18th Dáil

18th Dáil
← 17th Dáil 19th Dáil →
Overview
Legislative body	Dáil Éireann
Jurisdiction	Ireland
Meeting place	Leinster House
Term	21 April 1965 – 22 May 1969
Election	1965 general election
Government	11th government of Ireland (1965–1966) 12th government of Ireland (1966–1969)
Members	144
Ceann Comhairle	Cormac Breslin — Patrick Hogan until 14 November 1967
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch — Seán Lemass until 10 November 1966
Tánaiste	Frank Aiken
Chief Whip	Michael Carty
Leader of the Opposition	Liam Cosgrave
Sessions
1st 21 April 1965 – 21 July 1965 2nd 20 October 1965 – 8 July 1966 3rd 27 September 1966 – 26 July 1967 4th 18 October 1967 – 11 July 1968 5th 23 October 1968 – 21 May 1969

The 18th Dáil was elected at the 1965 general election on 7 April 1965 and met on 21 April 1965. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. It sat with the 11th Seanad as the two Houses of the Oireachtas.

The 18th Dáil saw a change of Taoiseach from Seán Lemass to Jack Lynch in November 1966. On 22 May 1969, President Éamon de Valera dissolved the Dáil at the request of Taoiseach Jack Lynch. The 18th Dáil lasted 1,493 days.

Fianna Fáil, denoted with a bullet (●), formed the 11th government of Ireland led by Seán Lemass as Taoiseach. In 1966, Lemass resigned as Fianna Fáil leader and Taoiseach, to be succeeded by Jack Lynch, who formed the 12th government of Ireland.

This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 18th Dáil from April 1965. This was not the official seating plan.

On the meeting of the Dáil, Patrick Hogan (Lab), who had served as Ceann Comhairle since 1951, was proposed by Seán Lemass (FF) and seconded by James Dillon (FG) for the position. His election was approved without a vote.^[1]

On 7 November 1967, Hogan retired as Ceann Comhairle.^[2] Cormac Breslin (FF), the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, was appointed to the position on a temporary basis. On 14 November, Breslin was proposed by Lemass to the position on a permanent basis. His election was approved without a vote.^[3]

The list of the 144 TDs elected is given in alphabetical order by Dáil constituency.^[4]

• Houses of the Oireachtas: Debates: 18th Dáil