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60-514: The commission is the supervisory body for compliance with legislation concerning ethical issues regarding politicians, office holders and civil servants The commission supervises compliance with legislation limiting donations to political parties in Ireland and election expenditure. This is a broad remit and applies to donations received by sitting Members of both Houses of the Oireachtas and members of

120-571: A Dáil term may last no longer than five years; however, the house can be dissolved by the president at any time at the request of the Taoiseach (head of government). Dáil elections use the electoral system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote . The Dáil has 160 members. The Seanad is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members selected in a number of different ways. There are 60 senators: 43 are elected by councillors and parliamentarians, 11 are appointed by

180-585: A classic populist party. Fianna Fáil has 35 TDs , 20 Senators , four MEPs and 246 councillors. Sinn Féin is the joint largest party in the Dáil and the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly. The name Sinn Féin, meaning "ourselves" or "we ourselves", has been used by a number of political organisations in Ireland since 1905, when first used by Arthur Griffith . Sinn Féin was the party of separatism before Irish independence, and broke through in

240-645: A common building complex. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission was established by statute in 2003 to provide a formal structure for this, which was previously done by a joint committee. Non-political support staff, such as ushers and the English–Irish translation staff, are employed by this Commission and treated as part of the Civil Service of the State . The Commission's chairperson and chief executive are

300-407: A particular calendar year, a donation for political purposes exceeding the value of €100". Auditing of "third party" activities addresses the minor issue of outside endorsements of election candidates and the major issue of interest groups and civil society organisations which lobby during referendum campaigns . SIPO said in a 2003 report: After SIPO wrote to some groups which advocated against

360-556: A person who does not register as required by the Act or does not submit a return of their lobbying activities or is late submitting a return of their lobbying activities is subject to the offences and penalties provided for in the Act. Since the Electoral (Amendment) Act 2001, SIPO has maintained a register of "third parties", defined as "any individual or group, other than a registered political party or election candidate, who or which accepts, in

420-453: A pilot service on UPC Ireland . On 22 September 2014, the Houses launched the dedicated television channel Oireachtas TV, bringing unfiltered access to the parliamentary process to over one million households nationwide. The service is available free of charge on UPC Channel 207 and Sky Channel 574. In 2012, the Oireachtas launched its first e-consultation. On 28 June 2008, the first Houses of

480-424: Is a social democratic party, founded in 1912 as part of the trade union movement, with which it maintains organisational links. For most of the history of the state, it was the third largest party, though it is currently in fifth position in parliamentary strength. It has been in government in the periods 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1993–1994, 1994–1997, and 2011–2016. On each occasion, it

540-504: Is the bicameral parliament of Ireland . The Oireachtas consists of the president of Ireland and the two houses of the Oireachtas ( Irish : Tithe an Oireachtais ): a house of representatives called Dáil Éireann and a senate called Seanad Éireann . The houses of the Oireachtas sit in Leinster House in Dublin , an eighteenth-century ducal palace . The directly elected Dáil

600-717: Is the more powerful of the houses of the Oireachtas. The word oireachtas comes from the Irish word airecht / oireacht ("deliberative assembly of freemen; assembled freemen; assembly, gathering; patrimony, territory"), ultimately from the word airig ("freeman"). Its first recorded use as the name of a legislative body was within the Irish Free State . Dáil Éireann is directly elected under universal suffrage of all Irish citizens who are residents and at least eighteen years old; non-Irish citizens may be enfranchised by law, which currently extends to British citizens. By law,

660-561: Is the third largest party in the Dáil, the second largest party in local government in Ireland and has joint largest delegation of MEPs from Ireland. It was founded in 1933 by a merger of Cumann na nGaedheal , which had supported the Treaty and formed the government between 1922 and 1932, the National Guard (popularly called the Blueshirts ) and the small National Centre Party . It is a member of

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720-618: The Ceann Comhairle and clerk of the Dáil respectively; other members are the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad, one appointed by the Minister for Finance , four by the Dáil, and three by the Seanad. The Commission, through the translation department, is responsible for periodic updates to An Caighdeán Oifigiúil , the official standard form of the Irish language . Political parties in

780-599: The European Parliament representing Irish constituencies. It also applies to individual candidates at elections for Dáil Éireann , Seanad Éireann , the European Parliament and the president of Ireland . The commission maintains the Register of Corporate Donors and the Register of Third Parties. The Commission makes reports to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann Ceann Comhairle in relation to donations. The commission supervises

840-914: The Free State Senate was abolished in May 1936 and the role of the monarch was removed in December 1936. The modern Oireachtas came into being in December 1937, on the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland . The first Oireachtas radio and television broadcasts were of ceremonial addresses from dignitaries , beginning with that of John F. Kennedy during his 1963 state visit. Regular radio broadcasting of edited Oireachtas proceedings began in October 1986, although budget statements had already been broadcast live. Television coverage of Dáil, Seanad, and committee proceedings began in 1990, 1991, and 1993 respectively. Since 2005

900-610: The Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 . It has one TD and eight councillors in the Republic of Ireland. Right to Change was founded in May 2020. It has one TD, Joan Collins , and one councillor. The Human Dignity Alliance (HDA) was founded by Senator Rónán Mullen in June 2018. HDA has one senator. 100% Redress was founded in County Donegal in 2023, campaigning on

960-465: The Irish defective block crisis . It has four councillors on Donegal County Council . Independents 4 Change has been registered as a political party since 2014. Its registered officer is Mick Wallace . It has one councillor on Fingal County Council . Workers and Unemployed Action (WUA) is a left-wing political organisation formed in 1985 by Séamus Healy . At the 2011 election, the WUA formed part of

1020-634: The Oireachtas as these are dealt with by the Oireachtas. The commission may carry out investigations and hold sittings under the Ethics Acts. It provides a report to interested parties and those specified in the legislation. The investigation reports are published on its website. The commission issues codes of conduct for politicians, office holders, and civil servants. It also issues statutory guidelines for compliance. The commission may also designate officials to give individual advice to individuals affected by

1080-596: The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 , Catherine Murphy complained that SIPO had no power to enforce registration. SIPO noted in a 2008 report that 'In practice, the vast majority of third parties have registered with the Standards Commission in relation to a particular campaign and their "political" activity has not extended beyond that campaign.' Whether a given a donation is for "political purposes" may be controversial. In 2018 Amnesty International Ireland

1140-609: The United Left Alliance , but it left in 2012. WUA has one councillor on Tipperary County Council . The Kerry Independent Alliance (previously the South Kerry Independent Alliance) have one councillor on Kerry County Council . It is registered to contest elections for Dáil Éireann and in Killarney for local elections. Republican Sinn Féin were formed in 1986 by members of Sinn Féin who did not support

1200-546: The Westminster election of 1918 , where it won 73 of the 105 Irish seats. The modern-day Sinn Féin party emerged in 1970 after a split in the party, and was often distinguished as Provisional Sinn Féin. It was closely linked to the Provisional Irish Republican Army . It is led by Mary Lou McDonald . Sinn Féin has 33 TDs , two Senators, two MEPs and 101 councillors in the Republic of Ireland. Fine Gael

1260-583: The 2011 general election, Fine Gael became the largest party in the Oireachtas with 36.1% of the vote. Fine Gael has 32 TDs , 15 Senators, four MEPs and 246 councillors. The Green Party was established in 1981 and is allied to the European Green Party . The Green Party Northern Ireland voted in 2005 to become a region of the Irish Green Party, making it the second party to be organised on an all-Ireland basis. It has Northern Ireland members on

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1320-559: The Clerk of Seanad Éireann as appropriate, who publish registers of members' interests. The commission monitors the expenditure of State funding by political parties. It makes reports to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann Ceann Comhairle on the use of State financing by political parties under the Electoral Acts. The Commission examines expenditure paid from the annual allowances to the leaders of parliamentary parties for expenses arising from

1380-646: The English, and later British, Parliament . This Parliament consisted of the King of Ireland , who was the same person as the King of England, a House of Lords and a House of Commons . In 1800 the Irish Parliament approved its own abolition when it enacted the Act of Union , which came into effect from 1 January 1801. The next legislature to exist in Ireland came into being in 1919. This

1440-551: The Ethics Acts. The commission can decide to open an investigation on its own initiative for breaches of the Ethics Acts. The Commission makes annual reports to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform which are laid before each House of the Oireachtas . In the annual reports, the commission makes recommendations for changes to ethics and other relevant legislation. The 2013 annual report summarises all previous recommendations. The commission has been given new responsibility by

1500-624: The Irish Green Party national executive. In June 2007, the Green Party entered coalition government with Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats . In January 2011 they left the coalition, and at the 2011 general election , lost all of their Dáil seats. Since 2020, it has been in a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. In the 2020 election, they became the fourth party in parliamentary strength. The Green Party has 12 TDs, five Senators and 23 councillors. The Labour Party

1560-656: The King, the House of Commons of Southern Ireland and the Senate of Southern Ireland . The Parliament of Southern Ireland was formally abolished in 1922, with the establishment of the Oireachtas under the Constitution of the Irish Free State . The Oireachtas of the Irish Free State consisted of the King (represented by a Governor-General ) and two houses: Dáil Éireann (described as a "Chamber of Deputies") and Seanad Éireann. However,

1620-636: The Labour Party in 2020. The Labour Party was formed in 1912, and it had usually been the third party in parliamentary strength, though it is currently the fifth largest party in the Dáil, followed closely by the Social Democrats . The Electoral Commission maintains a Register of Political Parties under the Electoral Reform Act 2022 . Before the establishment of the Commission 2023, the register

1680-442: The Oireachtas as follows:—". The Oireachtas has exclusive power to: The Oireachtas has a number of joint committees that include members of both houses. There are currently fifteen of these: Oireachtas has been the title of two parliaments in Irish history : the current Oireachtas of Ireland, since 1937, and, immediately before that, the Oireachtas of the Irish Free State of 1922 to 1937. The earliest parliament in Ireland

1740-429: The Oireachtas family day was held. This initiative by the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann , John O'Donoghue and the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann , Pat Moylan aimed to increase public awareness in the work of the Houses of the Oireachtas. It included tours of both chambers of the Oireachtas, lectures on the history of Oireachtas, historic political speeches recited by actors and a hot air balloon – commemorating

1800-532: The Oireachtas. The Chairperson of the Standards Commission is ex officio member (Commissioner) of the Commission for Public Service Appointments . Houses of the Oireachtas Opposition (75) Vacant Opposition (16) Vacant The Oireachtas ( / ˈ ɛr ə k t ə s / EH -rək-təs , Irish: [ˈɛɾʲaxt̪ˠəsˠ] ), sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann ,

1860-491: The Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 which introduces a statutory register of lobbying, and rules concerning the practice of lobbying. The purpose of the Act is to provide for a web-based Register of Lobbying to make information available to the public on the identity of those communicating with designated public officials on specific policy, legislative matters or prospective decisions. The Act provides restrictions and conditions on

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1920-526: The Republic of Ireland There are a number of political parties in Ireland , and coalition governments are common. The two historically largest parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael , arose from a split in the original Sinn Féin . Fine Gael is the successor of Cumann na nGaedheal , the faction that supported the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty , while Fianna Fáil arose from members of the anti-Treaty faction who opposed Sinn Féin's abstensionism . The division on

1980-476: The Seanad (although the Dáil can override a Seanad refusal to pass a bill), and then signed into law by the president. Bills to amend the Constitution must also be approved by the people in a referendum prior to being presented to the President. In most circumstances, the president is in effect obliged to sign all laws approved by the Houses of the Oireachtas, although the president has the power to refer most bills to

2040-511: The Supreme Court for a ruling on constitutionality. The powers of the Seanad are in effect limited to delay rather than veto. It is the Dáil, therefore, that is the supreme tier of the Irish legislature. The general enacting formula for Acts of the Oireachtas is: "Be it enacted by the Oireachtas as follows:—", for an act with a preamble this enacting formula is, instead, "Be it therefore enacted by

2100-618: The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern , proposed that Northern Ireland MPs should be able to address a committee of the whole Dáil. However, Fine Gael , the Labour Party , and Ahern's coalition partners, the Progressive Democrats , all opposed the idea, as did the Green Party , the Socialist Party and some Oireachtas members from Fianna Fáil . Only Sinn Féin, the party that stood to gain most from

2160-404: The Taoiseach, and six are elected by two university constituencies . The president is directly elected once every seven years, and may serve a maximum of two terms; where there is only one candidate for president, no ballot will be taken, and the candidate will be deemed elected at the close of nominations. To become law, a bill must first be approved by both the Dáil and in most circumstances

2220-585: The Treaty had also caused the Irish Civil War (1922–1923), leading to the difference between the parties being described as "Civil War politics", to distinguish it from a more common left-right political divide . Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael together are sometimes pejoratively referred to as "FFG". As of 2023 , Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin jointly have the greatest representation in Dáil Éireann , followed closely by Fine Gael in third position. The Green Party surpassed

2280-606: The advice of the Irish Government following resolutions passed by each House of the Oireachtas recommending the appointment. There are four ex officio members: the Comptroller and Auditor General , the Ombudsman , the Clerk of Dáil Éireann and the Clerk of Seanad Éireann . The sixth member is a former member of one of the Houses of the Oireachtas, and is appointed by the Irish Government following approval by each House of

2340-408: The balloon flight which took place in 1785 from Leinster Lawn. The Oireachtas family day took place again in 2009, but it has not been held since then. Although, as adopted in 1937, Article 3 of the constitution asserted the "right of the parliament and government established by this constitution to exercise jurisdiction" over the whole of Ireland, it also provided that pending the "re-integration of

2400-450: The centre-right European People's Party and is led by Taoiseach Simon Harris . Counting the tenure of predecessor Cumann na nGaedheal, Fine Gael has been in government in the periods 1922–1932, 1948–1951, 1954–1957, 1973–1977, 1981–1982, 1982–1987, 1994–1997, and 2011 to date. On each occasion from 1948 until 2016, it was the leading party of a coalition with the Labour Party, and in three of those cases also with other smaller parties. At

2460-523: The decision made at the party's ard fheis in that year to end its policy of abstentionism and to allow elected Sinn Féin TDs take their seats in Dáil Éireann . They have one councillor, Tomás Ó Curraoin on Galway County Council . As the party is not registered, he is officially an independent councillor. Independent Left have one councillor, former PBP member John Lyons, on Dublin City Council . As

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2520-469: The disclosure of interests by politicians. All members of the Houses of the Oireachtas must provide the commission with tax clearance certificates. This also applies to the Attorney General and senior State-appointed members of public bodies. The Commission lays down guidelines and gives advice in individual cases. The Commission provides these statements of interests to the Clerk of Dáil Éireann or

2580-413: The grounds that this would amount to representation "without taxation or responsibility". Beginning with Seamus Mallon in 1982, one or more from Northern Ireland have been included among the eleven Senators nominated by the Taoiseach after most elections. Sinn Féin has advocated that Northern Ireland MLAs , MPs , and MEPs should have the right to participate in Dáil debates, if not vote. In 2005

2640-463: The national territory" Acts of the Oireachtas would not apply to Northern Ireland. Therefore, no serious attempts have been made for the representation of Northern Ireland in the Dáil. As Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera , while a staunch opponent of partition, and who had been elected to represent a Northern constituency in the First Dáil , did not pursue the idea of seats in the Dáil for Northern Ireland, on

2700-572: The parties' parliamentary activities, including research. The commission makes reports to the Minister for Finance on the expenditure of the party leaders' allowances. Since 1 July 2014, the Party Leader's Allowance has been replaced by the Parliamentary Activities Allowance. The commission may receive complaints and carry out investigations against alleged breaches of the Ethics Acts. It may not receive complaints about Members of

2760-506: The party for Fianna Fáil). It is led by Holly Cairns . The Social Democrats have six TDs and 34 councillors. People Before Profit–Solidarity is an electoral alliance between People Before Profit (PBP), Solidarity and the Socialist Party . In October 2015, they formed a new alliance for electoral purposes, but continue to organise separately. Together they have five TDs (four from PBP, one from Solidarity) and 13 councillors (ten from PBP, three from Solidarity). Independent Ireland

2820-619: The proceedings of both houses have been made available over the internet by HEAnet and the eDemocracy Unit of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas. Houses of the Oireachtas Channel (publicly known as Oireachtas TV) is a digital television channel in Ireland. It broadcasts Committee and Houses and other parliament proceedings following its establishment under the Broadcasting Act 2009 . On 15 November 2011, it began broadcasting

2880-466: The proposal, supported it, while the more moderate Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) described it as a step forward. The proposal was also criticised widely in the media, with an editorial in The Irish Times , declaring that: "The overwhelming democratic imperative is that the institutions of this State should represent and serve the people of the State." From 2011, Northern Ireland MEPs had

2940-440: The register of electors. Fianna Fáil is the joint largest party in the Dáil, has the joint largest delegation of MEPs from Ireland, and has the largest number of city and county council seats. It has been in government more than any other party: 1932–1948, 1951–1954, 1957–1973, 1977–1981, 1982, 1987–1994, and 1997–2011, and since 2020. On all occasions up to 1989, it was in a single-party government; on all occasions since then it

3000-533: The same automatic right as MEPs from the Republic to participate in meetings of the Seanad's European committee, whereas other MEPs require an invitation. This ended in 2020 when the United Kingdom left the EU, which consequently meant all UK MEPs left office. While each house is empowered to organise its own business, they have always co-operated in practical matters arising from the fact that they share Leinster House as

3060-550: The taking up of certain employments by certain designated officials for a specified period of time where a possible conflict of interest arises. The Act states that the Standards Commission will be the Registrar of Lobbying and will establish an online Register of Lobbying. The Standards Commission will oversee the implementation of the register, monitor compliance, provide guidance and assistance and where necessary investigate and pursue breaches of legal requirements in due course. The Act

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3120-506: Was a unicameral parliament established by Irish republicans , known simply as Dáil Éireann . This revolutionary Dáil was notionally a legislature for the whole island of Ireland. In 1920, in parallel to the Dáil, the British government created a home rule legislature called the Parliament of Southern Ireland . However, this parliament was boycotted by most Irish politicians. It was made up of

3180-454: Was founded as a radical anti-Treaty party drawing support from small farmers and urban workers but has since become a party of the establishment. It was first elected to power in 1932 on a constitutional republican platform, promising to remove constitutional links with Britain and reduce poverty by creating employment. It oversaw much of the industrial development of the Republic and has consequently drawn support from all social classes, making it

3240-596: Was in coalition with Fine Gael , with the exception 1993 to 1994, when it was in coalition with Fianna Fáil . The Labour Party merged with the smaller Democratic Left party in 1999. It is a member of the Party of European Socialists , and is led by Ivana Bacik . The Labour Party has six TDs, four Senators, one MEP and 57 councillors. The Social Democrats were founded in July 2015 by three independent TDs Catherine Murphy , Róisín Shortall , and Stephen Donnelly (who has since left

3300-476: Was maintained by the Houses of the Oireachtas . To register to contest national elections a party must have either at least one member in Dáil Éireann or the European Parliament , or 300 recorded members aged 18 or over. Parties that register only to contest elections in part of the state or in local elections need only 100 recorded members aged 18 or over. In either case, at least half of the recorded members must be on

3360-646: Was ordered to return a 2015 donation from the Open Society Foundations on the grounds that contravened the prohibition on foreign donorations because it was political, being related to liberalising Ireland's abortion laws . There are six members of the Standards Commission. The chairperson is a judge, or a former judge, of the Supreme Court or the High Court , and is appointed by the President of Ireland on

3420-412: Was registered in November 2023 and was founded by two TDs, Michael Collins and Richard O'Donoghue , both members of the Rural Independents Dáil grouping. It has three TDs, one MEP and 23 councillors. Aontú is an all-Ireland republican party with a left-wing economic stance and a conservative social position. It was founded in 2019 by Peadar Tóibín who left Sinn Féin because of its support for

3480-418: Was signed into law on Wednesday 11 March 2015. The focus in the initial period of the implementation of the Act was on guidance and information and ensuring that registrants were familiar with the process of submitting their returns online. Enforcement provisions provided for in Part 4 of the Regulation of Lobbying Act 2015 (the Act) did not come into effect until 1 January 2017. From 1 January 2017, however,

3540-449: Was the Parliament of Ireland , which was founded in the thirteenth century as the supreme legislative body of the lordship of Ireland and was in existence until 1801. This parliament governed the English-dominated part of Ireland, which at first was limited to Dublin and surrounding cities, but later grew to include the entire island. The Irish Parliament was, from the passage of Poynings' Law in 1494 until its repeal in 1782, subordinate to

3600-413: Was the leading party in a coalition government. It is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party and is led by Tánaiste Micheál Martin . It was founded in 1926 by Éamon de Valera in a split from Sinn Féin . When Sinn Féin refused to drop its abstentionist stand, de Valera led most of its TDs out of that party with a view toward republicanising the Free State from within. It

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