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Constitution of Ireland 1937, as amended to 2019
Political Rights and Association
- English1 2° i All citizens, and
ii such other persons in the State as may be determined by law,
without distinction of sex who have reached the age of eighteen years who are not disqualified by law and comply with the provisions of the law relating to the election of members of Dáil Éireann, shall have the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann.
3° No law shall be enacted placing any citizen under disability or incapacity for membership of Dáil Éireann on the ground of sex or disqualifying any citizen or other person from voting at an election for members of Dáil Éireann on that ground.
… (Art. 16) - Irish Gaelic1 2° i Gach uile shaoránach, agus
ii cibé daoine eile sa Stát a cinnfear le dlí,
cibé acu fir nó mná, ag a bhfuil ocht mbliana déag slán agus ná cuirtear faoi dhícháilíocht le dlí, agus a chomhlíonann coinníollacha an dlí i dtaobh toghcháin comhaltaí do Dháil Éireann, tá ceart vótála acu i dtoghchán comhaltaí do Dháil Éireann.
3° Ní cead aon dlí a achtú a chuirfeadh saoránach ar bith, toisc gur fear nó toisc gur bean an saoránach sin, faoi mhíchumas nó faoi mhíthreoir maidir lena bheith ina chomhalta de Dháil Éireann nó a dhícháileodh saoránach ar bith nó duine ar bith eile, ar an bhforas céanna sin, ó bheith i dteideal vótála i dtoghchán comhaltaí do Dháil Éireann.
… (Airteagal 16)
Political Rights and Association
- English…
6 1° The State guarantees liberty for the exercise of the following rights, subject to public order and morality: –
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iii The right of the citizens to form associations and unions.
Laws, however, may be enacted for the regulation and control in the public interest of the exercise of the foregoing right.
2° Laws regulating the manner in which the right of forming associations and unions and the right of free assembly may be exercised shall contain no political, religious or class discrimination. (Art. 40) - Irish Gaelic…
6 1° Ráthaíonn an Stát saoirse chun na cearta seo a leanas a oibriú ach sin a bheith faoi réir oird is moráltachta poiblí: –
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iii Ceart na saoránach chun comhlachais agus cumainn a bhunú.
vAch is cead dlíthe a achtú chun oibriú an chirt réamhráite a rialú agus a stiúradh ar mhaithe leis an bpobal.
2° Ní cead aon idirdhealú maidir le polaitíocht nó creideamh nó aicmí, a bheith i ndlíthe a rialaíos modh oibrithe an chirt chun comhlachais agus cumainn a bhunú agus an chirt chun teacht le chéile ar saorthionól. (Airteagal 40)
Political Rights and Association
- English…
3 Every citizen who has the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann shall have the right to vote at a Referendum.
… (Art. 47) - Irish Gaelic…
3 Gach saoránach ag a bhfuil sé de cheart vótáil i dtoghchán do chomhaltaí de Dháil Éireann tá sé de cheart aige vótáil i Reifreann.
… (Airteagal 47)
Head of State
- English1 There shall be a President of Ireland (Uachtarán na hÉireann), hereinafter called the President, who shall take precedence over all other persons in the State and who shall exercise and perform the powers and functions conferred on the President by this Constitution and by law.
2 1° The President shall be elected by direct vote of the people.
2° Every citizen who has the right to vote at an election for members of Dáil Éireann shall have the right to vote at an election for President.
3° The voting shall be by secret ballot and on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
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4 1° Every citizen who has reached his thirty-fifth year of age is eligible for election to the office of President.
2° Every candidate for election, not a former or retiring President, must be nominated either by
i not less than twenty persons, each of whom is at the time a member of one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, or
ii by the Councils of not less than four administrative Counties (including County Boroughs) as defined by law.
… (Art. 12) - Irish Gaelic1 Beidh Uachtarán ar Éirinn (.i. Uachtarán na hÉireann), ar a dtugtar an tUachtarán sa Bhunreacht seo feasta; beidh tosach aige ar gach uile dhuine sa Stát, agus ní foláir dó na cumhachtaí agus na feidhmeanna a bheirtear don Uachtarán leis an mBunreacht seo agus le dlí a oibriú agus a chomhlíonadh.
2 1° Le vóta lomdíreach an phobail a thoghfar an tUachtarán.
2° Gach saoránach ag a bhfuil ceart vótála i dtoghchán do chomhaltaí de Dháil Éireann, beidh ceart vótála aige i dtoghchán don Uachtarán.
3° Is le rúnbhallóid agus de réir na hionadaíochta cionúire agus ar mhodh an aonghutha inaistrithe a dhéanfar an vótáil.
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4 1° Gach saoránach ag a bhfuil cúig bliana tríochad slán, is intofa chun oifig an Uachtaráin é.
2° Gach iarrthóir d’oifig an Uachtaráin, seachas duine atá nó a bhí ina Uachtarán cheana, is uathu seo a leanas nach foláir a ainmniú a theacht
i fiche duine ar a laghad agus gach duine faoi leith díobh sin ina chomhalta, in alt na huaire, de Theach de Thithe an Oireachtais, nó
ii Comhairlí ceithre Chontae riaracháin ar a laghad (agus Contae-Bhuirgí a áireamh) mar a mhínítear le dlí.
… (Airteagal 12)
Government
- English1 1° The President shall, on the nomination of Dáil Éireann, appoint the Taoiseach, that is, the head of the Government or Prime Minister.
2° The President shall, on the nomination of the Taoiseach with the previous approval of Dáil Éireann, appoint the other members of the Government.
… (Art. 13) - Irish Gaelic1 1° Ceapfaidh an tUachtarán an Taoiseach .i. an Ceann Rialtais nó an Príomh-Aire, arna ainmniú sin ag Dáil Éireann.
2° Arna n-ainmniú ag an Taoiseach le comhaontú Dháil Éireann roimh ré, ceapfaidh an tUachtarán na comhaltaí eile den Rialtas.
… (Airteagal 13)
Government
- English1 The Government shall consist of not less than seven and not more than fifteen members who shall be appointed by the President in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.
2 The executive power of the State shall, subject to the provisions of this Constitution, be exercised by or on the authority of the Government.
... (Art. 28) - Irish Gaelic1 Mórsheisear ar a laghad, agus cúig dhuine dhéag ar a mhéid, líon comhaltaí an Rialtais, agus is é an tUachtarán a cheapfas na comhaltaí sin de réir forálacha an Bhunreachta seo.
2 Faoi chuimsiú forálacha an Bhunreachta seo, is é an Rialtas a oibreos, nó is le húdarás an Rialtais a oibreofar, cumhacht chomhallach an Stáit.
... (Airteagal 28)
Legislature
- English1 1° The National Parliament shall be called and known, and is in this Constitution generally referred to, as the Oireachtas.
2° The Oireachtas shall consist of the President and two Houses, viz.: a House of Representatives to be called Dáil Éireann and a Senate to be called Seanad Éireann.
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2 1° The sole and exclusive power of making laws for the State is hereby vested in the Oireachtas: no other legislative authority has power to make laws for the State.
… (Art. 15) - Irish Gaelic1 1° An tOireachtas is ainm don Pharlaimint Náisiúnta, agus sin é a bheirtear uirthi de ghnáth sa Bhunreacht seo.
2° An tUachtarán agus dhá Theach atá san Oireachtas: Teach Ionadóirí ar a dtugtar Dáil Éireann, agus Seanad ar a dtugtar Seanad Éireann.
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2 1° Bheirtear don Oireachtas amháin leis seo an t-aon chumhacht chun dlíthe a dhéanamh don Stát; níl cumhacht ag údarás reachtaíochta ar bith eile chun dlíthe a dhéanamh don Stát.
… (Airteagal 15)
Legislature
- English1 1° Every citizen without distinction of sex who has reached the age of twenty-one years, and who is not placed under disability or incapacity by this Constitution or by law, shall be eligible for membership of Dáil Éireann.
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3° No law shall be enacted placing any citizen under disability or incapacity for membership of Dáil Éireann on the ground of sex or disqualifying any citizen or other person from voting at an election for members of Dáil Éireann on that ground.
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2 5° The members shall be elected on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
… (Art. 16) - Irish Gaelic1 1° Gach saoránach, cibé acu fear nó bean, ag a bhfuil bliain agus fiche slán agus nach gcuirtear faoi mhíchumas nó faoi mhíthreoir leis an mBunreacht seo ná le dlí, tá sé intofa ar chomhaltas Dháil Éireann.
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3° Ní cead aon dlí a achtú a chuirfeadh saoránach ar bith, toisc gur fear nó toisc gur bean an saoránach sin, faoi mhíchumas nó faoi mhíthreoir maidir lena bheith ina chomhalta de Dháil Éireann nó a dhícháileodh saoránach ar bith nó duine ar bith eile, ar an bhforas céanna sin, ó bheith i dteideal vótála i dtoghchán comhaltaí do Dháil Éireann.
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2 5° Is de réir na hionadaíochta cionúire agus ar mhodh an aonghutha inaistrithe a thoghfar na comhaltaí.
… (Airteagal 16)
Legislature
- English1 Seanad Éireann shall be composed of sixty members, of whom eleven shall be nominated members and forty-nine shall be elected members.
2 A person to be eligible for membership of Seanad Éireann must be eligible to become a member of Dáil Éireann.
3 The nominated members of Seanad Éireann shall be nominated, with their prior consent, by the Taoiseach who is appointed next after the reassembly of Dáil Éireann following the dissolution thereof which occasions the nomination of the said members.
4 1° The elected members of Seanad Éireann shall be elected as follows:—
i Three shall be elected by the National University of Ireland.
ii Three shall be elected by the University of Dublin.
iii Forty-three shall be elected from panels of candidates constituted as hereinafter provided.
2° Provision may be made by law for the election, on a franchise and in the manner to be provided by law, by one or more of the following institutions, namely:
i the universities mentioned in subsection 1° of this section,
ii any other institutions of higher education in the State,
of of so many members of Seanad Éireann as may be fixed by law in substitution for an equal number of the members to be elected pursuant to paragraphs i and ii of the said subsection 1°.
A member or members of Seanad Éireann may be elected under this subsection by institutions grouped together or by a single institution.
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5 Every election of the elected members of Seanad Éireann shall be held on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, and by secret postal ballot.
6 The members of Seanad Éireann to be elected by the Universities shall be elected on a franchise and in the manner to be provided by law.
7 1° Before each general election of the members of Seanad Éireann to be elected from panels of candidates, five panels of candidates shall be formed in the manner provided by law containing respectively the names of persons having knowledge and practical experience of the following interests and services, namely:–
i National Language and Culture, Literature, Art, Education and such professional interests as may be defined by law for the purpose of this panel;
ii Agriculture and allied interests, and Fisheries;
iii Labour, whether organised or unorganised;
iv Industry and Commerce, including banking, finance, accountancy, engineering and architecture;
v Public Administration and social services, including voluntary social activities.
2° Not more than eleven and, subject to the provisions of Article 19 hereof, not less than five members of Seanad Éireann shall be elected from any one panel.
… (Art. 18) - Irish Gaelic1 Seasca comhalta líon Sheanad Éireann, .i. aon duine dhéag a ainmneofar agus naonúr is daichead a thoghfar.
2 Ionas go mbeadh duine inghlactha ar chomhaltas Sheanad Éireann ní foláir é a bheith inghlactha ar chomhaltas Dháil Éireann.
3 Na comhaltaí a ainmneofar do Sheanad Éireann ainmneofar iad le réamhchead uathu féin ag an Taoiseach a cheapfar ar Dháil Éireann d’ationól i ndiaidh an lánscoir ar Dháil Éireann is siocair leis na comhaltaí sin a ainmniú.
4 1° Na comhaltaí a thoghfar do Sheanad Éireann, is ar an gcuma seo a leanas a thoghfar iad:—
i Toghfaidh Ollscoil na hÉireann triúr.
ii Toghfaidh Ollscoil Bhaile Átha Cliath triúr.
iii Toghfar triúr is daichead as rollaí d’iarrthóirí a chóireofar ar an gcuma a shocraítear anseo inár ndiaidh.
2° Féadfar foráil a dhéanamh le dlí chun go dtoghfar de réir toghchórais, agus ar an modh, a shocrófar le dlí, ag ceann amháin nó níos mó de na forais seo a leanas, eadhon:
i na hOllscoileanna a luaitear i bhfo-alt 1° den alt seo,
ii aon fhorais eile ardoideachais sa Stát,
an líon sin comhaltaí de Sheanad Éireann a shocrófar le dlí in ionad líon comhionann de na comhaltaí a bheas le toghadh de bhun míreanna i agus ii den fho-alt sin 1°.
Féadfar comhalta nó comhaltaí de Sheanad Éireann a thoghadh faoin bhfo-alt seo ag forais a bheas tiomsaithe le chéile nó ag foras aonair.
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5 Gach toghchán dá mbeidh ann do na comhaltaí a thoghfar do Sheanad Éireann is de réir na hionadaíochta cionúire a dhéanfar é agus ar mhodh an aonghutha inaistrithe, le rúnbhallóid phoist.
6 Na comhaltaí a thoghfar do Sheanad Éireann ag na hOllscoileanna is de réir toghchórais, agus ar an modh, a shocrófar le dlí a thoghfar iad.
7 1° Roimh gach olltoghchán do na comhaltaí do Sheanad Éireann a thoghfar as rollaí d’iarrthóirí cóireofar ar an gcuma a shocrófar le dlí cúig rolla d’iarrthóirí ar a mbeidh ainmneacha daoine ag a mbeidh eolas agus cleachtadh ar na gnóthaí agus na seirbhísí seo a leanas faoi seach:–
i An Ghaeilge agus an tSaíocht Náisiúnta, Litríocht, Ealaíonacht, Oideachas agus cibé gairmeacha a léireofar le dlí chun críche an rolla seo;
ii Talmhaíocht, maille le gnóthaí a bhaineas léi, agus Iascaireacht;
iii Oibreachas, cibé comheagraithe é nó nach ea;
iv Tionscal is Tráchtáil ar a n-áirítear baincéireacht, airgeadas, cuntasaíocht, innealtóireacht agus foirgníocht;
v Riarachán Poiblí agus seirbhísí comhdhaonnacha, agus obair chomhdhaonnach dheonach a áireamh.
2° Ní cead níos mó ná aon duine dhéag ná, faoi chuimsiú forálacha Airteagail 19 den Bhunreacht seo, níos lú ná cúigear de chomhaltaí Sheanad Éireann a thoghadh as aon rolla áirithe.
… (Airteagal 18)
1
Constitution of Ireland 1937, as amended to 2019 (English). According to Art. 8(1): "The Irish language as the national language is the first official language.”