Politics of the Republic of Ireland

Ireland isn’t part of the United kingdom

Ireland is a constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government. The Oireachtas is the bicameral national parliament composed of the President of Ireland and the two Houses of the Oireachtas: Seanad Éireann (Senate) and Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives).

Áras an Uachtaráin is the official residence of the President of Ireland, while the houses of the Oireachtas meet at Leinster House in Dublin

Government Buildings in Dublin

The President serves as head of state, and is elected for a seven-year term and may be re-elected once.

The President is primarily a figurehead, but is entrusted with certain constitutional powers with the advice of the Council of State.

The office has absolute discretion in some areas, such as referring a bill to the Supreme Court for a judgement on its constitutionality.

Michael D. Higgins became the ninth President of Ireland on 11 November 2011.

President of Ireland

President of Ireland

Prime Minister of IrelandThe Taoiseach serves as the head of

government and is appointed by the President upon the nomination of the Dáil.

Most Taoisigh have served as the leader of the political party that gains the most seats in national elections.

It has become customary for coalitions to form a government, as there has not been a single-party government since 1989.

Enda Kenny assumed the office of Taoiseach on 9 March 2011.

Prime Minister of Ireland

Ireland has been a member state of the European Union since 1973, but has chosen to remain outside the Schengen Area.

Citizens of the United Kingdom can freely enter the country without a passport due to the Common Travel Area

IndependenceFrom the Act of Union on 1 January 1801

until 6 December 1922, the island Ireland was part of the United Kingdom

In January 1919 a Declaration of Independence was issued and proclaimed and Irish Republic.The Irish Civil War was the consequence of the creation of the Irish Free State.