Dáil Éireann

Dáil Éireann is the name of the Lower House of the Parlement (the Oireachtas) of the Irish Republic. He is directly elected every five years according to a system of representation proportional (according to the method of the transferable vote). He has the capacity to vote the laws and to name and replace the Taoiseach (Prime Minister). He meets since 1922 in the Leinster House with Dublin.

Composition

Current the 29e Dail has 166 deputies. To be elected appointed, it is necessary to be at least 21 years old. The members of Dáil are called, in Irish, TDs (Teachtaí Dála) or in English, deputy/ies .

Election

The electorate of Dáil includes/understands all the Irish citizens or Britannique S having more than 18 years and residing in Ireland. The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) can require of President d' Irlande to dissolve Dáil constantly: in this case, the election intervenes in the 30 days. Nevertheless, the elections generally proceed every 5 years (even if the Constitution gives a 7 years legislature).

Until 1989, only one party, generally Fianna Fáil, gained the elections. Since 1990, in general, it is a coalition of parties which controls Ireland (of which Fine Gael, Labor, the Democrats progressists, etc). Currently, it is a coaltion of the Fianna Fail, the Green Party and of DPs which directs the government.

Each district elects between 3 and 5 deputies (the average is of 3,9 deputies per district). The limits of the districts are re-examined at least every twelve years, according to the population.

The number of deputies, since 1981, was fixed at 166.

Ceann Comhairle

The President of Dáil Éireann is the Ceann Comhairle . He is selected among TDs. One awaits from him that it observes a strict neutrality. However, the governmental majority generally tries to choose it in its center or among its allies, if its numerical importance allows it. To reinforce the impartiality of the presidency, Ceann Comhairle in exercise does not aspire to its re-election as TD but he is regarded as automatically re-elected at the time of the general elections, except if he decided to take his retirement. Ceann Comhairle does not vote safe in the event of equality. In this case, he votes in accordance with the parliamentary uses concerning the announcer (president) of the British House of Commons.

Capacities

Although in theory Dáil Éireann is only one of the three components of Oireachtas, the two others being the President of the Republic and the Senate, in practice, the capacities guaranteed by the constitution in Dáil make the dominant branch by far of it, which means that the majority of the bills examined by Dáil Éirean will become laws. In addition to this legislative role, Dáil elects Taoiseach. It can églament vote a motion of mistrust to the Government: in this case, Taoiseach can either require the dissolution of the Parliament, or to resign. Dáil has also exclusive capacities for:

• To propose the budget (which cannot come from the Senate),
• Ratifier treaties,
• Déclarer the war or to vote engagement in a conflict.

Activities

Dáil Éireann decides on its day order and its members are covered by the parliamentary privileges. As in the other modern parliamentary systems, the deputies do not vote in their heart and conscience or according to the wishes of their voters but must follow the instructions of the party. Except for these exceptional circumstances, Dáil meets in public.

History

Precursors

The first Legislative body to exist in Ireland was the Parlement of Ireland and the first Lower House was the House of Commons. However the Parliament of Ireland was abolished by the Acte of Union in 1800. The Irish nationalists convened Dáil Éireann as Parliament revolutionary in 1919 but he was not recognized by the British government.

In 1921, the British government establishes the Parlement of Ireland of the South with an aim of alleviating the nationalists by granting to Ireland a limited autonomy Home Rule. However this body was rejected and boycotted by the nationalists who remained faithful to Dáil. Because first Dáil was illegal under the British constitution, the Lower House of the Parliament of Ireland of the South can be regarded as the precursor of Dáil.

1st Dáil (1919)

Current Dáil is established by the Irish constitution of 1937 but asserts a direct link with First Dáil of 1919. First Dáil was a extra-legal assembly established by members of the Sinn Féin who were elected like members of Parliament with the House of Commons in 1918 at the time of the general elections of the the United Kingdom. After having gained a majority of the Irish seats (for the majority not disputed), the members of Parliament Sinn Féin refused to recognize the British Parliament and met in first Dáil Éireann (which one can translate by " Parliament or Diet of Irlande") : the first legislative body monocaméral of the news Irish Republic. This Dáil never accepted however international recognition, without speaking about the recognition of the British government.

The first meeting of Dáil took place in Dublin in Mansion House. Thereafter, it was obliged to hide and met in many places.

Free state of Ireland (1922-1937)

The first recognized Whetstone was that of the free State of Ireland, including/understanding the 26 southern counties of the island. It was established by the Anglo-Irlandais treaty of 1921. Dáil Éireann (which is currently the " Room of Représentants") became the Lower House of a new assembly: Oireachtas. First Dáil which was held under the mode of the Constitution of the free State of Ireland was followed by Second Dáil of the Irish Republic and so on. Third Dáil and the following were held in Leinster House.

Constitution of Ireland (1937 - at our days)

The Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, founds the modern Irish State, to which it is refers like Irish Republic. According to the Constitution, the Parliament is called Oireachtas , and its Lower House remains the Dáil Éireann (although often described like a Chambre of the Representatives ). First Dáil to be met according to the terms of the Constitution is generally indicated like the IXe Dáil , to mark continuity with the precedents.

Footnotes

1. Dáil Éireann is an Irish word which decides, about ɛɑɾɨɴ;
2. This case occurred only once without there not being a legislative election: in 1994, John Bruton of the Fine Gael became Taoiseach when the Labor left the government Fianna Fáil of Albert Reynolds.

External bonds

• Official site of the Parliament, in English and Irish
• the result of the elections in Dáil Éireann since 1948

Simple: Dáil Éireann