Government of the 31st Dáil

The Government of the 31st Dáil is the present Government of Ireland, formed after the 2011 general election to Dáil Éireann on 25 February 2011. Fine Gael entered into discussions with the Labour Party which culminated in a joint programme for government. The 31st Dáil first met on 9 March 2011 when it nominated Seán Barrett to be the Ceann Comhairle. Following this, the house nominated Enda Kenny, the leader of Fine Gael, to be the 13th Taoiseach. Kenny then went to the Áras an Uachtaráin where President Mary McAleese appointed him as Taoiseach. On the nomination of the Taoiseach, and following the Dáil's approval the 29th Government of Ireland was appointed by the President.

29th Government of Ireland

The 29th Government of Ireland (9 March 2011 – 10 March 2016) is composed of Fine Gael and the Labour Party.

Nomination of Taoiseach vote

Composition

The following attend cabinet meetings, but do not have a vote:

The government positions are listed in alphabetical order, rather than in terms of seniority.

Members of the 31st Dáil

The 31st Dáil Éireann constituted the lower house of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland following the 2011 general election of TDs (Members of Parliament) on 25 February 2011. On the advice of President Mary McAleese, the newly elected Dáil Éireann convened at midday on 9 March 2011 in Leinster House. It was dissolved by President Michael D. Higgins on the request of Taoiseach Enda Kenny on 3 February 2016.

The 2011 election saw 17 Dáil constituencies return 3 TDs each, 15 constituencies return 4 TDs each and 11 constituencies return 5 TDs each, for a total of 166. Fine Gael, led by Enda Kenny, became the largest party for the first time, though without an overall majority. A coalition government was then formed with the Labour Party, led by Eamon Gilmore, who had achieved their highest number of seats in the party's history. In July 2014, Joan Burton won a Labour Party leadership election to become the Leader of the Labour Party and Tánaiste. Seán Barrett was elected as Ceann Comhairle in the first sitting of the Dáil.