Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ix

Glossary of Irish Language Terms xv

Table of Cases xvii

Table of Legislation, Agreements and Treaties xxi

1 Beginnings, Influences and Evolution 1

I Introduction 1

II Irish Constitutional History: 1782 to 1922 2

III The Irish Free State: 1922-1937 6

IV Drafting a New Constitution 12

V Overview of the 1937 Constitution 17

VI Constitutional Ideology and Constitutional Balance of Power 18

VII Conclusion 22

Further Reading 22

2 Constitutional Foundations 24

I Introduction 24

II People and Nation 25

III Who are the People? 27

IV Territory 29

V The Character of the State 31

VI International Relations 34

VII The European Union 36

VIII Continuing Relations with the UK and Northern Ireland 39

IX Conclusion 44

Further Reading 45

3 Government and Oireachtas 46

I Introduction 46

II Party Politics 47

III The Government 52

IV Coalition Governments 55

V The Dáil Electoral System 57

VI Preserving a Fair Electoral Process 62

VII Seanad Éireann 65

VIII The Internal Organisation of the Houses of the Oireachtas 68

IX The Attorney General and Director of Public Prosecutions 69

X Conclusion 70

Further Reading 71

4 The President 72

I Introduction 72

II The Election and Removal of the President 73

III The Roles of the President 74

IV The Evolution of the President's Role 77

V Conclusion 80

Further Reading 80

5 Legislative Power and Interpretation 81

I Introduction 81

II Preparation of Legislation for the Oireachtas 82

III Passage through the Oireachtas 84

IV Legislative Debate 85

V Constitutional Limits on the Form of Legislation 90

VI The Attorney General as a Veto-holder in the Legislative Process 93

VII The Oireachtas Elected in 2016 94

VIII The Interpretation of Legislation by the Courts 95

IX Conclusion 97

Further Reading 97

6 Governance and Public Administration 99

I Introduction 99

II Executive Power 100

III Public Administration 102

IV The Operation of Government 105

V Dynamics Within the Government 109

VI Financial Governance 111

VII Local Government 116

VIII Semi-State Companies and Privatisation 118

IX Conclusion 119

Further Reading 120

7 Political Constraints on the Government 121

I Introduction 121

II Tribunals of Inquiry and Commissions of Investigation 122

III Oireachtas Committees 127

IV Accountability in the Dáil 131

V Financial Accountability 134

VI Accountability Institutions 136

VII Conclusion 139

Further Reading 139

8 Courts and the Legal Constraint of the Government 140

I Introduction 140

II Court Structure 141

III Judicial Control of Legislative, Executive and Administrative Power 142

IV Judicial Independence and the Appointments Process 145

V Security of Judicial Tenure 150

VI Security of Judicial Remuneration 151

VII The Profile of the Judiciary 153

VIII Conclusion 155

Further Reading 156

9 Fundamental Rights and Judicial Power 157

I Introduction 157

II Constitutional Text: Competing Intellectual Traditions 159

III Waning of Natural Law Influences 160

IV The Move to Non-intervention 163

V Standards of Review and Judicial Deference 171

VI Administrative Action 173

VII Crime 176

VIII Emergencies and Exceptions 181

IX Influence of the European Convention on Human Rights 182

X Horizontally 185

XI Processes of Rights Litigation 185

XII Conclusion 188

Further Reading 189

10 Constitutional Change 191

I Introduction 191

II Informal Constitutional Change 192

III The Forms and Limits of Constitutional Amendment 194

IV Pattern of Constitutional Amendment 198

V Constitutional Change: Dilution of Nationalistic and Catholic Characteristics 203

VI The Constitutionalisation of Social Change: An Abdication of Political Responsibility? 206

VII Constitutional Change and the Balance of Power 210

VIII Conclusion 212

Further Reading 212

11 Conclusion 214

Index 221