Government and Politics

Government and Politics of Ireland

Government structure, leadership, capital, military, and national symbols of Ireland.

Government Structure

Constitutional foundations, branches, parties, and leadership.

Government Type: republic
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
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: 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship: citizenship by birth: no, unless a parent of a child born in Ireland has been legally resident in Ireland for at least three of the four years prior to the birth of the child citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 4 of the previous 8 years
Executive Branch: chief of state: President Michael D. HIGGINS (since 11 November 2011; reelected for a second term on 26 October 2018) head of government: Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Micheál MARTIN (since 9 April 2025); note - Simon HARRIS served as Taoiseach from April 2024 until April 2025 following the formation of a new coalition government after the November 2024 general election cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives (Dáil Éireann) elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election last held on 26 October 2018 (next scheduled for October 2025); prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed by the president election results: Michael D. HIGGINS reelected president in 2018; percent of vote - Michael D. HIGGINS 55.8%, Peter CASEY 23.3%, Seán GALLAGHER 6.4%, Liadh NÍ RIADA 6.4%, Joan FREEMAN 6.0%, Gavin DUFFY 2.2% note: current government coalition consists of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and the Green Party, formed following the 2020 general election; a new coalition of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and independent members was formed in 2025 following the November 2024 general election
Legislative Branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats - 49 elected by the universities and from candidates put forward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann (166 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve five-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 16 and 17 July 2002 (next to be held by July 2007); House of Representatives - last held 17 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail 30, Fine Gael 15, Labor Party 5, Progressive Democrats 4, independents and other 6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 41.5%, Fine Gael 22.5%, Labor Party 10.8%, Sinn Fein 6.5%, Progressive Democrats 4.0%, Green Party 3.8%, other 10.9%; seats by party - Fianna Fail 81, Fine Gael 31, Labor Party 21, Sinn Fein 5, Progressive Democrats 8, Green Party 6, other 14
Judicial Branch: Supreme Court (judges appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister and cabinet)
Political Parties: Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; Fine Gael [Enda KENNY]; Green Party [Trevor SARGENT]; Labor Party [Pat RABITTE]; Progressive Democrats [Mary HARNEY]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Socialist Party [Joe HIGGINS]; The Workers' Party [Sean GARLAND]
Head of State: President Mary MCALEESE
Head of Government: Prime Minister Brian COWEN
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
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
Election Results: Mary MCALEESE elected president; percent of vote - Mary MCALEESE 44.8%, Mary BANOTTI 29.6%
Constitution: 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite
Independence: 6 December 1921 (from UK by treaty)
National Holiday: Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March
International Organization Participation: Australia Group, BIS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.: chief of mission: Ambassador Noel FAHEY chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939 FAX: [1] (202) 232-5993 consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco
U.S. Diplomatic Representation: chief of mission: Ambassador James C. KENNY embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [353] (1) 668-8777 FAX: [353] (1) 668-9946

Capital City

Seat of government and political history.

Capital City: Dublin
Location: 53 19 N, 6 14 W
Time Difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
History: derived from Irish dubh and lind meaning respectively "black, dark" and "pool" and which referred to the dark tidal pool where the River Poddle entered the River Liffey; today the area is the site of the castle gardens behind Dublin Castle

Embassy and Diplomatic Representation

Embassy location and contact details.

U.S. Embassy Dublin 42 Elgin Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4 Telephone: 353-1-668-8777 Emergency after-hours telephone: 353-1-630-6200 Facsimile: 353-1-668-8056

Military

Branches, service obligations, expenditures, and manpower.

Military Branches: Irish Defense Forces (Oglaigh na h-Eireannn), Permanent Defence Force: Army, Naval Service, Air Corps
Service Age and Obligation: 18-25 years of age for male and female voluntary military service recruits to the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF; 18-27 years of age for the Naval Service); 18-28 for cadetship (officer) applicants; 18-35 years of age for the Reserve Defence Forces (RDF); maximum obligation 12 years (PDF officers), 5 years (PDF enlisted), 3 years RDF (4 years for Naval Service Reserves); EU citizenship, refugee status, or 5-year residence in Ireland required

National Symbols

Flag, anthem, and other symbols of national identity.

National Flag

Flag Symbolism: 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. It is used as the civil and state flag and as the civil and naval ensign.
Flag History: The green stripe represents those of native Irish descent (see under the Green Flag below), the orange stripe represents the descendants of 17th-century British colonists (a group which supported William of Orange in the War of the Two Kings), and the white stripe represents the hope for peace between the two groups. Thomas Francis Meagher spoke as follows when presenting the flag to the public for the first time at a meeting organised by the Young Ireland movement in Dublin on 15 April 1848: The white in the centre signifies a lasting truce between the 'Orange' and the 'Green', and I trust that beneath its folds the hands of the Irish Protestant and the Irish Catholic may be clasped in generous and heroic brotherhood. The Green Flag was used by the contemporary supporters of Daniel O'Connell, but the Young Irelanders were republicans and required a distinctive emblem which would clearly express their republicanism: the design of the new flag was modelled on that of the French Republic: The original tricolour (in which orange was placed next to the staff) was virtually forgotten after the collapse of the 1848 rebellion but it was revived by the Irish Volunteers in the Easter rising of 1916 when the colours were arranged in their modern order. Although the Volunteers used the Tricolour and the Green Flag side by side, the two flags came to be associated with the supporters of Sinn Féin and of the Irish Parliamentary Party respectively during the turbulent period following the rising. The landslide victory of the republicans in the general election of 1918 ensured that the Tricolour would be the future national flag.
Date of Adoption: 29 December 1937

National Anthem

Anthem Lyrics: Amhra/n na bhFiann Seo dhibh a cháirde duan Óglaigh, Cathréimeach briomhar ceolmhar, Ár dtinte cnámh go buacach táid, 'S an spéir go min réaltogach Is fonnmhar faobhrach sinn chun gleo 'S go tiúnmhar glé roimh thíocht do'n ló Fé chiúnas chaomh na hoiche ar seol: Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann. Curfá: Sinne Fianna Fáil A tá fé gheall ag Éirinn, buion dár slua Thar toinn do ráinig chugainn, Fé mhóid bheith saor. Sean tír ár sinsir feasta Ní fhagfar fé'n tiorán ná fé'n tráil Anocht a théam sa bhearna bhaoil, Le gean ar Ghaeil chun báis nó saoil Le guna screach fé lámhach na bpiléar Seo libh canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann. Cois bánta réidhe, ar árdaibh sléibhe, Ba bhuachach ár sinsir romhainn, Ag lámhach go tréan fé'n sár-bhrat séin Tá thuas sa ghaoith go seolta Ba dhúchas riamh d'ár gcine cháidh Gan iompáil siar ó imirt áir, 'S ag siúl mar iad i gcoinne námhad Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann. Curfá A bhuíon nách fann d'fhuil Ghaeil is Gall, Sin breacadh lae na saoirse, Ta scéimhle 's scanradh i gcroíthe namhad, Roimh ranna laochra ár dtire. Ár dtinte is tréith gan spréach anois, Sin luisne ghlé san spéir anoir, 'S an bíobha i raon na bpiléar agaibh: Seo libh, canaídh Amhrán na bhFiann. Curfá
Anthem Lyrics (English): Soldier's Song We'll sing song, a soldier's song, With cheering rousing chorus, As round our blazing fires we throng, The starry heavens o'er us; Impatient for the coming fight, And as we wait the morning's light, Here in the silence of the night, We'll chant a soldier's song. Chorus: Soldiers are we whose lives are pledged to Ireland; Some have come from a land beyond the wave. Sworn to be free, No more our ancient sire land Shall shelter the despot or the slave. Tonight we man the gap of danger In Erin's cause, come woe or weal 'Mid cannons' roar and rifles peal, We'll chant a soldier's song In valley green, on towering crag, Our fathers fought before us, And conquered 'neath the same old flag That's proudly floating o'er us. We're children of a fighting race, That never yet has known disgrace, And as we march, the foe to face, We'll chant a soldier's song Chorus Sons of the Gael! Men of the Pale! The long watched day is breaking; The serried ranks of Inisfail Shall set the Tyrant quaking. Our camp fires now are burning low; See in the east a silv'ry glow, Out yonder waits the Saxon foe, So chant a soldier's song. Chorus

Other National Symbols

National Flower
shamrock (or trefoil)
a three-leaved young white clover, sometimes (rarely nowadays) Trifolium repens (white clover, known in Irish as seamair bhán) but more usually today Trifolium dubium (lesser clover, Irish: seamair bhuí). However, other three leafed plants such as Black medick (Medicago lupulina), Red clover (Trifolium pratense) or Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) are sometimes designated as shamrocks. The shamrock was traditionally used for its medical properties and was a popular motif in Victorian times.

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