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The House of Representatives
as on May 2002
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 |
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"Family of the Irish" (FG) |
31 |
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Total |
166 |
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The 22nd Senate
as on the 12 September 2002
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 |
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"Family of the Irish" (FG) |
15 |
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Total |
60 |
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Political System
Ireland is a parliamentary democracy.
Head of State
Mary McAleese was inaugurated as the eighth President of Ireland on 11th November 1997. She began her second term of office in 2004.
The Office of President was established by The Constitution. The President is elected directly by the people. The term of office is 7 years and a President may not serve more than 2 terms.
The President represents all the people when carrying out official engagements at home and abroad. She is Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces.
The President, who does not have an executive or policy role, exercises them on the advice of the Government.
There are some specific instances where the President has an absolute discretion, such as in referring a Bill to the Supreme Court for a judgment on its constitutionality or in refusing to dissolve Dáil Éireann (lower house of parliament: House of Representatives) on the advice of a Taoiseach (Prime Minister) who has ceased to retain a majority. Additional functions can be conferred on the President by law. A special (Presidential) Commission acts whenever the President is absent.
Government
The Taoiseach is Bartholomew Patrick [Bertie] Ahern (Fianna Fáil) Formed his government in 1997 (Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats).It consists of a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 15 Members. He was reelected in 2002
On the assembly of a new Dáil following a General Election, the process of forming a Government begins with Dáil Éireann nominating persons for appointment by the President to be Prime Minister. The Taoiseach nominates the other members of the Government and assigns the Departments of State to them. On their approval by the House of Representatives, the President formally appoints them and gives them their seals of Office. However, under the Constitution, where a Government ceases to retain the support of a majority in House of Representatives, a succesor Government can be formed without a General Election.
Legislature
The National Parliament (Oireachtas) consists of the President and two Houses: Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (the Senate) whose functions and powers derive from the Constitution of Ireland enacted by the People on 1st July, 1937.
The method of election to each House is different. The 166 Members of Dáil Éireann are directly elected by the people. The 60 Members of Seanad Éireann are either nominated or elected as follows: 11 nominated by the Taoiseach, 43 elected from five panels of candidates representing Culture and Education, Agriculture, Labour, Industry and Commerce and Public Administration, three each elected by the National University of Ireland and the University of Dublin (Trinity College).
The Houses have separate constitutional identities. However, in recent years the setting up of a well organised system of Joint Committees (i.e Committees of both Houses sitting and voting together ) has resulted in Members of both Houses having additional opportunities to participate to an even greater extent in specialised parliamentary work.
In addition to its legislative role, each House may examine and criticise Government policy and administration.
The Houses have complementary powers in certain areas e.g. the removal from office of the President, a judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court and the Comptroller and Auditor General, the declaration and termination of a state of emergency, the making of law and annulment of Statutory Instruments (i.e. delegated legislative power to Ministers).
In relation to matters within the EU Treaties, the institutions of the Communities are empowered to enact legislation either binding individual citizens directly or member States only. EU Directives can be incorporated into national law either through the passage of a Bill by the national Parliament or by Ministers exercising their delegated legislative powers. Furthermore, no provision of the Constitution can invalidate laws enacted, acts done or measures adopted by the State necessitated by membership.
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Political System
