-member constituencies, each electing 3 to 5 Teachtaí Dála (TDs). The Electoral Commission (An Coimisiún Toghcháin), established under the Electoral Reform Act 2022, oversees elections, including voter registration, constituency reviews, and electoral integrity. The Electoral Reform Act 2022 led to the creation of the Electoral Commission, enhancing oversight and research capabilities (An Coimisiún Toghcháin n.d.).

Eligible voters aged 18 or over residing in Ireland had to register by 12 November 2024. Voter registration could be completed or updated online. Special voting arrangements included postal voting and mobile voting at hospitals or nursing homes for those unable to attend polling stations due to illness, disability, or other valid reasons. The deadline for postal and special voting applications was 10 November 2024 (Galway City Council 2024)

The campaign period lasted three weeks. Concerns arose over disinformation on social media platforms, notably TikTok, which was accused of failing to address election-related misinformation (Bantham n.d.).

The 2024 election raised concerns over online harassment and gender-based abuse, especially targeting female and minority candidates. Civil society groups like ‘Women for Election’ highlighted how toxic social media discourse discourages women’s political participation (ISD 2024).  While the Electoral Commission introduced no specific gender safeguards, it acknowledged the need to address gendered disinformation in future electoral cycles (Women for Elections n.d.).

Polling stations operated from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Accessibility measures included changing polling stations for better access; assistance from companions or presiding officers; ballot paper templates for visually impaired voters (McCormack 2024). 

The voter turnout was approximately 59.7%, the lowest in decades, prompting discussions about civic engagement and the accuracy of the electoral register. (University College Dublin 2025, International IDEA n.d.) The election resulted in a hung parliament, with no party achieving an outright majority. Fianna Fáil secured 48 seats, Fine Gael 38, and Sinn Féin 39. Coalition talks led to a renewed partnership between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, with Micheál Martin (Fianna Fáil) poised to become prime minister (Taoiseach) (Lawless 2024).

No major electoral disputes were reported. However, inaccuracies in the electoral register led to discussions about the need for improvements in the registration process (Irish Examiner 2025).