The 26th Dáil of Ireland was elected at the 1989 general election on 15 June 1989 and first met on 12 July when the 21st Government of Ireland was appointed. The 26th Dáil lasted 1,259 days.
21st Government of Ireland
The 21st Government of Ireland (12 July 1989 – 11 February 1992) was formed by the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats parties. After the 1989 general election Fianna Fáil lost four seats, and Charles Haughey failed to achieve a majority when a vote for Taoiseach was taken in the Dáil. 27 days after the election had taken place the coalition government was formed. From January to June 1990 Ireland held the presidency of the European Community. The 1990 Presidential election was held on 7 November. Mary Robinson won the election, beating the Fianna Fáil candidate Brian Lenihan.
On 6 November 1991, Seán Power made a motion of no confidence in the Taoiseach, which failed.
In early 1992 Seán Doherty, who as Minister for Justice had taken the blame for the phone-tapping scandal of the early 1980s, went on RTÉ and claimed that Haughey had known and authorised it. Haughey denied this but the Progressive Democrats stated that they could no longer continue in government with Haughey as Taoiseach.
On 30 January 1992, Haughey resigned as leader of Fianna Fáil. He was succeeded by Albert Reynolds who formed the 22nd Government of Ireland.
After a challenge by John Wilson in September 1990 Fianna Fáil chose Lenihan as the party's candidate. The main opposition party, Fine Gael chose Austin Currie and the Labour Party chose the eventual winner Mary Robinson.
No. 18/1989 – Children Act, 1989
No. 19/1989 – Prohibition of Incitement To Hatred Act, 1989
No. 20/1989 – Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Act, 1989
No. 21/1989 – Trustee Savings Banks Act, 1989
No. 22/1989 – Video Recordings Act, 1989
No. 23/1989 – Appropriation Act, 1989
Private Acts
No. 1/1989 – Local Government Provisional Order Confirmation Act, 1989
No. 1/1990 – Bord Glas Act, 1990
No. 2/1990 – Decimal Currency Act, 1990
No. 3/1990 – Building Control Act, 1990
No. 4/1990 – B & I Line Act, 1990
No. 5/1990 – Social Welfare Act, 1990
No. 6/1990 – Defence (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 7/1990 – Dún Laoghaire Harbour Act, 1990
No. 8/1990 – Horse Breeding Act, 1990
No. 9/1990 – Larceny Act, 1990
No. 10/1990 – Finance Act, 1990
No. 11/1990 – Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1990
No. 12/1990 – Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, 1990
No. 13/1990 – International Carriage of Goods by Road Act, 1990
No. 14/1990 – Derelict Sites Act, 1990
No. 15/1990 – Industrial Credit (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 16/1990 – Criminal Justice Act, 1990
No. 17/1990 – Control of Clinical Trials and Drugs Act, 1990
No. 18/1990 – National Treasury Management Agency Act, 1990
No. 19/1990 – Industrial Relations Act, 1990
No. 20/1990 – Shannon Navigation Act, 1990
No. 21/1990 – Local Government (Water Pollution) (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 22/1990 – Turf Development Act, 1990
No. 23/1990 – Health (Nursing Homes) Act, 1990
No. 24/1990 – Broadcasting Act, 1990
No. 25/1990 – Pensions Act, 1990
No. 26/1990 – Insurance Act, 1990
No. 27/1990 – Companies (Amendment) Act, 1990 – created the Examinership process
No. 28/1990 – Teachers' Superannuation (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 29/1990 – International Development Association (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 30/1990 – Public Hospitals (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 31/1990 – Fóir Teoranta (Dissolution) Act, 1990
No. 32/1990 – Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 33/1990 – Companies Act, 1990
No. 34/1990 – Criminal Justice (Forensic Evidence) Act, 1990
No. 35/1990 – Exchange Control (Continuance) Act, 1990
No. 36/1990 – Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1990
No. 37/1990 – Unit Trusts Act, 1990
No. 38/1990 – Appropriation Act, 1990
No. 1/1991 – European Bank For Reconstruction and Development Act, 1991
No. 2/1991 – Marine Institute Act, 1991
No. 3/1991 – Sugar Act, 1991
No. 4/1991 – Destructive Insects and Pests (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 5/1991 – Worker Protection (Regular Part-Time Employees) Act, 1991
No. 6/1991 – Child Abduction and Enforcement of Custody Orders Act, 1991
No. 7/1991 – Social Welfare Act, 1991
No. 8/1991 – Contractual Obligations (Applicable Law) Act, 1991
No. 9/1991 – Radiological Protection Act, 1991
No. 10/1991 – Presidential Establishment (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 11/1991 – Local Government Act, 1991
No. 12/1991 – Educational Exchange (Ireland and the United States of America) Act, 1991
No. 13/1991 – Finance Act, 1991
No. 14/1991 – Adoption Act, 1991
No. 15/1991 – Health (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 16/1991 – University of Limerick (Dissolution of Thomond College) Act, 1991
No. 17/1991 – Child Care Act, 1991
No. 18/1991 – Statute of Limitations (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 19/1991 – Temple Bar Area Renewal and Development Act, 1991
No. 20/1991 – Courts Act, 1991
No. 21/1991 – Courts (No. 2) Act, 1991
No. 22/1991 – Trade and Marketing Promotion Act, 1991
No. 23/1991 – Courts (Supplemental Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 24/1991 – Competition Act, 1991
No. 25/1991 – Payment of Wages Act, 1991
No. 26/1991 – Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 27/1991 – Sea Pollution Act, 1991
No. 28/1991 – Liability For Defective Products Act, 1991
No. 29/1991 – B & I Line Act, 1991
No. 30/1991 – Industrial Development (Amendment) Act, 1991
No. 31/1991 – Criminal Damage Act, 1991
No. 32/1991 – Appropriation Act, 1991
The 22nd Government of Ireland (11 February 1992 – 12 January 1993) was formed by the Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats parties with Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach following the resignation of Charles Haughey. Reynolds formed a controversial cabinet. He dismissed Ray Burke, Mary O'Rourke and Gerry Collins. Renolds promoted critics of Haughey like David Andrews, Séamus Brennan, and Charlie McCreevy into senior ministerial positions. Reynolds also promoted a number of younger TDs from rural constituencies like Noel Dempsey and Brian Cowen, to cabinet position. Bertie Ahern remained as Minister for Finance.
The 22nd Government had to deal with the X Case. The government took the position that abortion should be illegal except when the life of the mother was in danger. A referendum on abortion was held with the government position being defeated
A tribunal of enquiry into irregularities in the beef industry, referred to as the "Beef Tribunal", was established to examine the relationship between the Irish governments and the beef industry. However this revealed to the public a substantial conflict of opinion between the two party leaders. At the tribunal Desmond O'Malley severely criticised Reynolds, in his capacity as Minister for Industry and Commerce, for an export credit scheme. When Reynolds gave evidence he referred to O'Malley as "dishonest", the Progressive Democrats voted with a motion of no confidence and the government fell.
After the 1992 general election, the 23rd Government of Ireland was formed by a coalition between Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party.
No. 1/1992 – Patents Act, 1992
No. 2/1992 – Merchant Shipping Act, 1992
No. 3/1992 – Oireachtas (Allowances To Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 4/1992 – Land Bond Act, 1992
No. 5/1992 – Social Welfare Act, 1992
No. 6/1992 – Acc Bank Act, 1992
No. 7/1992 – Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992
No. 8/1992 – Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 9/1992 – Finance Act, 1992
No. 10/1992 – Fishery Harbour Centres (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 11/1992 – Financial Transactions of Certain Companies and Other Bodies Act, 1992
No. 12/1992 – Criminal Evidence Act, 1992
No. 13/1992 – Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 14/1992 – Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1992
No. 15/1992 – Dublin Institute of Technology Act, 1992
No. 16/1992 – Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992
No. 17/1992 – Foreshore (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 18/1992 – Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1992
No. 19/1992 – Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Act, 1992
No. 20/1992 – Health (Family Planning) (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 21/1992 – ICC Bank Act, 1992
No. 22/1992 – Referendum (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 1992
No. 23/1992 – Electoral Act, 1992
No. 24/1992 – European Communities (Amendment) Act, 1992
No. 25/1992 – Irish Land Commission (Dissolution) Act, 1992
No. 26/1992 – Appropriation Act, 1992
No. 27/1992 – Financial Transfers Act, 1992
No. 28/1992 – Finance (No. 2) Act, 1992
No. 29/1992 – Censorship of Films (Amendment) Act, 1992
Private Acts
No. 1/1992 – Limerick Markets Act, 1992
Constitutional Amendments
Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1992
Thirteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1992
Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1992
