Direct Democracy

Ireland

DD002

Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	C:27:5 "1° In every case in which the President decides that a Bill the subject of a petition under this Article contains a proposal of such national importance that the will of the people thereon ought to be ascertained, he shall inform the Taoiseach and the Chairman of each House of the Oireachtas accordingly in writing under his hand and Seal and shall decline to sign and promulgate such Bill as a law unless and until the proposal shall have been approved either i by the people at a Referendum in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of Article 47 of this Constitution within a period of eighteen months from the date of the President’s decision," C:46:2 "Every proposal for an amendment of this Constitution shall be initiated in Dáil Éireann as a Bill, and shall upon having been passed or deemed to have been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, be submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people in accordance with the law for the time being in force relating to the Referendum." C:47 "1. Every proposal for an amendment of this Constitution which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall, for the purpose of Article 46 of this Constitution, be held to have been approved by the people, if, upon having been so submitted, a majority of the votes cast at such Referendum shall have been cast in favour of its enactment into law. 2. 1° Every proposal, other than a proposal to amend the Constitution, which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall be held to have been vetoed by the people if a majority of the votes cast at such Referendum shall have been cast against its enactment into law and if the votes so cast against its enactment into law shall have amounted to not less than thirty-three and one-third per cent. of the voters on the register. 2° Every proposal, other than a proposal to amend the Constitution, which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall for the purposes of Article 27 hereof be held to have been approved by the people unless vetoed by them in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing sub-section of this section. 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. 4. Subject as aforesaid, the Referendum shall be regulated by law."
Source:	Articles 27, 46 and 47 of the Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann); the Electoral Act 1992; the Referendum Act 1994; the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Referendum Act 2001; Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD003

Mandatory referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Mandatory Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	C:46:2 "Every proposal for an amendment of this Constitution shall be initiated in Dáil Éireann as a Bill, and shall upon having been passed or deemed to have been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, be submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people in accordance with the law for the time being in force relating to the Referendum."
Source:	Articles 46 and 47 of the Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann); the Electoral Act 1992; the Referendum Act 1994; the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Referendum Act 2001 Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD004

Optional referendums (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Optional Referendums at the national level?
Answer:	a. Yes
Comments:	C:27:5 "1° In every case in which the President decides that a Bill the subject of a petition under this Article contains a proposal of such national importance that the will of the people thereon ought to be ascertained, he shall inform the Taoiseach and the Chairman of each House of the Oireachtas accordingly in writing under his hand and Seal and shall decline to sign and promulgate such Bill as a law unless and until the proposal shall have been approved either i by the people at a Referendum in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of Article 47 of this Constitution within a period of eighteen months from the date of the President’s decision,"
Source:	Articles 27 and 47 of the Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann); the Electoral Act 1992; the Referendum Act 1994; the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1998 and the Referendum Act 2001 Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD005

Citizens' Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Citizen’s Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309 Constitution: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD006

Agenda Initiatives (national level)

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Agenda Initiatives at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309 Constitution: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD007

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Recalls at national level?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309 Constitution: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD129

Question:	Are the results of referenda always binding, never binding or sometimes binding?
Answer:	a. Always binding
Comments:	1° In every case in which the President decides that a Bill the subject of a petition under this Article contains a proposal of such national importance that the will of the people thereon ought to be ascertained, he shall inform the Taoiseach and the Chairman of each House of the Oireachtas accordingly in writing under his hand and Seal and shall decline to sign and promulgate such Bill as a law unless and until the proposal shall have been approved either i by the people at a Referendum in accordance with the provisions of section 2 of Article 47 of this Constitution within a period of eighteen months from the date of the President's decision, or ii by a resolution of Dáil Éireann passed within the said period after a dissolution and re-assembly of Dáil Éireann. Every proposal for an amendment of this Constitution which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall, for the purpose of Article 46 of this Constitution, be held to have been approved by the people, if, upon having been so submitted, a majority of the votes cast at such Referendum shall have been cast in favour of its enactment into law. 2 1° Every proposal, other than a proposal to amend the Constitution, which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall be held to have been vetoed by the people if a majority of the votes cast at such Referendum shall have been cast against its enactment into law and if the votes so cast against its enactment into law shall have amounted to not less than thirty-three and one-third per cent. of the voters on the register. 2° Every proposal, other than a proposal to amend the Constitution, which is submitted by Referendum to the decision of the people shall for the purposes of Article 27 hereof be held to have been approved by the people unless vetoed by them in accordance with the provisions of the foregoing sub-section of this section. 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. 4 Subject as aforesaid, the Referendum shall be regulated by law.
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309 Constitution, Art. 47, 27(5): https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD130

Question:	Are the types of issues to vote upon in a referendum constitutional changes only, other issues only or both constitutional and other issues?
Answer:	c. Both constitutional and other issues
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309 Constitution, Art. 47, 27(5): https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html
Verified:	2024/11/21

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DD131

Question:	Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy at sub-national levels (regional or local)?
Answer:	b. No
Comments:
Source:	Direct Democracy Database: https://www.idea.int/data-tools/data/country?country=107&database_theme=309
Verified:	2024/11/21

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The data on this page is continuously updated. Additional, but potentially outdated material is available here.