List of Dáil by-elections

This is a list of by-elections to Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas, the Irish legislature. By-elections in Ireland occur to fill vacant seats which can be caused by the death, resignation, disqualification or expulsion of a sitting Teachta Dála (member of parliament). Under the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2011, the writ for the by-election must be issued within six months of the vacancy.[1]

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There have been 138 by-elections since 1923, to fill 140 vacancies. 93 of these were caused by the death of a sitting Teachta Dála (TD). There were no by-elections during the 3rd, 7th, 9th, 11th, 22nd, 25th and 26th Dála. The longest period without a by-election was almost 10 years between 1984 and 1994. The largest number of by-elections on one day was on 11 March 1925, when seven constituencies filled nine vacancies caused by the National Party's split from Cumann na nGaedheal. Those seven by-elections included two which filled two vacancies, via the single transferable vote. All the other by-elections have used its single-winner analogue, the alternative vote.

Twenty-five TDs who were elected at a by-election were not subsequently re-elected at a general election. The only person twice elected at by-elections was Thomas Hennessy.