Ireland - Government
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesIreland is located Western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain. The climate is temperate maritime; modified by North Atlantic Current; mild winters, cool summers; consistently humid; overcast about half the time. The terrain is mostly level to rolling interior plain surrounded by rugged hills and low mountains; sea cliffs on west coast.
Country name
This entry includes all forms of the country's name approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (Italy is used as an example)Country name - conventional long form : none
Country name - conventional short form : Ireland
Country name - local long form : none
Country name - local short form : Eire
Government type
This entry gives the basic form of government. Definitions of the major governmental terms are as follows. (Note that for some countries more than one definition applies.)Government type : republic, parliamentary democracy
Capital
This entry gives the name of the seat of government, its geographic coordinates, the time difference relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time observed in Washington, DC, and, if applicable, information on daylight saving time (DST). Where appropriate, a special note has been added to highlight those countries that have multiple time zones.Capital - name : Dublin
Capital - geographic coordinates : 53 19 N, 6 14 W
Capital - time difference : UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Capital - daylight saving time : +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Administrative divisions
This entry generally gives the numbers, designatory terms, and first-order administrative divisions as approved by the US Board on Geographic Names (BGN). Changes that have been reported but not yet acted on by the BGN are noted.Administrative divisions : 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow
Independence
For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. Also see the Terminology note.Independence : 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
National holiday
This entry gives the primary national day of celebration - usually independence day.National holiday : Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
Constitution
This entry includes the dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments.Constitution : adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite; effective 29 December 1937
Legal system
This entry contains a brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.Legal system : based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage
This entry gives the age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted.Suffrage : 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
This entry includes several subfields. Chief of state includes the name and title of the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government. Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Cabinet includes the official name for this body of high-ranking advisers and the method for selection of members. Elections include the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote for each candidate in the last election.Executive branch - chief of state : President Mary MCALEESE (since 11 November 1997)
Executive branch - head of government : Prime Minister Brian COWEN (since 7 May 2008)
Executive branch - cabinet : Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
Executive branch - elections : president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 31 October 1997 (next scheduled for October 2011); note - Mary MCALEESE appointed to a second term when no other candidate qualified for the 2004 presidential election; prime minister (taoiseach) nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president
Executive branch - election results : Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
Executive branch - note : government coalition - Fianna Fail, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats, and independent members of Parliament
Legislative branch
This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election.Legislative branch - elections : Senate - last held in July 2007 (next to be held by July 2012); House of Representatives - last held 24 May 2007 (next to be held by May 2012)
Legislative branch - election results : Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 28, Fine Gael 14, Labor Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, Green Party 2, Sein Fein 1, independents 7; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.6%, Fine Gael 27.3%, Labor Party 10.1%, Sinn Fein 6.9%, Green Party 4.7%, Progressive Democrats 2.7%, other 6.7%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 78, Fine Gael 51, Labor Party 20, Sinn Fein 4, Green Party 6, Progressive Democrats 2, other 5
Judicial branch
This entry contains the name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members.Judicial branch : Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Political parties and leaders
This entry includes a listing of significant political organizations and their leaders.Political parties and leaders : Fianna Fail [Brian COWEN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [John GORMLEY]; Labor Party [Eamon GILMORE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY, acting leader]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Political pressure groups and leaders
This entry includes a listing of a country's political, social, labor, or religious organizations that are involved in politics, or that exert political pressure, but whose leaders do not stand for legislative election. International movements or organizations are generally not listed.Political pressure groups and leaders : Families Acting for Innocent Relatives or FAIR [Brian McCONNELL] (seek compensation for victims of violence); Families Against Intimidation and Terror or FAIT (oppose terrorism); Gaeltacht Civil Rights Campaign (Coiste Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeilge) or CCSG (encourages the use of the Irish language and campaigns for greater civil rights in Irish speaking areas); Irish Republican Army or IRA (terrorist group); Keep Ireland Open (environmental group); Midland Railway Action Group or MRAG [Willie ALLEN] (transportation promoters); Rail Users Ireland (formerly the Platform 11 - transportation promoters); 32 Country Sovereignty Movement or 32CSM (supports a fully sovereign Ireland); Ulster Defence Association or UDA (terrorist group)
International organization participation
This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way.International organization participation : ADB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNOCI, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, chancery, telephone, FAX, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation in the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Michael COLLINS
Diplomatic representation in the US - chancery : 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US - telephone : [1] (202) 462-3939
Diplomatic representation in the US - FAX : [1] (202) 232-5993
Diplomatic representation in the US - consulate(s) general : Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US
This entry includes the chief of mission, embassy address, mailing address, telephone number, FAX number, branch office locations, consulate general locations, and consulate locations.Diplomatic representation from the US - chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas C. FOLEY
Diplomatic representation from the US - embassy : 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4
Diplomatic representation from the US - mailing address : use embassy street address
Diplomatic representation from the US - telephone : [353] (1) 668-8777
Diplomatic representation from the US - FAX : [353] (1) 668-9946
Flag description
This entry provides a written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags.Flag description : three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange; similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flag of Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, and red
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