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Republic of Ireland

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... of Ireland. Key Facts. Ireland (Republic of Ireland) Dublin is ... 1948 Republic of Ireland. Constitution. Dec. 29, 1937. Written, declaratory. Republic ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Republic of Ireland


1
Republic of Ireland
2
Key Facts
  • Ireland (Republic of Ireland)
  • Dublin is capital city
  • Size slightly larger than West Virginia
  • Population 4 million (2005)
  • 88.4 Catholic
  • Chinese, other minorities
  • Economy high growth rates averaging 7 mid-90s
    to 2004.
  • Currency Euro
  • (Sources Collins and Cradden, CIA World Factbook)

3
History
  • 1600s Plantation Period
  • Introduction of a different people with a
    different religion, language, culture
  • 1695 Penal Laws
  • Restrictions on Catholics
  • cant bear arms
  • restrictions on education and on sending children
    abroad for education
  • cant hold public office
  • cant enter legal profession
  • cant vote
  • cant own a horse worth more than 5 pounds
  • cant practice religion
  • forced to divide property equally among children

4
History
  • 1780s-1890s Penal Laws relaxed, removed
  • 1840s-1850s Great Famine
  • Late 1800s Home Rule movement
  • 1916 Easter Rising
  • 1919-1921 War of Independence

5
History
  • 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty
  • Irish Free State
  • Partition
  • 6 counties remain part of UK
  • 1922-1923 Civil War
  • 1948 Republic of Ireland

6
Constitution
  • Dec. 29, 1937
  • Written, declaratory
  • Republic
  • Unitary system
  • Rule of Law
  • Separation of Powers (?)

7
Constitution
  • Influence of Catholic Church
  • Social thinking of 1930s
  • Divorce, Abortion
  • Guarantee of individual rights
  • Amendments by referendum only (1941)
  • Judicial review constitutionality
  • Before and after legislation is passed
  • Member of EU, so EU law supersedes

8
Structure of Government
  • President
  • Elected head of state
  • Ceremonial duties
  • Constitutional duties
  • Constitutionality of bills
  • Refuse to sign a bill that should be referendum
  • Convene emergency meetings of Oireachtas
  • Summon and dissolve Oireachtas
  • Negative Powers

9
Structure of Government
  • President
  • Non-partisan/above political fray
  • Seven year term, can be re-elected once
  • Mary McAleese

10
Structure of Government
  • Westminster-model Parliament
  • Prime Minister or Taoiseach
  • Bertie Ahern
  • Two houses of Oireachtas/Parliament
  • Seanad or Senate
  • Less powerful
  • Principle of vocationalism
  • 60 members
  • Elections at least once every 5 years

11
Structure of Government
  • Senate (contd)
  • Powers limited to revising and clarifying bills
  • No power over money bills
  • Entry or retirement route for TDs.
  • Dail or House of Representatives
  • 166 seats
  • Elections at least once every 5 years
  • Elected via proportional representation (STV)
  • More powerful house

12
Structure of Government
  • Government
  • Coalition Fianna Fail and Progressive Democrats
  • Cabinet
  • 7-15 members
  • Appointed by PM, approved by Dail
  • Minister remain part of Dail, Seanad

13
Political Culture
  • First studies in 1970s
  • Agricultural
  • Catholic
  • "austere and puritanical, somewhat cold and
    authoritarian"
  • Insulated from Europe by British influence
  • Combined into a political culture that is
    characterized by
  • Nationalism
  • Highly respectful of authority (authoritarianism)
  • Anti-intellectualism
  • Personalism

14
Political Culture
  • Since 1970s
  • Radical socio-economic change from agricultural
    to industrial, traditional to modern
  • Access to education and mass communication/less
    isolated
  • Importance of religion dropping
  • 1974 91 attended church weekly, by 1996 60
  • drop in priests and nuns, who have historically
    been social leaders as well as religious
  • Previous British influence being balanced
    somewhat by others Europe, globalization, US

15
Political Parties
  • Catch-all based on Civil War history
  • Pro-Treaty
  • Anti-Treaty
  • Little class influence
  • Refuse to identify left/right
  • Sinn Fein (1907)
  • Divided by Civil War
  • League of the Gaels
  • Fianna Fail (1926)
  • Both North and South today

16
Political Parties
  • Fianna Fail becomes dominant party
  • 1933 League of the Gaels and others join to form
    Fine Gael.
  • 1985 Progressive Democrats
  • Alternative to Civil War parties
  • Strong party loyalty
  • Election differences come in the few who switch
    sides and how many of the faithful go out to
    vote.
  • Importance of social, local, and personal links
    to politicians -- brokerage or patronage politics.

17
Elections
  • Single transferable vote / proportional
    representation
  • Vote "counts more"
  • Multi-member districts
  • Rank order -- if first choice doesn't win, second
    choice counts
  • Don't need a majority
  • Party and coalition tool, but individuals out for
    themselves

18
Compare to UK
  • Similarities and differences in all of the above!
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