1979 European Parliament election in Ireland

1979 European Parliament election in Ireland

7 June 1979
15 Irish seats to the European Parliament
Turnout	1,392,285 (63.6%)
First party Second party Third party   113px 113px Labour Leader Jack Lynch Garret FitzGerald Frank Cluskey Party Fianna Fáil Fine Gael Labour Party Alliance EPD EPP SOC Leader since 9 November 1966 1977 1977 Seats won 5 / 15 4 / 15 4 / 15 Popular vote 464,451 443,652 193,898 Percentage 34.7% 33.1% 14.5%   Fourth party Fifth party   IFF 113px Leader Neil Blaney Tomás Mac Giolla Party Independent Fianna Fáil Sinn Féin - The Workers' Party Alliance CDI NI Leader since 1972 14 October 1962 Seats won 1 / 15 0 / 15 Popular vote 81,522 43,942 Percentage 6.1% 3.3%

The 1979 European Parliament election in Ireland was the Irish component of the 1979 European Parliament election. These were the first direct elections to the European Parliament, and the first election to be held simultaneously across the entire Island of Ireland since the 1921 Irish elections. The election was conducted under the single transferable vote.

Despite the fact the election was held simultaneously across the entire Island of Ireland, Provisional Sinn Féin decided not to contest the election. However, the relative success of Bernadette McAliskey in Northern Ireland helped prompt Sinn Féin to stand in subsequent European elections.

Results

Elections to the European Parliament in Ireland – 1979

Party		European Party	Party Leader	1st Pref Vote	%	Seats
	Fianna Fáil	EPD	Jack Lynch	464,451	34.7	5
	Fine Gael	EPP	Garret FitzGerald	443,652	33.1	4
	Labour Party	SOC	Frank Cluskey	193,898	14.5	4
	Independent Fianna Fáil	CDI	Neil Blaney	81,522	6.1	1
	Sinn Féin (Workers Party)		Tomás Mac Giolla	43,942	3.3	0
	Independent			111,607	8.3	1
Total				1,339,072	100	15

MEPs elected

Main article: List of members of the European Parliament for Ireland, 1979–1984

Constituency	Name	Party		EP group
Connacht–Ulster	Neil Blaney	style="width: 5px; background-color: #7FFF00;" data-sort-value="Independent Fianna Fáil" |	Independent Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: Template:Technical Group of Independents (1979–1984)/meta/color;" data-sort-value="Technical Group of Independents (1979–1984)" |	[[Technical Group of Independents (1979–1984)|Template:Technical Group of Independents (1979–1984)/meta/shortname]]
	Joe McCartin	style="width: 5px; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" |	Fine Gael	style="width: 5px; background-color: #3399FF;" data-sort-value="European People's Party" |	EPP
	Seán Flanagan	style="width: 5px; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" |	Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: #4F6BA2;" data-sort-value="European Progressive Democrats" |	EPD
Dublin	Richie Ryan	style="width: 5px; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" |	Fine Gael	style="width: 5px; background-color: #3399FF;" data-sort-value="European People's Party" |	EPP
	John O'Connell	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (Ireland)" |	Labour Party	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Group" |	SOC
	Síle de Valera	style="width: 5px; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" |	Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: #4F6BA2;" data-sort-value="European Progressive Democrats" |	EPD
	Michael O'Leary	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (Ireland)" |	Labour Party	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Group" |	SOC
Leinster	Mark Clinton	style="width: 5px; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" |	Fine Gael	style="width: 5px; background-color: #3399FF;" data-sort-value="European People's Party" |	EPP
	Patrick Lalor	style="width: 5px; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" |	Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: #4F6BA2;" data-sort-value="European Progressive Democrats" |	EPD
	Liam Kavanagh	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (Ireland)" |	Labour Party	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Group" |	SOC
Munster	T.J. Maher	style="width: 5px; background-color: Template:Independent politicians in Ireland/meta/color;" data-sort-value="Independent politicians in Ireland" |	[[Independent politicians in Ireland|Template:Independent politicians in Ireland/meta/shortname]]	style="width: 5px; background-color: Template:European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group/meta/color;" data-sort-value="European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group" |	[[European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group|Template:European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party Group/meta/shortname]]
	Eileen Desmond	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (Ireland)" |	Labour Party	style="width: 5px; background-color: #CC0000;" data-sort-value="Socialist Group" |	SOC
	Tom O'Donnell	style="width: 5px; background-color: #6699FF;" data-sort-value="Fine Gael" |	Fine Gael	style="width: 5px; background-color: #3399FF;" data-sort-value="European People's Party" |	EPP
	Jerry Cronin	style="width: 5px; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" |	Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: #4F6BA2;" data-sort-value="European Progressive Democrats" |	EPD
	Noel Davern	style="width: 5px; background-color: #66BB66;" data-sort-value="Fianna Fáil" |	Fianna Fáil	style="width: 5px; background-color: #4F6BA2;" data-sort-value="European Progressive Democrats" |	EPD

Voting details

File:Ireland-European-Parliament-Constituencies-1979-2004.svg

1979–2004 European Parliament Ireland constituencies

Constituency	Electorate	Turnout	Spoilt	Valid Poll	Quota	Seats	Candidates
Connacht–Ulster	442,471	320,713 (72.5%)	14,547 (4.5%)	306,166	76,542	3	11
Dublin	618,454	304,068 (49.2%)	8,653 (2.8%)	295,415	59,084	4	13
Leinster	486,248	322,312 (66.30%)	15,416 (4.80%)	306,896	61,380	3	9
Munster	641,625	445,192 (69.40%)	14,597 (3.3%)	430,595	71,766	5	13
Total	2,188,798	1,392,285 (63.6%)	53,213 (3.8%)	1,339,072	—	15	46

See also

• List of members of the European Parliament for Ireland, 1979–84 – List ordered by constituency

External links

• ElectionsIreland.org – 1979 European Parliament (Ireland) election results