Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann (/dɔɪl ˈɛərən/ ⓘ doyl AIR-ən,[4] Irish: [ˌd̪ˠaːlʲ ˈeːɾʲən̪ˠ]; lit. 'Assembly of Ireland') is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the president of Ireland and a senate called Seanad Éireann.[5] It consists of 160 members, each known as a Teachta Dála (plural Teachtaí Dála, commonly abbreviated as TDs). TDs represent 39 constituencies and are directly elected for terms not exceeding five years, on the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV). Its powers are similar to those of lower houses under many other bicameral parliamentary systems and it is by far the dominant branch of the Oireachtas. Subject to the limits imposed by the Constitution of Ireland, it has power to pass any law it wishes, and to nominate and remove the Taoiseach (head of government). Since 1922, it has met in Leinster House in Dublin.
This article is about the current Irish body. For the historical legislatures, see Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic) and Dáil Éireann (Irish Free State).
Dáil Éireann
None
29 December 1937 (Modern form)
20 February 2020
160
Government (80)
- Fianna Fáil (36)
- Fine Gael (33)
- Green Party (11)
Opposition (79)
- Sinn Féin (36)
- Labour Party (7)
- Social Democrats (6)
- PBP–S (5)
- Independent Ireland (3)
- Aontú (1)
- RTOC (1)[1]
- Independent (20)
- Ceann Comhairle
- (1)
- Business
- Members' Interests of Dáil Éireann
- Parliamentary Privileges and Oversight (Dáil)
- Public Accounts
- Standing Orders and Dáil Reform
- Agriculture, Food and the Marine
- Autism
- Children, Disability, Equality, Integration, and Youth
- Disability Matters
- Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science
- Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Environment and Climate Action
- European Union Affairs
- Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
- Foreign Affairs and Defence
- Gender Equality
- Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
- Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community
- Health
- Housing, Local Government and Heritage
- Justice
- Public Petitions
- Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands
- Transport and Communications
- Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media
No more than 5 years[a]
Advisory recommendations made by the Electoral Commission
The Dáil took its current form when the 1937 Constitution was adopted, but it maintains continuity with the First Dáil established in 1919.
Duration[edit]
The First Dáil was established on 21 January 1919 as the single-chamber parliament of the Irish Republic. One of the first actions of the Dáil was to ratify a constitution, commonly known as the Dáil Constitution. As a provisional constitution it made no reference to the length of the term of each Dáil. The first and second Dáil existed under the provisions of this constitution. Neither was recognised by the British government or the governments of other countries as the lawful parliament of Ireland.
On 6 December 1922, following the signing of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty which brought the Irish War of Independence to an end, the single chamber Dáil became the lower house of a new bicameral Oireachtas, the parliament of the newly established Irish Free State.
Article 28 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State (1922) set the maximum term for the Dáil at four years. This was amended in 1927 from four years to six years "or such shorter period as may be fixed by legislation".[13] Later that same year, this period was fixed in law as a duration of "five years reckoned from the date of the first meeting of Dáil Éireann after the last previous dissolution".[14]
On 29 December 1937, on the coming into force of the new Constitution of Ireland, the Irish Free State ceased to exist and was replaced by a new state called Ireland. Article 16.5 of the 1937 Constitution states, "Dáil Éireann shall not continue for a longer period than seven years from the date of its first meeting: a shorter period may be fixed by law". The period in law remained at five years. Since the coming into force of the 1937 constitution, no Irish government has proposed changing the maximum term of the Dáil, which still remains five years and was reconfirmed by legislation in 1992, which stated, "The same Dáil shall not continue for a longer period than five years from the date of its first meeting".[9] Consequently, the maximum term for the Dáil is five years from the date it first met following the last general election.
Title[edit]
The name Dáil Éireann is taken from the Irish language but is the official title of the body in both English and Irish, including in both language versions of the Irish constitution. Since the Dáil was first established in 1919, it has also been described variously as a "National Assembly", a "Chamber of Deputies" [18] and a "House of Representatives".
A dáil means a "meeting, tryst or encounter of any kind".[19] Article 15 of the 1937 Constitution describes the body as "a House of Representatives to be called Dáil Éireann" (Teach Ionadóirí ar a dtugtar Dáil Éireann).[5][20]
The word Dáil is accompanied by the definite article, but Dáil Éireann is not; one speaks of "the Dáil" but not "the Dáil Éireann". The plural of Dáil in the English language is most commonly Dáils, although the Irish-language plural Dálaí[21] is sometimes encountered in English. As there is only ever one Dáil in existence at any one time, the plural is used when referring to the Dáil after different elections; for example, when referring to the First and Second Dáils.
While the Dáil is one of three components of the Oireachtas, the other two being the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann, the powers the constitution grants to the Dáil render it by far the dominant branch, meaning that most bills passed by the Dáil will ultimately become law. The president, upon consultation with the Council of State, may refer a bill to the Supreme Court of Ireland to test its constitutionality. If the Court finds that the bill is inconsistent with the Constitution, the president may not sign the bill.
In addition to its legislative role, it is the Dáil that approves the nomination the Taoiseach for appointment by the President. The Dáil may also pass a motion of no confidence in the Government, in which case the Taoiseach must either seek a parliamentary dissolution or resign. It has happened only once that the loss of confidence of the Dáil did not result in a general election: in 1994 John Bruton of Fine Gael became Taoiseach when the Labour Party left the Fianna Fáil coalition government led by Albert Reynolds.
The Dáil has exclusive power to:
Voting procedure[edit]
The Ceann Comhairle (or Leas-Cheann Comhairle) first puts the question in Irish, asking the TDs present to say Tá (Yes) or Níl (No) if they agree or disagree with the question before them. The Ceann Comhairle then gives his opinion as to the outcome of the voice vote. Deputies can challenge the Ceann Comhairle and demand a recorded vote by shouting Vótáil! (Vote!) The Ceann Comhairle then shouts Vótáil! again which starts the voting process. Division bells sound around Leinster House and in some of its adjoining buildings calling deputies to the chamber to vote. The bells ring for six minutes and the doors to the chamber are locked after a further four minutes.
The Ceann Comhairle then appoints two tellers for each side and deputies are given one minute to vote. The vote is taken by electronic means whereby Deputies press either the Tá or Níl button on their desks to vote for or against a motion. After the voting time has concluded a sheet (Division Paper) containing the result and each TDs vote is signed by the four tellers and given to the Ceann Comhairle who declares the result.
While electronic voting has become the norm the Dáil votes manually through the lobbies at the back of the chamber on a number of occasions, for example, motions of no confidence. A teller in an electronic vote can call a manual vote if they so wish. This has become an opposition tactic during important votes which are widely covered in the media.
History[edit]
Precursors[edit]
The first legislature to exist in Ireland was the Parliament of Ireland from 1297 to 1800, and its house of representatives was the House of Commons. However the Parliament of Ireland was abolished under the Act of Union of 1800, with MPs elected for Ireland sitting in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom until 1922. Irish nationalists first convened Dáil Éireann as a revolutionary parliament in 1919 and while it successfully took over most functions of government it was not recognised under United Kingdom law.
In 1921 the United Kingdom government established a legislature called the Parliament of Southern Ireland in an effort to appease nationalists by granting Ireland limited home rule. However this body was rejected and boycotted by nationalists whose allegiance remained with the Dáil. Nonetheless, because the First Dáil was illegal under the United Kingdom constitution, the lower house of the Parliament of Southern Ireland, the House of Commons of Southern Ireland, is considered in British legal theory as the precursor to the Dáil.