List of women in Dáil Éireann

This is a list of women Teachtaí Dála (TDs). It includes all women who have been elected to Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the bicameral parliament of Ireland.

Constance Markievicz, the first woman elected to Dáil Éireann

History

As of June 2016, a total of 114 women have been elected to the Dáil. The first woman TD was Constance Markievicz, elected in 1918 to the 1st Dáil,[1] and she was joined by five other women in the 2nd Dáil. The number fell to one in the 6th Dáil, rose again and fell back to two in the 9th Dáil.

The 1981 general election to the 22nd Dáil saw the tally exceed ten for the first time, when six newly elected women brought the total to eleven. The arrival of nine newly elected women TDs in 1992 brought a total of 20 women to the 27th Dáil. 25 women were elected at the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil.[2] 35 women (22%) were elected to the 32nd Dáil in 2016.[3]

Women in Dáil Éireann

  Denotes incumbent member of Dáil Éireann

Name	First elected b = by-election	Constituency where first elected	Party as first elected		Age when first elected	Constituencies represented
Constance Markievicz	1918	Dublin St Patrick's		Sinn Féin (Fianna Fáil from 1926)	50	Dublin St Patrick's 1918–21, Dublin South 1921–22, 1923–27 (re-elected in June, died in July)
Kathleen Clarke	1921	Dublin Mid		Sinn Féin (Fianna Fáil from 1926)	43	Dublin Mid 1921–22, June–Sept 1927
Ada English	1921	NUI		Sinn Féin	46	NUI 1921–22
Mary MacSwiney	1921	Cork Borough		Sinn Féin	49	Cork Borough 1921–27 (June)
Kathleen O'Callaghan	1921	Limerick City–Lmk East		Sinn Féin	33	Limerick City–Limerick East 1921–23
Margaret Pearse	1921	Dublin County		Sinn Féin	64	Dublin County 1921–22
Caitlín Brugha	1923	Waterford County		Sinn Féin	43	Waterford County 1923–27 (Sept)
Margaret Collins-O'Driscoll	1923	Dublin North		Cumann na nGaedheal	45	Dublin North 1923–33
Kathleen Lynn	1923	Dublin County		Sinn Féin	49	Dublin County 1923–27 (June)
Mary Reynolds	1932	Sligo–Leitrim		Cumann na nGaedheal (Fine Gael from 1933)	42	Sligo–Leitrim 1932–33, 1937–61
Helena Concannon	1933	NUI		Fianna Fáil	54	NUI 1933–37
Margaret Mary Pearse	1933	Dublin County		Fianna Fáil	55	Dublin County 1933–37
Bridget Redmond	1933	Waterford		Cumann na nGaedheal (Fine Gael from 1933)	28	Waterford 1933–52
Bridget Rice	1938	Monaghan		Fianna Fáil	53	Monaghan 1938–54
Mary Ryan	1944	Tipperary		Fianna Fáil	46	Tipperary 1944–48, Tipperary North 1948–61
Honor Crowley	1945 b	Kerry South		Fianna Fáil	42	Kerry South 1945–66
Celia Lynch	1954	Dublin South-Central		Fianna Fáil	46	Dublin South-Central 1954–61, Dublin North-Central 1961–77
Maureen O'Carroll	1954	Dublin North-Central		Labour Party	41	Dublin North-Central 1954–57
Kathleen O'Connor	1956 b	Kerry North		Clann na Poblachta	21	Kerry North 1956–57
Brigid Hogan-O'Higgins (Hogan to 1958)	1957	Galway South		Fine Gael	25	Galway South 1957–61, Galway East 1961–69, Clare–Galway South 1969–77
Sheila Galvin	1964 b	Cork Borough		Fianna Fáil	49	Cork Borough 1964–65
Joan Burke	1964 b	Roscommon		Fine Gael	35	Roscommon 1964–69, Roscommon–Leitrim 1969–81
Eileen Desmond	1965 b	Cork Mid		Labour Party	32	Cork Mid 1965–69, Cork South-Central 1973–87
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	1975 b	Galway West		Fianna Fáil	24	Galway West 1975–97
Kit Ahern	1977	Kerry North		Fianna Fáil	50	Kerry North 1977–81
Síle de Valera	1977	Dublin County Mid		Fianna Fáil	22	Dublin County Mid 1977–81, Clare 1987–2007
Eileen Lemass	1977	Dublin Ballyfermot		Fianna Fáil	44	Dublin Ballyfermot 1977–81, Dublin West 1981–82, 1982–87
Myra Barry	1979 b	Cork North-East		Fine Gael	22	Cork North-East 1979–81, Cork East 1981–87
Carrie Acheson	1981	Tipperary South		Fianna Fáil	46	Tipperary South 1981–Feb. 82
Nuala Fennell	1981	Dublin South		Fine Gael	45	Dublin South 1981–87, 1989–92
Mary Flaherty	1981	Dublin North-West		Fine Gael	28	Dublin North-West 1981–97
Alice Glenn	1981	Dublin Central		Fine Gael	58	Dublin Central 1981–82, 1982–87
Mary Harney	1981	Dublin South-West		Fianna Fáil (Progressive Democrats 1985–2009) (Independent 2009–11)	28	Dublin South-West 1981–2002, Dublin Mid-West 2002–11
Nora Owen	1981	Dublin North		Fine Gael	36	Dublin North 1981–87, 1989–2002
Madeleine Taylor-Quinn (Taylor to 1982)	1981	Clare		Fine Gael	30	Clare 1981–82, 1982–92
Gemma Hussey	1982 (Feb)	Wicklow		Fine Gael	42	Wicklow Feb. 1982–89
Monica Barnes	1982 (Nov)	Dún Laoghaire		Fine Gael	46	Dún Laoghaire Nov. 1982–92, 1997–2002
Avril Doyle	1982 (Nov)	Wexford		Fine Gael	33	Wexford Nov. 1982–87, 1992–97
Mary O'Rourke	1982 (Nov)	Westmeath		Fianna Fáil	45	Longford–Westmeath Nov. 1982–2002, 2007–11, Westmeath 1992–2002
Anne Colley	1987	Dublin South		Progressive Democrats	35	Dublin South 1987–89
Geraldine Kennedy	1987	Dún Laoghaire		Progressive Democrats	35	Dún Laoghaire 1987–89
Mary Mooney	1987	Dublin South-Central		Fianna Fáil	28	Dublin South-Central 1987–89
Máirín Quill	1987	Cork North-Central		Progressive Democrats	46	Cork North-Central 1987–97
Mary Coughlan	1987	Donegal South-West		Fianna Fáil	21	Donegal South-West 1987–2011
Theresa Ahearn	1989	Tipperary South		Fine Gael	38	Tipperary South 1989–2000
Mary Wallace	1989	Meath		Fianna Fáil	30	Meath 1989–2007, Meath East 2007–11
Niamh Bhreathnach	1992	Dún Laoghaire		Labour Party	47	Dún Laoghaire 1992–97
Joan Burton	1992	Dublin West		Labour Party	43	Dublin West 1992–97, 2002–20
Eithne FitzGerald	1992	Dublin South		Labour Party	42	Dublin South 1992–97
Frances Fitzgerald	1992	Dublin South-East		Fine Gael	42	Dublin South-East 1992–2002, Dublin Mid-West 2011–19
Helen Keogh	1992	Dún Laoghaire		Progressive Democrats	41	Dún Laoghaire 1992–97
Liz McManus	1992	Wicklow		Democratic Left (Labour Party from 1999)	45	Wicklow 1992–2011
Breeda Moynihan-Cronin	1992	Kerry South		Labour Party	39	Kerry South 1992–2007
Liz O'Donnell	1992	Dublin South		Progressive Democrats	36	Dublin South 1992–2007
Róisín Shortall	1992	Dublin North-West		Labour Party (Independent 2012–15) (Social Democrats from 2015)	38	Dublin North-West 1992–
Kathleen Lynch	1994 b	Cork North-Central		Democratic Left (Labour Party from 1999)	41	Cork North-Central 1994–97, 2002–16
Mildred Fox	1995 b	Wicklow		Independent	24	Wicklow 1995–2007
Cecilia Keaveney	1996 b	Donegal North-East		Fianna Fáil	27	Donegal North-East 1996–2007
Deirdre Clune	1997	Cork South-Central		Fine Gael	38	Cork South-Central 1997–2002, 2007–11
Beverley Flynn (Cooper-Flynn until 2003)	1997	Mayo		Fianna Fáil (Independent 2001–02, 2004–08)	31	Mayo 1997–2011
Mary Hanafin	1997	Dún Laoghaire		Fianna Fáil	38	Dún Laoghaire 1997–2011
Marian McGennis	1997	Dublin Central		Fianna Fáil	43	Dublin Central 1997–2002
Olivia Mitchell	1997	Dublin South		Fine Gael	49	Dublin South 1997–2016
Jan O'Sullivan	1998 b	Limerick East		Labour Party	47	Limerick East 1998–2011, Limerick City 2011–20
Mary Upton	1999 b	Dublin South-Central		Labour Party	53	Dublin South-Central 1999–2011
Olwyn Enright	2002	Laois–Offaly		Fine Gael	27	Laois–Offaly 2002–11
Marian Harkin	2002	Sligo–Leitrim		Independent	48	Sligo–Leitrim 2002–07, 2020–
Máire Hoctor	2002	Tipperary North		Fianna Fáil	38	Tipperary North 2002–11
Fiona O'Malley	2002	Dún Laoghaire		Progressive Democrats	34	Dún Laoghaire 2002–07
Mae Sexton	2002	Longford–Roscommon		Progressive Democrats	47	Longford–Roscommon 2002–07
Catherine Murphy	2005 b	Kildare North		Independent (Social Democrats from 2015)	51	Kildare North 2005–07, 2011–
Áine Brady	2007	Kildare North		Fianna Fáil	52	Kildare North 2007–11
Catherine Byrne	2007	Dublin South-Central		Fine Gael	51	Dublin South-Central 2007–20
Margaret Conlon	2007	Cavan–Monaghan		Fianna Fáil	39	Cavan–Monaghan 2007–11
Lucinda Creighton	2007	Dublin South-East		Fine Gael (Independent 2013–15) (Renua 2015–16)	27	Dublin South-East 2007–16
Joanna Tuffy	2007	Dublin Mid-West		Labour Party	42	Dublin Mid-West 2007–16
Mary White	2007	Carlow–Kilkenny		Green Party	58	Carlow–Kilkenny 2007–11
Maureen O'Sullivan	2009 b	Dublin Central		Independent	58	Dublin Central 2009–20
Áine Collins	2011	Cork North-West		Fine Gael	41	Cork North-West 2011–16
Joan Collins	2011	Dublin South-Central		People Before Profit (Independents 4 Change from 2016)	49	Dublin South-Central 2011–
Ciara Conway	2011	Waterford		Labour Party	30	Waterford 2011–16
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy	2011	Laois–Offaly		Fine Gael	48	Laois–Offaly 2011–16, Offaly 2016–20
Clare Daly	2011	Dublin North		Socialist Party (Independent 2012–16) (Independents 4 Change 2016–19)	42	Dublin North 2011–16, Dublin Fingal 2016–19
Regina Doherty	2011	Meath East		Fine Gael	40	Meath East 2011–20
Anne Ferris	2011	Wicklow		Labour Party	56	Wicklow 2011–16
Heather Humphreys	2011	Cavan–Monaghan		Fine Gael	47	Cavan–Monaghan 2011–
Mary Lou McDonald	2011	Dublin Central		Sinn Féin	41	Dublin Central 2011–
Nicky McFadden	2011	Longford–Westmeath		Fine Gael	39	Longford–Westmeath 2011–14
Sandra McLellan	2011	Cork East		Sinn Féin	49	Cork East 2011–16
Mary Mitchell O'Connor	2011	Dún Laoghaire		Fine Gael	51	Dún Laoghaire 2011–20
Michelle Mulherin	2011	Mayo		Fine Gael	39	Mayo 2011–16
Ann Phelan	2011	Carlow–Kilkenny		Labour Party	49	Carlow–Kilkenny 2011–16
Helen McEntee	2013 b	Meath East		Fine Gael	26	Meath East 2013–
Ruth Coppinger	2014 b	Dublin West		Socialist Party	47	Dublin West 2014–20
Gabrielle McFadden	2014 b	Longford–Westmeath		Fine Gael	47	Longford–Westmeath 2014–16
Maria Bailey	2016	Dún Laoghaire		Fine Gael	39	Dún Laoghaire 2016–20
Mary Butler	2016	Waterford		Fianna Fáil	53	Waterford 2016–
Lisa Chambers	2016	Mayo		Fianna Fáil	29	Mayo 2016–20
Catherine Connolly	2016	Galway West		Independent	58	Galway West 2016–
Kathleen Funchion	2016	Carlow–Kilkenny		Sinn Féin	34	Carlow–Kilkenny 2016–
Josepha Madigan	2016	Dublin Rathdown		Fine Gael	45	Dublin Rathdown 2016–
Catherine Martin	2016	Dublin Rathdown		Green Party	43	Dublin Rathdown 2016–
Denise Mitchell	2016	Dublin Bay North		Sinn Féin	39	Dublin Bay North 2016–
Imelda Munster	2016	Louth		Sinn Féin	48	Louth 2016–
Margaret Murphy O'Mahony	2016	Cork South-West		Fianna Fáil	46	Cork South-West 2016–20
Hildegarde Naughton	2016	Galway West		Fine Gael	38	Galway West 2016–
Carol Nolan	2016	Offaly		Sinn Féin (Independent from 2018)	37	Offaly 2016–20, Laois–Offaly 2020–
Kate O'Connell	2016	Dublin Bay South		Fine Gael	36	Dublin Bay South 2016–20
Fiona O'Loughlin	2016	Kildare South		Fianna Fáil	50	Kildare South 2016–20
Louise O'Reilly	2016	Dublin Fingal		Sinn Féin	36	Dublin Fingal 2016–
Anne Rabbitte	2016	Galway East		Fianna Fáil	45	Galway East 2016–
Bríd Smith	2016	Dublin South-Central		AAA–PBP (Solidarity–PBP from 2017)	54	Dublin South-Central 2016–
Niamh Smyth	2016	Cavan–Monaghan		Fianna Fáil	37	Cavan–Monaghan 2016–
Katherine Zappone	2016	Dublin South-West		Independent	62	Dublin South-West 2016–20
Holly Cairns	2020	Cork South–West		Social Democrats	30	Cork South–West 2020–
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill	2020	Dún Laoghaire		Fine Gael		Dún Laoghaire 2020–
Sorca Clarke	2020	Longford–Westmeath		Sinn Féin		Longford–Westmeath 2020–
Rose Conway-Walsh	2020	Mayo		Sinn Féin	50	Mayo 2020–
Réada Cronin	2020	Kildare North		Sinn Féin		Kildare North 2020–
Mairéad Farrell	2020	Galway West		Sinn Féin		Galway West 2020–
Norma Foley	2020	Kerry		Fianna Fáil		Kerry 2020–
Emer Higgins	2020	Dublin Mid-West		Fine Gael		Dublin Mid-West 2020–
Neasa Hourigan	2020	Dublin Central		Green Party		Dublin Central 2020–
Claire Kerrane	2020	Roscommon–Galway		Sinn Féin		Roscommon–Galway 2020–
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor	2020	Carlow–Kilkenny		Fianna Fáil	53	Carlow–Kilkenny 2020–
Verona Murphy	2020	Wexford		Independent		Wexford 2020–
Patricia Ryan	2020	Kildare South		Sinn Féin		Kildare South 2020–
Pauline Tully	2020	Cavan–Monaghan		Sinn Féin		Cavan–Monaghan 2020–
Jennifer Whitmore	2020	Wicklow		Social Democrats		Wicklow 2020–
Violet-Anne Wynne	2020	Clare		Sinn Féin		Clare 2020–

Timeline

Number of women elected in each Dáil

Dáil	Election	Number elected	By-elections
1st	1918	1 / 105 (0.9%)	0
2nd	1921	6 / 128 (4.7%)	0
3rd	1922	2 / 128 (1.5%)	0
4th	1923	5 / 153 (3.3%)	0
5th	1927 (Jun)	4 / 153 (2.6%)	0
6th	1927 (Sep)	1 / 153 (0.6%)	0
7th	1932	2 / 153 (1.3%)	0
8th	1933	3 / 153 (1.9% )	0
9th	1937	2 / 138 (1.4%)	0
10th	1938	3 / 138 (2.2%)	0
11th	1943	3 / 138 (2.2%)	0
12th	1944	4 / 138 (2.9%)	0
13th	1948	5 / 147 (3.4%)	0
14th	1951	5 / 147 (3.4%)	0
15th	1954	5 / 147 (3.4%)	1
16th	1957	4 / 147 (2.7%)	0
17th	1961	3 / 144 (2.1%)	3
18th	1965	5 / 144 (3.5%)	0
19th	1969	3 / 144 (2.1%)	0
20th	1973	4 / 144 (2.7%)	1
21st	1977	6 / 148 (4.0%)	1
22nd	1981	11 / 166 (6.6%)	0
23rd	1982 (Feb)	8 / 166 (4.8%)	0
24th	1982 (Nov)	14 / 166 (8.4%)	0
25th	1987	14 / 166 (8.4%)	0
26th	1989	13 / 166 (7.8%)	0
27th	1992	20 / 166 (12.0%)	3
28th	1997	20 / 166 (12.0%)	2
29th	2002	22 / 166 (13.2%)	1
30th	2007	22 / 166 (13.2%)	1
31st	2011	25 / 166 (15.1%)	3
32nd	2016	35 / 158 (22.1%)	0
33rd	2020	36 / 160 (22.5%)	0

See also

• Families in the Oireachtas
• List of women in Seanad Éireann
• Records of members of the Oireachtas

References

1. Constance Markievicz was actually elected to the British House of Commons but along with all other Sinn Féin members she refused to take her seat in the House of Commons and instead they formed the first Dáil Éireann.
2. "The 31st Dáil: A historic parliament". RTÉ News. 9 March 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2011.
3. "First election under gender quotas yields 35 women TDs: More than 22% of TDs will be female, compared with 15% per cent in 2011". Irish Times. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 March 2016.

Sources and external links

• McNamara, Maedhbh; Mooney, Paschal (2000). Women in Parliament: Ireland 1918–2000. Dublin: Wolfhound Press. ISBN 0-86327-759-4.
• Oireachtas Members Database
• ElectionsIreland.org