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 | ||
| 2 February | ||
| 9 February | ||
| 16 February | ||
| 23 February | " Don't Look Back in Anger" | Oasis |
| 1 March | " How Deep Is Your Love" | Take That |
| 8 March | ||
| 15 March | ||
| 22 March | "Aon Focal Eile" | Richie Kavanagh |
| 29 March | ||
| 5 April | ||
| 12 April | ||
| 19 April | ||
| 26 April | ||
| 3 May | ||
| 10 May | "Man Utd Man" | Men United |
| 17 May | ||
| 24 May | ||
| 31 May | ||
| 7 June | " Nobody Knows" | The Tony Rich Project |
| 14 June | " Killing Me Softly" | The Fugees |
| 21 June | ||
| 28 June | ||
| 5 July | ||
| 12 July | ||
| 19 July | ||
| 26 July | ||
| 2 August | " Lemon Tree" | Fool's Garden |
| 9 August | " Wannabe" | Spice Girls |
| 16 August | ||
| 23 August | ||
| 30 August | ||
| 6 September | The Hurling Songs (EP) | The Wild Swans |
| 13 September | ||
| 20 September | " How Bizarre" | OMC |
| 27 September | ||
| 4 October | ||
| 11 October | " Words" | Boyzone |
| 18 October | ||
| 25 October | ||
| 1 November | ||
| 8 November | ||
| 15 November | " Rat Trap" | Dustin & Bob Geldof |
| 22 November | ||
| 29 November | ||
| 6 December | " Breathe" | The Prodigy |
| 13 December | ||
| 20 December | " 2 Become 1" | Spice Girls |
| 27 December |