The Coat of Arms of the Republic of Ireland This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. It may be ineligible for copyright or in the public domain. In other cases, it is believed that these images may be exhibited on Wikipedia under the... This article is part of the series The Republic of Ireland is a sovereign, independent state. It is a representative democracy under a parliamentary system of government, with a president, prime minister and parliament. The capital city is Dublin. While there are a number of important political parties in the state, the two largest are Fianna F... Politics of the R. of Ireland

The President of Ireland (Irish: Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people, and serves a maximum of two seven-year terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise... President The Council of State (Irish: Comhairle Stáit) is an organ established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of her discretionary, reserve powers. The Council of State also has authority to provide for the temporary exercise of the duties of... Council of State

This article is about the modern legislature. For alternative meanings, see: Oireachtas (disambiguation) The Oireachtas (Irish for Legislature) is the National Parliament of the Republic of Ireland1. The Oireachtas consists of the President of Ireland and two houses: Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann (also known as the Senate). However... Oireachtas Dáil Éireann is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland1. It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote. Its powers are similar to those of lower... Dáil Éireann Seanad Éireann (English: Senate of Ireland), the Irish Senate, is the upper house of the Oireachtas: the parliament of the Republic of Ireland1. Unlike the lower house, Dáil Éireann, the Senate is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by various methods... Seanad Éireann

The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) or, more formally, An Taoiseach, is the head of government of the Republic of Ireland and the leader of the Irish cabinet1. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament), and must, while he or... Taoiseach The Tánaiste (plural: Tánaistithe), or more formally An Tánaiste, is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland1. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland upon the nomination of the Taoiseach ( prime minister). The word was historically an Irish... Tánaiste The Government (Irish: Rialtas) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach, and a deputy prime minister called the Tánaiste. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President after being designated by Dáil Éireann... Government

The Supreme Court (Irish: Chúirt Uachtarach) is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. The Supreme Court is the Court of Final Appeal and exercises judicial review, to ensure that other institutions of the state comply with the Constitution of Ireland. The Supreme Court consists of its... Supreme Court The High Court of the Republic of Ireland is a court which deals at first instance with the most serious and important civil and criminal cases, and also acts as a court of appeal for civil cases in the Circuit Court. It also has the power to determine whether a... High Court The courts system in the Republic of Ireland consists of the Supreme Court, the High Court and a number of lower courts. The Republic is a common law jurisdiction and trials for serious offences must usually occur before a jury. The High Court and the Supreme Court have authority, by... Judiciary

The Constitution of Ireland is the founding legal document of the state known today as the Republic of Ireland. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy, and guarantees certain fundamental rights. The constitution was adopted in... Constitution Referendum

Political parties in the Republic of Ireland lists political parties in the Republic of Ireland. The general rule on naming applies. That means: the parties are named in the English translation and the original native name is placed on the first line of the article unless the native form is... Political parties Elections in the Republic of Ireland gives information on election and election results in the Republic of Ireland. An election is a process in which a vote is held to elect candidates to an office. It is the mechanism by which a democracy fills elective offices in the legislature, and... Elections: - The date for Irelands presidential election was set for 22 October 2004. However, nominations closed at noon on 1 October and the incumbent president, Mary McAleese, who had nominated herself in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, was the only person nominated. Accordingly she was re-elected for... Presidential, 2004 - The 28th Dáil was dissolved by President McAleese on Thursday April 25, 2002 and a General Election announced for Friday May 17, 2002. The 29th Dáil assembled on June 6, 2002. Results Overview The general election was significant for six major reasons: The re-election of the Fianna... Legislative, 2002

An amendment may be made to any part of The Constitution of Ireland is the founding legal document of the state known today as the Republic of Ireland. The constitution falls broadly within the liberal democratic tradition. It establishes an independent state based on a system of representative democracy, and guarantees certain fundamental rights. The constitution was adopted in... Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the The Republic of Ireland ( Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. It is the westernmost state of the European Union, and has a developed economy and... Republic of Ireland, but only by referendum. An amendment must first be approved by both Houses of the This article is about the modern legislature. For alternative meanings, see: Oireachtas (disambiguation) The Oireachtas (Irish for Legislature) is the National Parliament of the Republic of Ireland1. The Oireachtas consists of the President of Ireland and two houses: Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann (also known as the Senate). However... Oireachtas (parliament), then submitted to a A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may be the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a... referendum, and finally signed into law by the The President of Ireland (Irish: Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people, and serves a maximum of two seven-year terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise... President.

Aside from constitutional referenda, the constitution also provides, in extraordinary circumstances, for a referendum on a normal In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. It can also be a private bill. It usually starts as a draft proposal, known as a White Paper. A Bill is then introduced into the House of Commons or House of... bill known as the The ordinary referendum is a referendum in the Republic of Ireland in which the President may refer a bill directly to the electorate before it becomes law. The ordinary referendum exists in a reserve power of the President known as reference of bills to the People. However this power has... ordinary referendum, but none has yet occurred.

Procedure

Referendum

Download high resolution version (760x656, 176 KB)Sample Polling card from a constitutional referendum in the Republic of Ireland in 2004. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see...

Download high resolution version (760x656, 176 KB)Sample Polling card from a constitutional referendum in the Republic of Ireland in 2004. File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. Click on date to download the file or see...

A sample polling card from the 2004 referendum

The procedure for amending the constitution is specified in Article 46. A proposed amendment must take the form of a bill to amend the constitution originating in Dáil Éireann is the lower house of the Oireachtas (parliament) of the Republic of Ireland1. It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote. Its powers are similar to those of lower... Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament). It must first be formally approved by both the Dail and the Seanad Éireann (English: Senate of Ireland), the Irish Senate, is the upper house of the Oireachtas: the parliament of the Republic of Ireland1. Unlike the lower house, Dáil Éireann, the Senate is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by various methods... Senate   in practice the Senate only has the power to delay an amendment adopted by the Dáil. Then it must be endorsed by the electorate in a referendum.

A simple majority is sufficient to carry an amendment and there is no minimum turn-out required for a constitutional referendum to be considered valid. The vote occurs by secret ballot. A proposal to amend the constitution put to a referendum must not contain any other proposal. While The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a country in western Europe, and a member of the British Commonwealth and European Union. Usually known simply as the United Kingdom, UK or, inaccurately, as Great Britain or Britain, the UK has four constituent parts. Three of these parts... United Kingdom citizens resident in the state may vote in a general election, only Irish citizens can participate in a referendum.

After being approved by referendum an amendment must be signed into law by the President. However, this is merely a formality as, provided the correct procedure has been complied with, the President cannot veto an amendment. The dates given for the amendments listed in this article are (unless otherwise stated) the dates on which each amendment was signed into law.

Historical methods

Historically the constitution has also been amended by two other means. The Transitory Provisions that formed a part of the constitution at its adoption in 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying... 1937 provided that for an initial four year period (from 1937- 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 6 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivers his Four Freedoms Speech in the State of the Union Address. January 10 - Lend-Lease is introduced into the U.S. Congress. January 19 - British troops attack Italian... 1941) the document could be amended by a simple act of the Oireachtas. The First and Second Amendments were adopted in this way. However, as a safeguard to prevent the wholescale change of the document after it has been approved en bloc by the people, the The President of Ireland (Irish: Uachtarán na hÉireann) is the head of state of the Republic of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people, and serves a maximum of two seven-year terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise... President of Ireland, was given the right to decline to sign a Bill amending the constitution until the amendment had been voted on by the people, if he believed the amendment materially changed the whole constitution. The President in office, Douglas Hyde (Ir: Dubhghlas de hÍde [doog-las de heeja]) (January 17, 1860 - July 12, 1949) was a Gaelic scholar who served as the first President of Ireland (1938-1945). Background Hyde was born in Frenchpark in County Roscommon, where his father, Arthur Hyde was the local Church of... Douglas Hyde, did not however refer any amendment directly to the people, but instead chose to sign all Oireachtas-passed amendments directly into law. The constitution stated that this power, and indeed the Oireachtas's power to amend the constitution without automatic reference to the people, automatically lapsed three years after the entry into office of the first president.

Since 1941, on the third anniversary of President Hyde's election when the Transitional Provisions lapsed, every amendment must follow a set process of creation: passage through the Oireachtas, followed by a public referendum. One partial exception to this, however, were the changes made to Article 2 and Article 3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, were adopted with the constitution as a whole in 1937, but completely revised by means of the Nineteenth Amendment which took full effect in 1999. As amended they grant the right to be... Articles 2 and 3 of the constitution in 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. Events Kosovo War Shooting in Littleton, Colorado, United States, leaves several high school students dead. Y2K preparation was a major event in 1999 both in... 1999. The Nineteenth Amendment, adopted by referendum in May, 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. Events January January 1998 - A massive ice storm, caused by El Niño, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to... 1998, did not itself amend those articles but rather introduced, on a temporary basis, a special mechanism whereby the The Government (Irish: Rialtas) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach, and a deputy prime minister called the Tánaiste. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President after being designated by Dáil Éireann... Government could order their amendment once it was satisfied that certain commitments made by other parties to the The Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement and, more rarely, as the Stormont Agreement) was signed in Belfast on April 10, 1998 by the British and Irish Governments and endorsed by most Northern Ireland political parties. It was endorsed by the voters of Republic of Ireland in... Belfast Agreement had been complied with.

List of amendments

Under Transitory Provisions

• The First Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the state known today as the Republic of Ireland, was effected by the First Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1939, signed into law on 2nd September, 1939. Its purpose was to extend the constitutional definition of time of war... First Amendment ( 1939 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-June January 2 - End of term for Frank Finley Merriam, 28th Governor of California. He is succeeded by Culbert Levy Olson. January 24 - Earthquake kills 30.000 in Chile – about 50.000 sq... 1939): Extend the definition of "time of war" to include a war in which the state is not a participant. The motive behind this amendment was to allow the Government to exercise emergency powers during the World War II, in which the state was neutral.
• The Second Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, was an omnibus amendment to a variety of articles aimed at implementing a list of many different changes. It was effected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1941 which was signed... Second Amendment ( 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 6 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivers his Four Freedoms Speech in the State of the Union Address. January 10 - Lend-Lease is introduced into the U.S. Congress. January 19 - British troops attack Italian... 1941): This was an omnibus amendment to a variety of articles aimed at introducing a variety of changes to the document, some significant and others minor, while still possible without the need for a referendum.

By referendum

• The Third Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to join the European Communities and provided that European law would take precedence over the constitution. It was effected by the Third Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1972 which was approved by... Third Amendment ( 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. Events January January 2 - the Pierre Hotel Heist - Six men rob the safety deposit boxes of the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Loot is at least $4 million January 5 - President of the United States Richard Nixon orders the... 1972): Permitted the state to join the European Communities.
• The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, lowered the voting age for all national elections and referenda in the state from twenty-one to eighteen years of age. It was effected by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1972... Fourth Amendment ( January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 360 days remaining until the end of the year (361 in leap years). Events 1463 - Poet François Villon is banned from Paris. 1477 - Battle of Nancy, Charles the Bold killed, Burgundy becomes part of... 5th January, 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union. January 3 - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led by George... 1973): Reduced minimum voting age from 21 to 18.
• The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, removed from the constitution a controversial reference to the special position of the Roman Catholic Church as well as recognition of certain other named religious denominations. It was effected by the Fifth Amendment... Fifth Amendment (5th Jan, 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union. January 3 - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led by George... 1973): Removed reference to "special position" of the Catholic Church and to certain other named denominations.
• The Sixth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, ensured that certain adoption orders would not be found to be unconstitutional because they had not been made by a court. It was effected by the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution (Adoption) Act, 1979 which... Sixth Amendment ( 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United States and the Peoples Republic of China establish diplomatic relations January 4 - State of Ohio agrees to pay $675,000 to families of dead and injured in Kent State University shootings. January 7 - Vietnam and Vietnam... 1979): Provided that orders made by the Adoption Board could not be declared unconstitutional because they were not made by a court.
• The Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, provided that the procedure for the election of six members of the Senate by university graduates could be altered by law. It was effected by the Seventh Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1979... Seventh Amendment ( 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United States and the Peoples Republic of China establish diplomatic relations January 4 - State of Ohio agrees to pay $675,000 to families of dead and injured in Kent State University shootings. January 7 - Vietnam and Vietnam... 1979): Allowed the state to determine by law which institutions of higher education would be entitled to elect members of the Seanad Éireann (English: Senate of Ireland), the Irish Senate, is the upper house of the Oireachtas: the parliament of the Republic of Ireland1. The Senate is currently located in Leinster House. Composition Seanad Éireann has sixty members: Eleven appointed by the Taoiseach (prime minister). Six elected by the graduates of... Senate.
• The Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, introduced the controversial constitutional ban on abortion. It was effected by the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1983, which was approved by referendum on 7th September 1983 and signed into law on... Eighth Amendment ( 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January 1 - Beat Raaflaub became Basel Boys Choirs new conductor January 1 - the ARPANET officially changes to use the Internet Protocol, creating the Internet. January 1 - compulsory wearing... 1983): Introduced the constitutional prohibition of abortion.
• The Ninth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, extended the right to vote in elections to Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament) to certain non-Irish citizens. It was effected by the Ninth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1984, which was... Ninth Amendment ( 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January 1 - Brunei becomes a fully independent state January 1 - AT&T is broken up into 22 independent units January 5 - Richard Stallman starts developing GNU. January 7 - Brunei becomes the sixth member of the... 1984): Extended the right to vote to certain non-nationals.
• The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to ratify the Single European Act. It was effected by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1987, which was approved by referendum on 26th May 1987 and signed into... Tenth Amendment ( 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. Events Environmental change Varroa destructor, an invasive parasite is found in the US October 15 - Hurricane force winds cause extensive damage in southern England. January January 1 - Frobisher Bay, Northwest Territories, changes its name to Iqaluit. In 1999... 1987): Permitted the state to ratify the The Single European Act (SEA) was the first major revision of the Treaty of Rome. There was a tremendous amount of discontent among European Community members in the 1980s. Leaders from the business and political worlds were eager to harmonize laws between countries and resolve policy discrepancies. A commission formed... Single European Act.
• The Eleventh Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to ratify the Maastricht Treaty. It was effected by the Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1992, which was approved by referendum on 18th June 1992 and signed into law on the... Eleventh Amendment (July, 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January - The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General George H. W. Bush becomes the first... 1992): Permitted the state to ratify the The Maastricht treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union) was signed on 7 February 1992 in Maastricht between the members of the European Community and entered into force on 1 November 1993. It led to the creation of the European Union and was the result of separate negotiations on monetary... Maastricht Treaty.
• Thirteenth Amendment ( December 3 is the 337th (in leap years the 338th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 28 days remaining. Events 1818 - Illinois becomes the 21st U.S. state 1828 - U.S. presidential election, 1828: Challenger Andrew Jackson beats incumbent John Quincy Adams and is elected President... 3rd December, 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January - The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General George H. W. Bush becomes the first... 1992): Specified that the prohibition of abortion would not limit freedom of travel in and out of the state.
• Fourteenth Amendment ( (Redirected from 23rd December) December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). There are 8 days remaining. Events 619 - Boniface V becomes Pope 1620 - Construction of Plymouth Colony begins 1823 - A Visit From St. Nicholas, attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, is... 23rd December, 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January - The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General George H. W. Bush becomes the first... 1992): Specified that the prohibition of abortion would not limit the right to distribute information about abortion services in foreign countries.
• The Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, repealed the constitutional prohibition of divorce. It was effected by the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1995, which was approved by referendum on 24th November, 1995 and signed into law on the... Fifteenth Amendment ( June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four with the length of 30 days. June starts in Gemini and ends in Cancer. In the pagan wheel of the year the June spans summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and winter solstice in... June, 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. Events Environmental change The invasive species Asian long-horned beetle is found in New York January 7 - One of the worst blizzards in American history hits eastern... 1996): Removed the constitutional prohibition of divorce, but retained certain restrictions on its occurrence.
• The Sixteenth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, provided that a court could refuse bail to a suspect where it feared that while at liberty they would commit a criminal offence. It was effected by the Sixteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1996... Sixteenth Amendment ( DEC is an abbreviation that can stand for: Digital Equipment Corporation diethylcarbamazine Disasters Emergency Committee Department of Environmental Conservation December In high school speech teams: Oratorical declamation; giving a speech that was written by someone else See also: TLA This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... Dec, 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. Events Environmental change The invasive species Asian long-horned beetle is found in New York January 7 - One of the worst blizzards in American history hits eastern... 1996): Allowed a court to refuse someone bail if it suspected they would commit a criminal offence while at liberty.
• The Seventeenth Amendment of the Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, provided that the confidentiality of meetings of the cabinet would not prevent the High Court from ordering that certain information be disclosed when this was in the public interest. It was effected by the... Seventeenth Amendment ( 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Reef. Events January January 3 - NBCs Today Show Bryant Gumbel signs off for the last time January 8 - Mister Rogers receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame... 1997): Introduced provisions related to the confidentiality of cabinet meetings. This became protected unless, in certain circumstances, the High Court orders otherwise.
• The Eighteenth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to ratify the Amsterdam Treaty. It was effected by the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1998, which was approved by referendum on 22nd May 1998 and signed into law on the... Eighteenth Amendment ( June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. Events 1000-1899 1098 - Crusaders take Antioch, Turkey. 1140 - French scholar, Peter Abelard found guilty of heresy. 1608 - Samuel de Champlain completes his third voyage to New France at... 3rd June, 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. Events January January 1998 - A massive ice storm, caused by El Niño, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to... 1998): Allowed the state to ratify the The Amsterdam Treaty (in full: Treaty of Amsterdam amending the Treaty of the European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts) which was signed on October 2, 1997, and entered into force on May 1, 1999, made substantial changes to the Treaty on European Union which... Amsterdam Treaty.
• The Nineteenth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, introduced changes to Articles 2 and 3 of the constitution required by the 1998 Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement). Prior to 1999, Articles 2 and 3 made the controversial claim that... Nineteenth Amendment ( June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. Events 1000-1899 1098 - Crusaders take Antioch, Turkey. 1140 - French scholar, Peter Abelard found guilty of heresy. 1608 - Samuel de Champlain completes his third voyage to New France at... 3rd June, 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. Events January January 1998 - A massive ice storm, caused by El Niño, strikes New England, southern Ontario and Quebec, resulting in widespread power failures, severe damage to... 1998): Provided for the amendment of Article 2 and Article 3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, were adopted with the constitution as a whole in 1937, but completely revised by means of the Nineteenth Amendment which took full effect in 1999. As amended they grant the right to be... Articles 2 and 3 as required by the Belfast Agreement.
• The Twentieth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, provided constitutional recognition of local government and required that local government elections occur at least once in every five years. It was effected by the Twentieth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 2001, which... Twentieth Amendment ( 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. Events Kosovo War Shooting in Littleton, Colorado, United States, leaves several high school students dead. Y2K preparation was a major event in 1999 both in... 1999): Provided that local government elections must occur every five years.
• The Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, introduced a constitutional ban on the death penalty and removed all references to capital punishment from the text. It was effected by the Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution Act, 2001, which... Twenty-first Amendment ( (Redirected from 27th March) March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). There are 279 days remaining. Events 1300-1899 1306 - Robert I of Scotland and Elizabeth de Burgh are crowned king and Queen of the Scots. 1513 - (not 1512 as... 27th March, 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom Autism Awareness Year in the United Kingdom Events January Euro banknotes in circulation throughout the twelve countries of the European Union that... 2002): Introduced the constitutional prohibition of the death penalty, and also removed all incidental references to the Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the judicially ordered execution of a prisoner as a punishment for a serious crime, often called a capital offense or a capital crime. Some jurisdictions that practice capital punishment restrict its use to a small number of criminal offences, principally... death penalty from the text.
• The Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to recognise the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was effected by the Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Act, 2001, which was approved by referendum on 7th June 2001... Twenty-third Amendment ( (Redirected from 27th March) March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (87th in Leap years). There are 279 days remaining. Events 1300-1899 1306 - Robert I of Scotland and Elizabeth de Burgh are crowned king and Queen of the Scots. 1513 - (not 1512 as... 27th March, 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom Autism Awareness Year in the United Kingdom Events January Euro banknotes in circulation throughout the twelve countries of the European Union that... 2002): Allowed the state to ratify the Statute of the The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Note that International Criminal Court is sometimes initialized as ICCt... International Criminal Court.
• The Twenty-sixth Amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the constitution of the Republic of Ireland, permitted the state to ratify the Nice Treaty. It was effected by the Twenty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Act, 1998, which was approved by referendum on 19th October 2002 and signed into law... Twenty-sixth Amendment ( November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. November begins (astrologically) with the sun in the sign of Scorpio and ends in the sign of Sagittarius. Astronomically speaking, the sun begins in the constellation... November, 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom Autism Awareness Year in the United Kingdom Events January Euro banknotes in circulation throughout the twelve countries of the European Union that... 2002): Allowed the state to ratify the The Treaty of Nice is a treaty adopted in Nice by the European Council to amend the two founding treaties of the European Union: the Treaty on European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, which introduced the Euro and the 3-pillar structure of the EU; the Treaty of Rome, which established... Nice Treaty.
• The Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, the founding legal document of the Republic of Ireland, provided that children born on the island of Ireland to parents who were both non-nationals would no longer have a constitutional right to Irish citizenship. It was effected by the Twenty... Twenty-seventh Amendment ( (Redirected from 24th June) June 24 is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 190 days remaining. Events 1100-1899 1128 - Battle of St.Mamede, near Guimarães. Portuguese forces led by Afonso I beat his mother D.Teresa and D.Fern... 24th June, 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) Elections were held in 73 countries during 2004. See a list of elections... 2004): restricted the right to Irish citizenship.

'Missing' amendments

It should be noted that there is officially no 12th, 22nd, 24th or 25th Amendment. This has occurred for a number of reasons; one is that the formal title of an amendment cannot be altered once it has been adopted by the houses of the Oireachtas. This means that where a number of amendments are put to the electorate on the same day, and one is rejected, an amendment number may be 'skipped'. In November 1992 three proposed amendments were put to the people: the 12th, 13th and 14th. The proposed 12th Amendment was defeated but the 13th and 14th Amendments, which were approved, could not then be renamed.

List of failed amendments

• Third Amendment Bill (1958): This was a proposal to alter the electoral system for elections to Dáil Éireann from Proportional Representation (PR) describes various multi-winner electoral systems which try to ensure that the proportional support gained by different groups is accurately reflected in the election result. Proportional representation is also used to describe this (intended) effect. In practice this usually involves ensuring that political parties in parliament or... proportional representation under the The Single Transferable Vote, or STV, is a preference voting system designed to minimise wasted votes in multi-candidate elections while ensuring that votes are explicitly for candidates rather than party lists. When promoted as a proportional representation method in multi-party multi-seat elections, it is generally known as... Single Transferable Vote to the British ' The first-past-the-post electoral system is a voting system for single-member districts, variously called first-past-the-post (FPTP or FPP), winner-take-all, plurality voting, or relative majority. In political science, it is known as Single-Member District Plurality or SMDP. This system is in use... First Past the Post' system. It also proposed to establish an independent commission for the drawing of constituency boundaries on a constitutional basis. It was put to a referendum on (Redirected from 17th June) June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. Events 1497 - Battle of Deptford Bridge - Forces under King Henry VII soundly defeat troops led by Michael An Gof. 1565 - Matsunaga Hisahide assasinates the 13th... 17th June, 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). Events January-February January 1 - Cultivars of plants named after this date must be named in a modern language, not in Latin. January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when forces of Fidel Castro advance January... 1959 but defeated.
• Third Amendment Bill (1968): This proposed to specify more precisely the system of apportionment in the drawing of constituency boundaries. It would have permitted rural constituencies to elected a disproportionate number of A TD or Teachta Dála (Irish for Dáil Deputy, pronounced chock-ta dawla) is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower chamber of the Irish Oireachtas (pronounced orr-och-tas) or National Parliament. The term was first used to describe those Irish MPs elected in the 1918... TDs (MPs). The proposal was put to a referendum on (Redirected from 16th October) October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). There are 76 days remaining. Events 400-1899 456 - Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Roman Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Roman Empire 1775 - Portland, Maine burned by the... 16th October, 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is... 1968 but rejected.
• Fourth Amendment Bill (1968) ( 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). Events Undated Booker Prize for Fiction is established by Booker plc. 1968 is known as the year of the Prague Spring and also the year of the Paris riots. The ASCII character code is... 1968): This was a second attempt to alter the electoral system by abolishing proportional representation in favour of 'First Past the Post'. It was submitted to a referendum on the same day as the Third Amendment Bill and defeated.
• Tenth Amendment Bill (1986): This proposed to remove the constitutional ban on divorce. It was put to a referendum on (Redirected from 26th June) June 26 is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 188 days remaining. Events 600-1899 684 - Benedict II becomes Pope. 1483 - Richard III becomes king of England. 1819 - The bicycle is patented. 1900-1999 1924 - American occupying... 26th June, 1986 but defeated. The ban on divorce was eventually lifted by the Fifteenth Amendment in 1996.
• Twelfth Amendment Bill ( 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. Events January January - The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General George H. W. Bush becomes the first... 1992): This proposed to strengthen the constitutional ban on abortion by stating that an abortion could not be procured to protect the health, rather than the life, of the mother, and that risk to the life of the mother from suicide could not be grounds for an abortion. This was put to a referendum on (Redirected from 25th November) November 25 is the 329th (in leap years the 330th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 36 days remaining. Events 1000-1899 1034 - Malcolm II of Scotland died. Duncan, the son of his second daughter, instead of Macbeth, the son of his... 25th November, 1992 but defeated.
• Twenty-second Amendment Bill ( 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. By strict interpretation of the Gregorian Calendar, 2001 is also the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millenium. Popular culture, however, often views the year 2000 as holding this distinction. 2001 is also the year... 2001): This proposed to establish a body for the investigation of judges and to amend the procedure for the removal of judges. It was not passed by the houses of the Oireachtas.
• Twenty-fourth Amendment Bill ( 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. By strict interpretation of the Gregorian Calendar, 2001 is also the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millenium. Popular culture, however, often views the year 2000 as holding this distinction. 2001 is also the year... 2001): Would have allowed the state to ratify the Nice Treaty. This was rejected in a referendum on June 7 is the 158th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (159th in leap years), with 207 days remaining. Events 1000-1899 1099 - Beginning of Siege of Jerusalem (1099) 1494 - Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Tordesillas which divides the New World between the two countries. 1654... 7th June, 2001. Voters reversed this decision when they adopted the Twenty-sixth Amendment in 2002.
• Twenty-fifth Amendment Bill ( 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. It was designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom Autism Awareness Year in the United Kingdom Events January Euro banknotes in circulation throughout the twelve countries of the European Union that... 2002): This was a second attempt to strengthen the constitutional ban on abortion and to prevent risk of suicide being invoked as grounds for an abortion. It was submitted to a referendum on March 6 is the 65th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (66th in Leap years). There are 300 days remaining. It is 啓蟄 (Keichitsu) in the Japanese calendar. Events 1447 - Nicholas V becomes Pope. 1460 - Treaty of Alcacovas - Portugal gives Castile the Canary Islands in exchange for... 6th March, 2002 but defeated.

List of referenda

The following is a list of every referendum in the state since 1937¹. The Constitution of Ireland was approved by plebiscite in July, 1937 and every subsequent referendum has concerned a constitutional amendment. Dates given are those on which referenda were held.

Major subjects

The European Union

A number of amendments to the Constitution of Ireland have related to the European Union (and its predecessors). Before the state could join the European Communities the Third Amendment was necessary. Membership granted powers to European institutions which the 1937 constitution had vested in the Oireachtas (parliament) and the Government. It was also possible that many provisions of the constitution might in the future be found to be incompatible with The European Union is unique among international organizations in having a complex and highly developed system of internal law which has direct effect within the legal systems of its member states. In contrast to nations such as the United States, European nations subscribe to the principle that international law adopted... European law. For these reasons the Third Amendment introduced a provision expressly permitting the state to joing the Communities and stating in broad terms that European law has supremacy over the constitution.

A number of subsequent amendments have been made to expressly permit the state to ratify changes to the treaties of the EU. This is because of a 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. Events Environmental change Varroa destructor, an invasive parasite is found in the US October 15 - Hurricane force winds cause extensive damage in southern England. January January 1 - Frobisher Bay, Northwest Territories, changes its name to Iqaluit. In 1999... 1987 ruling by the The Supreme Court (Irish: Chúirt Uachtarach) is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. The Supreme Court is the Court of Final Appeal and exercises judicial review, to ensure that other institutions of the state comply with the Constitution of Ireland. The Supreme Court consists of its... Supreme Court, in the case of Crotty v. An Taoiseach, that major changes to the EU treaties require a constitutional amendment. Referenda have therefore been held on the Single European Act, the Maastricht Treaty, the Amsterdam Treaty and the Treaty of Nice. There has however, been debate among legal scholars as to whether or not each and every one of these treaties has been sufficiently far reaching as to necessitate a constitutional amendment.

Abortion

The Eighth Amendment introduced the constitutional prohibition on abortion in 1983. Opponents of abortion sought this amendment partly because of fears that the The Supreme Court (Irish: Chúirt Uachtarach) is the highest judicial authority in the Republic of Ireland. The Supreme Court is the Court of Final Appeal and exercises judicial review, to ensure that other institutions of the state comply with the Constitution of Ireland. The Supreme Court consists of its... Supreme Court would in the future infer an implicit right to an abortion in the provisions of the constitution. The court had already ruled, in the 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 - Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 4 - Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army February 7 - Grenada becomes independent from... 1974 case of McGee v. The Attorney General, that reference in Article 41 to the "imprescriptable rights, antecedent and superior to all positive law" of the family conferred upon spouses a broad right to privacy in marital affairs. It was feared that this right might be extended to include the right to an abortion. There was further concern that the Supreme Court might take its lead from developments in judicial review in other nations, such as the controversial ruling of the The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States... United States Supreme Court in the 1973 was a common year starting on Monday. Events January January 1 - United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark enter the European Economic Community, now known as the European Union. January 3 - Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) sells the New York Yankees for $10 million to a 12-person syndicate led by George... 1973 case of Holding Texas laws criminalizing abortion violated womens Fourteenth Amendment right to choose whether or not to continue a pregnancy. Judgment of U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas affirmed in part, reversed in part. Court membership Case opinions Laws applied U.S. Const. Amend. XIV; Tex... Roe v. Wade.

It was observed at the time of the adoption of the constitutional prohibition of abortion that its wording was very vague. Since its adoption a number of attempts have been made to modify the constitution in order to clarify the ban's precise implications. In particular there have been two failed attempts (in 1992 and 2002) to strengthen the ban, but two successful attempts to weaken its implications (both in December 1992).

The two failed amendments arose from a ruling of the Supreme Court in March 1992, in the case of the Attorney General v. X or the X Case was a 1992 Irish Supreme Court case which established the right of Irish women to an abortion if their life was at risk because of pregnancy. The case involved a 14-year-old girl (named only as X in the courts and... Attorney General v. X (more commonly known as the "X case"), that a mother is entitled to an abortion where there is a risk to her life from suicide. Opponents of abortion feared that this ruling could only be enforced in a way that would lead to a liberal abortion regime of the kind found in many other countries, such as the United Kingdom, but this has not yet come to pass (although the government has yet to legislate for the implications of the 'X' case). The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments guaranteed that the ban on abortion would not compromise the right to obtain information about, or freedom of travel to avail of, abortion services available abroad.

Previous constitutions

Prior to the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying... 1937, the state was governed under two other documents: the The Constitution of Dáil Éireann ( Irish: Bunreacht Dála Éireann), more commonly known as the Dáil Constitution, was a short, provisional constitution adopted by the First Dáil in January 1919. It created a ministry or Áireacht, headed by the Pr... Dáil Constitution of the short-lived 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). Events January January 1 - Iolaire sinking disaster January 1 - Edsel Ford succeeds his father as head of the Ford Motor Company January 5 - Spartacist uprising - Socialist demonstrations in Berlin turn into attempted communist revolution January 9 - Spartacus revolutionary... 1919- 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). Events January 7 - Dáil Éireann, the extra-legal parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64-57 votes. January 10 - Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann... 1922 This article is about the historical Irish Republic. For the modern Irish state, see: Republic of Ireland1. The Irish Republic (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann or Saorstát Éireann), also known as the Republic of Ireland, was a revolutionary state established by Irish nationalists seeking secession from the United Kingdom... Irish Republic and the constitution of the 1922 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). Events January 7 - Dáil Éireann, the extra-legal parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64-57 votes. January 10 - Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éireann... 1922- 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January January 1 - Anastasio Somoza becomes President of Nicaragua January 11 - The first issue of Look magazine goes on sale in the United States. January 19 - Howard Hughes sets a new air record by flying... 1937 The Irish Free State (Irish: Saorstát Éireann) was (1922–1937) the name of the state comprising the 26 of Irelands 32 counties which were separated from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Irish Free State Agreement (or Anglo-Irish Treaty) signed by British... Irish Free State. Each used different formal procedures for amendment of the text.

The Dáil Constitution was enacted by Dáil Éireann (which was at that time a single chamber legislature) as an ordinary act of parliament. As a result it could be amended by simple vote of the legislature.

The The Constitution of the Irish Free State was the constitution of the southern Irish state established in December 1922. It was enacted with the adoption of the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann) Act, 1922, to which it was appended as a schedule, and was also known... Constitution of the Irish Free State originally provided for a process of amendment by means of a referendum. However the constitution could initially be amended by the Free State Oireachtas for eight years. The Oireachtas chose to extent that period, meaning that for the duration of its existence, the Free State constitution could be amended at will by parliament.

In theory, it was argued that the constitution could not be amended in a way with conflicted with the Signature page of the Anglo_Irish Treaty The Anglo_Irish Treaty was a treaty between the British government and the Irish Republic which brought the Anglo-Irish War to an end and established the Irish Free State. It was signed in London by representatives of the British government and envoys plenipotentiary (i... Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). Events January 2 - The first religious radio broadcast ( KDKA AM in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) January 2 - Spanish liner Santa Isabel sinks off Villa Garcia - 244 dead January 2 - DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park San Francisco opens. January 20... 1921 ratified by both the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. However the The Statute of Westminster 1931 was the enactment of the United Kingdom Parliament (December 11, 1931) which established the legislative equal status of the self-governing dominions of the British Empire and United Kingdom. (There exist also the unrelated Statutes of Westminster of 1275, 1285 and 1290 (known as First... Statute of Westminster and legal judgments removed that restriction in the 1930s.

Footnote

1. The "total poll" column in the table below gives the total number of votes cast, including spoilt votes. The percentages given in the "for" and "against" columns are derived from the total number of valid, or unspoilt votes. A green coloured row indicates a proposal approved by the electorate; red indicates a rejected measure. All data are taken from the official website of the Referendum Returning Officer [1] (http://www.referendum.ie).

Related topics

• The Republic of Ireland is a sovereign, independent state. It is a representative democracy under a parliamentary system of government, with a president, prime minister and parliament. The capital city is Dublin. While there are a number of important political parties in the state, the two largest are Fianna F... Politics of the Republic of Ireland
• The subject of abortion has had a controversial history in Ireland, and remains a controversial subject today. Constitutional Issues: Ireland & the Abortion Debate At independence, the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act remained in force, maintaining all abortions to be illegal and subject to punishment. In response to the... Abortion in Ireland
• A constitutional amendment is an alteration to the constitution of a nation or a state. In jurisdictions with entrenched constitutions this requires a special procedure different from that used for enacting ordinary laws. Flexible constitutions A flexible constitution is one that may be amended by a simple act of the... Constitutional amendment

External links

• www.Referendum.ie (http://www.referendum.ie) - official website of the Referendum Returning Officer. Includes an archive of referendum statistics.
• The Unabridged Constitution of Ireland (http://www.johnpghall.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/) - this is an unofficial variorum edition with amendments alongside the original text. It is only accurate up until the Twentieth Amendment in 1999.
• Irish Legal Information Initiative (http://www.ucc.ie/law/irlii/index.php)
• IrishStatuteBook.ie (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie)