What happens on Thursday when the 32nd Dáil convenes?
Before that can commence, the clerk of the Dáil, Peter Finnegan, will read the names of every elected TD into the record of the Dáil, on a constituency by constituency basis.
The first item on the agenda will be the election of the ceann comhairle, or chairman of the Dáil.
Previously, the position was in the gift of the incoming Taoiseach and supported by the newly- created majority in the Dáil.
However, this time around, the vote will be by secret ballot on a proportional representation-single transferable vote basis.
Once selected by secret ballot, the ceann comhairle is formally elected by an open vote.
Nominations of candidates need to be made in writing and received by the clerk of the Dáil not later than 6pm tomorrow evening.
If there is more than one candidate nominated, the clerk on Thursday will read out the list of candidates validly nominated in alphabetical order (by surname). The candidates (or another member nominated in their stead) will each be allowed to speak for five minutes.
But should there be no agreement on choosing a ceann comhairle, the Dáil would be suspended, as no other business may be conducted until a ceann comhairle is elected.
But all going to plan, the new ceann comhairle will take the chair and move to the next item which is the election of a taoiseach.
But what happens if no taoiseach is elected on Thursday as expected?
There is no deadline by which a taoiseach must be nominated. If the Dáil fails to nominate a taoiseach, the Dáil can be adjourned, by agreement, until another day.
There have been two occasions on which the Dáil has failed to nominate a taoiseach: 1989 and 1992.
In 1989, the Dáil defeated all motions proposing individuals as taoiseach, leading the outgoing taoiseach, Charles Haughey, to proceed to Áras an Uachtaráin and formally resign. He was nominated taoiseach at a subsequent Dáil sitting on another day.
In 1992, Albert Reynolds (outgoing taoiseach), John Bruton, and Dick Spring were all proposed in turn as taoiseach, but none of them was nominated. The 27th Dáil transacted substantial other business in the “inter regnum” period (from December 14, 1992 to January 12, 1993).
On December 15, Albert Reynolds announced that he had resigned as taoiseach and that the President had accepted his resignation. The House then went on (on December 15 and 16) to deal with various business.
Proposals for taoiseach resumed on December 22 without success and the Dáil adjourned until January 5, when they were again unsuccessful. The taoiseach was nominated and appointed on January 12, 1993.
Once the taoiseach has been nominated, he will proceed to Áras an Uachtaráin to be formally appointed by the President. When the House re-convenes, the taoiseach and his party will take the seats on the government side of the House. The next business is the approval of the nominations by the taoiseach of other members of the government.
