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Ireland

Common lawUnitary parliamentary republicReviewed· 2026-08-02
Capital
Dublin
Population
5,300,000
Languages
Irish, English
Currency
EUR

Ireland · Government

Government and administration in Ireland

How the executive, legislature and administrative state are organised, and which body is responsible for what.

The three branches

Head of State — President of Ireland
Directly elected; may refer bills to the Supreme Court.
Executive — Taoiseach and Government
Accountable to Dáil Éireann.
Legislative — Oireachtas (Dáil and Seanad)
Directly elected Dáil and mostly indirectly chosen Seanad.
Judicial — Courts headed by the Supreme Court
Independent judiciary.

How legislation is made

Bills pass five stages in each House of the Oireachtas and are signed by the President, who may first refer a bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality.

Enforcement institutions

An Garda Síochána
National police service.
Director of Public Prosecutions
Independent prosecuting authority.

Government bodies and regulators

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