List of number-one singles of 1996 (Ireland)
The following is a list of the IRMA's number-one singles of 1996.
Dates given are the Saturday of publication.
| Issue Date | Song | Artist |
| 5 January | Father and Son | Boyzone |
| 12 January | Jesus to a Child | George Michael |
| 19 January | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo |
| 26 January | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo |
| 2 February | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo |
| 9 February | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo |
| 16 February | Spaceman | Babylon Zoo |
| 23 February | Don't Look Back in Anger | Oasis |
| 1 March | How Deep Is Your Love | Take That |
| 8 March | How Deep Is Your Love | Take That |
| 15 March | How Deep Is Your Love | Take That |
| 22 March | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh  |
| 29 March | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 5 April | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 12 April | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 19 April | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 26 April | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 3 May | Aon Focal Eile | Richie Kavanagh |
| 10 May | Man Utd Man | Men United |
| 17 May | Man Utd Man | Men United |
| 24 May | Man Utd Man | Men United |
| 31 May | Man Utd Man | Men United |
| 7 June | Nobody Knows | The Tony Rich Project |
| 14 June | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 21 June | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 28 June | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 5 July | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 12 July | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 19 July | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 26 July | Killing Me Softly | The Fugees |
| 2 August | Lemon Tree | Fool's Garden |
| 9 August | Wannabe | Spice Girls |
| 16 August | Wannabe | Spice Girls |
| 23 August | Wannabe | Spice Girls |
| 30 August | Wannabe | Spice Girls |
| 6 September | The Hurling Songs | The Wild Swans |
| 13 September | The Hurling Songs | The Wild Swans |
| 20 September | How Bizarre | OMC |
| 27 September | How Bizarre | OMC |
| 4 October | How Bizarre | OMC |
| 11 October | Words | Boyzone |
| 18 October | Words | Boyzone |
| 25 October | Words | Boyzone |
| 1 November | Words | Boyzone |
| 8 November | Words | Boyzone |
| 15 November | Rat Trap | Dustin & Bob Geldof |
| 22 November | Rat Trap | Dustin & Bob Geldof |
| 29 November | Rat Trap | Dustin & Bob Geldof |
| 6 December | Breathe | The Prodigy |
| 13 December | Breathe | The Prodigy |
| 20 December | 2 Become 1 | Spice Girls |
| 27 December | 2 Become 1 | Spice Girls |
