Sources: RTÉ
PBPA candidate Richard Boyd Barrett of the United Left Alliance, and son of actress Sinéad Cusack, defeats former minister and deputy Fianna Fáil leader Mary Hanafin in the Dún Laoghaire constituency. This leaves Fianna Fáil with one representative in the capital city (Brian Lenihan Jnr) and no Fianna Fáil women at all in the 31st Dáil. 2011-02-27
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny receives international congratulations from Angela Merkel, David Cameron and José Manuel Barroso, with Cameron inviting him to 10 Downing Street. 2011-02-27
John Gormley, leader of the ruling coalition's Green Party and former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, is eliminated in the Dublin South–East constituency. 2011-02-26
Outgoing Tánaiste Mary Coughlan becomes the biggest loser of the Fianna Fáil meltdown, as her seat in the Donegal South–West constituency goes to Independent Thomas Pringle. 2011-02-26
Independent long-serving outgoing Senator Shane Ross tops the poll in the Dublin South constituency. 2011-02-26
Brian Cowen resigns by requesting the dissolution of the 30th Dáil, allowing a general election to take place, the first such election of the eurozone debt crisis. 2011-02-1
Seanad Éireann, Ireland's upper house, passes the significant Finance Bill, effectively imposing harsh austerity measures on the Irish public. It is the last act carried out by the government before a general election is called. 2011-01-29
Taoiseach Brian Cowen promises to dissolve Dáil Éireann next Tuesday and to announce the date of the Irish general election, 2011. 2011-01-28
Taoiseach Brian Cowen announces his intention to lead the ruling Fianna Fáil party into the upcoming general election after spending the past two days consulting his party. He offers his colleagues a secret motion of confidence ballot in his leadership, scheduled for Tuesday. 2011-01-16
Bertie Ahern, the former taoiseach who led the stricken Fianna Fáil political party from 1994 until 2008, announces he is to resign from Dáil Éireann at the forthcoming general election. 2010-12-30