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List of political parties in the Republic of Ireland

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"List of political parties in Ireland" redirects here. For a list of political parties in Northern Ireland, see List of political parties in Northern Ireland.

There are a number of political parties in Ireland, and coalition governments are common. The two historically largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, arose from a split in the original Sinn Féin. Fine Gael is the successor of Cumann na nGaedheal, the faction that supported the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, while Fianna Fáil arose from members of the anti-Treaty faction who opposed Sinn Féin's abstensionism. The division on the Treaty had also caused the Irish Civil War (1922–1923), leading to the difference between the parties being described as "Civil War politics", to distinguish it from a more common left-right political divide. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael together are sometimes pejoratively referred to as "FFG".[1][2]

As of 2024, Fianna Fáil is the largest party in Dáil Éireann, followed by Sinn Féin in second, and closely by Fine Gael in third position. The Labour Party was formed in 1912, and it had usually been the third party in parliamentary strength, though it is currently the fourth largest party in the Dáil, followed closely by the Social Democrats in fifth.

The Electoral Commission maintains a Register of Political Parties under the Electoral Reform Act 2022.[3] Before the establishment of the Commission 2023, the register was maintained by the Houses of the Oireachtas.[4] To register to contest national elections a party must have either at least one member in Dáil Éireann or the European Parliament, or 300 recorded members aged 18 or over. Parties that register only to contest elections in part of the state or in local elections need only 100 recorded members aged 18 or over. In either case, at least half of the recorded members must be on the register of electors.[5]

Political parties with representation at a local, national or European level

Party details

More information Party, Current leader(s) ...
Party Current leader(s) Founded Inaugural
leader(s)		 Position International
affiliation		 EP group
Fianna Fáil Micheál Martin 1926 Éamon de Valera Centre-right LI Renew
Sinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald 1905 Arthur Griffith Centre-left to
left-wing		 None The Left
Fine Gael Simon Harris 1933 Eoin O'Duffy Centre-right CDI EPP
Green
Comhaontas Glas		 Roderic O'Gorman 1981 None[a] Centre-left GG Greens/EFA
Labour Ivana Bacik 1912 James Connolly
James Larkin
William O'Brien		 Centre-left PA
SI		 S&D
Social Democrats Holly Cairns 2015 Catherine Murphy
Róisín Shortall
Stephen Donnelly		 Centre-left None None
PBP–Solidarity Collective leadership 2015 None Left-wing to
far-left		 None None
Independent Ireland Michael Collins 2023 Michael Collins Right-wing None None
Aontú Peadar Tóibín 2019 Peadar Tóibín None None
100% Redress Tomás Seán Devine 2023 Tomás Seán Devine Single-issue politics None None
Human Dignity Alliance Rónán Mullen 2018 Rónán Mullen Right-wing None None
Right to Change Joan Collins 2020 Joan Collins Left-wing None None
Inds. 4 Change None 2014 None Left-wing None The Left
Workers and Unemployed Séamus Healy 1985 Séamus Healy Left-wing None None
Workers' Party Michael McCorry 1970[b] Arthur Griffith Far-left IMCWP None
National Party Disputed 2016 Justin Barrett Far-right None None
Irish Freedom Hermann Kelly 2018 Hermann Kelly Far-right None None
Republican Sinn Féin Seosamh Ó Maoileoin 1986[c] Ruairí Ó Brádaigh Left-wing None None
Independent Left None 2019 None Left-wing None None
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    Party representation

    More information Party, Representation (as of Feb. 2025) ...
    Party Representation (as of Feb. 2025)
    Oireachtas European Parliament Local councils
    Dáil Éireann Seanad Éireann
    Fianna Fáil
    48 / 174
    19 / 60
    4 / 14
    246 / 949
    Sinn Féin[d]
    39 / 174
    6 / 60
    2 / 14
    99 / 949
    Fine Gael
    38 / 174
    17 / 60
    4 / 14
    246 / 949
    Labour
    11 / 174
    2 / 60
    1 / 14
    56 / 949
    Social Democrats
    10 / 174
    1 / 60
    0 / 14
    34 / 949
    Independent Ireland
    4 / 174
    0 / 60
    1 / 14
    23 / 949
    PBP–Solidarity[e]
    3 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    13 / 949
    Aontú
    2 / 174
    1 / 60
    0 / 14
    8 / 949
    Green[f]
    1 / 174
    1 / 60
    0 / 14
    23 / 949
    100% Redress
    1 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    4 / 949
    Right to Change
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Inds. 4 Change
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Irish Freedom
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Kerry Ind. Alliance
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    National Party
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Workers and Unemployed
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Republican Sinn Féin[g]
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Independent Left[g]
    0 / 174
    0 / 60
    0 / 14
    1 / 949
    Close

      Parties and groupings represented in the Oireachtas

      Summarize
      Perspective

      Fianna Fáil

      Fianna Fáil is the joint largest party in the Dáil, has the joint largest delegation of MEPs from Ireland, and has the largest number of city and county council seats. It has been in government more than any other party: 1932–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1973, 1977–1981, 1982, 1987–1994, and 1997–2011, and since 2020. On all occasions up to 1989, it was in a single-party government; on all occasions since then it was the leading party in a coalition government. It is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and is led by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

      It was founded in 1926 by Éamon de Valera in a split from Sinn Féin. When Sinn Féin refused to drop its abstentionist stand, de Valera led most of its TDs out of that party with a view toward republicanising the Free State from within. It was founded as a radical anti-Treaty party drawing support from small farmers and urban workers but has since become a party of the establishment. It was first elected to power in 1932 on a constitutional republican platform, promising to remove constitutional links with Britain and reduce poverty by creating employment. It oversaw much of the industrial development of the Republic and has consequently drawn support from all social classes, making it a classic populist party.[6][7][8]

      Fianna Fáil has 48 TDs, 19 senators, four MEPs and 246 councillors.

      Sinn Féin

      Main article: History of Sinn Féin

      Sinn Féin is the joint largest party in the Dáil and the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The name Sinn Féin, meaning "ourselves" or "we ourselves", has been used by a number of political organisations in Ireland since 1905, when first used by Arthur Griffith. Sinn Féin was the party of separatism before Irish independence, and broke through in the Westminster election of 1918, where it won 73 of the 105 Irish seats.

      The modern-day Sinn Féin party emerged in 1970 after a split in the party, and was often distinguished as Provisional Sinn Féin. It was closely linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army. It is led by Mary Lou McDonald.

      Sinn Féin has 39 TDs, six senators, two MEPs and 99 councillors in the Republic of Ireland.

      Fine Gael

      Fine Gael is the third largest party in the Dáil, the second largest party in local government in Ireland and has joint largest delegation of MEPs from Ireland. It was founded in 1933 by a merger of Cumann na nGaedheal, which had supported the Treaty and formed the government between 1922 and 1932, the National Guard (popularly called the Blueshirts) and the small National Centre Party. It is a member of the centre-right European People's Party and is led by Tánaiste Simon Harris. Counting the tenure of predecessor Cumann na nGaedheal, Fine Gael has been in government in the periods 1922–1932, 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1994–1997, and 2011 to date. On each occasion from 1948 until 2016, it was the leading party of a coalition with the Labour Party, and in three of those cases also with other smaller parties. At the 2011 general election, Fine Gael became the largest party in the Oireachtas with 36.1% of the vote.

      Fine Gael has 38 TDs, 17 senators, four MEPs and 246 councillors.

      Green Party

      The Green Party was established in 1981 and is allied to the European Green Party. The Green Party Northern Ireland voted in 2005 to become a region of the Irish Green Party, making it the second party to be organised on an all-Ireland basis. It has Northern Ireland members on the Irish Green Party national executive.

      In June 2007, the Green Party entered coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. In January 2011 they left the coalition, and at the 2011 general election, lost all of their Dáil seats.[9] From 2020 to 2024, it was in a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

      In the 2024 election, they went from 12 seats to one seat. The Green Party has one TD, one senator and 23 councillors.[9]

      Labour Party

      The Labour Party is a social democratic party, founded in 1912 as part of the trade union movement, with which it maintains organisational links. For most of the history of the state, it was the third largest party, though it is currently in fifth position in parliamentary strength.

      It has been in government in the periods 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1993–1994, 1994–1997, and 2011–2016. On each occasion, it was in coalition with Fine Gael, with the exception 1993 to 1994, when it was in coalition with Fianna Fáil. The Labour Party merged with the smaller Democratic Left party in 1999. It is a member of the Party of European Socialists, and is led by Ivana Bacik.

      The Labour Party has 11 TDs, two senators, one MEP and 56 councillors.

      Social Democrats

      The Social Democrats were founded in July 2015 by three independent TDs Catherine Murphy, Róisín Shortall, and Stephen Donnelly (who has since left the party for Fianna Fáil). It is led by Holly Cairns. The Social Democrats have 10 TDs, one senator and 34 councillors.

      People Before Profit–Solidarity

      People Before Profit–Solidarity is an electoral alliance between People Before Profit (PBP), Solidarity and the Socialist Party.[10] In October 2015, they formed a new alliance for electoral purposes, but continue to organise separately.[11]

      Together they have three TDs (two from PBP, one from Solidarity) and 13 councillors (ten from PBP, three from Solidarity).

      Independent Ireland

      Independent Ireland was registered in November 2023 and was founded by two TDs, Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue, both members of the Rural Independents Dáil grouping.[12] It has four TDs, one MEP and 23 councillors.

      Aontú

      Aontú is an all-Ireland republican party with a left-wing economic stance and a conservative social position. It was founded in 2019 by Peadar Tóibín who left Sinn Féin because of its support for the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018. It has two TDs, one senator and eight councillors in the Republic of Ireland.

      Human Dignity Alliance

      The Human Dignity Alliance (HDA) was founded by Senator Rónán Mullen in June 2018. HDA has one senator.

      100% Redress

      100% Redress was founded in County Donegal in 2023, campaigning on the Irish defective block crisis.[13][14] It has one TD, and four councillors on Donegal County Council.[15]

      Parties represented only on local authorities

      Summarize
      Perspective

      Right to Change

      Right to Change was founded in May 2020 by Joan Collins.[16] It has one councillor.[17]

      Independents 4 Change

      Independents 4 Change has been registered as a political party since 2014. Its registered officer is Mick Wallace. It has one councillor on Fingal County Council.

      Workers and Unemployed Action

      Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA) is a left-wing political organisation formed in 1985 by Séamus Healy. At the 2011 election, the WUA formed part of the United Left Alliance, but it left in 2012.[18][19] WUA has one councillor on Tipperary County Council.

      Kerry Independent Alliance

      The Kerry Independent Alliance (previously the South Kerry Independent Alliance) have one councillor on Kerry County Council. It is registered to contest elections for Dáil Éireann and in Killarney for local elections.

      Republican Sinn Féin

      Republican Sinn Féin were formed in 1986 by members of Sinn Féin who did not support the decision made at the party's ard fheis in that year to end its policy of abstentionism and to allow elected Sinn Féin TDs take their seats in Dáil Éireann.[20] They have one councillor, Tomás Ó Curraoin on Galway County Council. As the party is not registered, he is officially an independent councillor.

      Independent Left

      Independent Left have one councillor, former PBP member John Lyons, on Dublin City Council.[21] As the party is not registered, he is officially an independent councillor.

      National Party

      The National Party is a minor far-right party founded in 2016. It has one councillor on Fingal County Council.[22]

      Irish Freedom Party

      The Irish Freedom Party is a minor far-right and Eurosceptic party founded in 2018. It has one councillor on South Dublin County Council.[23]

      Parties with no elected representation

      More information Party, Leader ...
      Party Leader Ideology Position
      Centre Party (formerly Renua) Andrew Kelly Anti-abortion Right-wing to far-right
      Communist Ciara Ní Mhaoilfhinn Communism Far-left
      Éirígí Brian Leeson Irish republicanism Far-left
      Farmers' Alliance Liam McLaughlin Agrarianism
      Fís Nua None Green politics Left-wing
      Glór[24][h] Diarmaid Ó Cadhla N/A
      Ireland First[i] Derek Blighe Anti-immigration[27] Far-right
      The Irish People[j] Anti-immigration[28] Far-right
      Irish Republican Socialist[g] Ard chomhairle Irish republicanism Far-left
      Liberty Republic Ben Gilroy Anti-immigration Far-right
      Party for Animal Welfare Carol Johnson Animal welfare N/A
      Rabharta Lorna Bogue Eco-socialism Left-wing
      Saoradh[g] Brian Kenna Irish republicanism Far-left
      United People[k] Jeffrey Rudd N/A
      Workers' Party Michael McCorry Marxism–Leninism Far-left
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      Former parties

      See also

      Notes

      1. For the first twenty years of its existence, the Green Party did not have a national leader. Trevor Sargent was elected as the first national leader in 2001.
      2. The Workers' Party emerged as the majority faction from a split in Sinn Féin in 1970, becoming known as Official Sinn Féin. In the Republic of Ireland, it renamed itself as Sinn Féin The Workers' Party in 1977. In Northern Ireland, it continued with the Republican Clubs name used by Sinn Féin to escape a 1964 ban, and later as Workers Party Republican Clubs. Both sections adopted the current name in 1982.
      3. Republican Sinn Féin split from Sinn Féin in 1986 over the policy of abstentionism.
      4. Sinn Féin also has 7 members of the UK House of Commons, 27 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, 144 local councillors in Northern Ireland.
      5. People Before Profit also has 1 member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and 2 local councillors in Northern Ireland
      6. The Green Party also has 5 local councillors in Northern Ireland
      7. Unregistered party
      8. Originally registered as the Housing Rights and Reform Alliance; renamed the Reform Alliance in November 2021;[25] renamed Glór – Voice of the People in November 2023[26]
      9. Member party of National Alliance
      10. Member party of National Alliance
      11. Split from Direct Democracy Ireland in 2015

      References

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