Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( Irish and shortly also called Dáil; translation: Assembly of Ireland, pronunciation: / d ˠ ɑ ː l ʲ e ː r ʲ ǝn ˠ / ) is the lower house of Parliament ( Oireachtas ) of the Republic of Ireland. It is directly elected at least every five years in the system of proportional representation by the single transferable vote. The powers of the Dáil, as the dominant branch of Parliament, are similar to those of other lower houses in other parliamentary systems. The meetings of the House found since 1922 in the Leinster House in Dublin instead. As part of the Irish economic and political crisis at the turn of 2010/2011 early elections to the Dáil on 25 February 2011 were originally scheduled (see also elections in Ireland).
- 4.1 Irish House of Commons (13th century -1800 )
- 4.2 House of Commons of Southern Ireland ( 1921-1922 )
- 4.3 Dáil Éireann ( House of Assembly ) ( 1919-1922 )
- 4.4 Dáil Éireann ( Chamber of Deputies ) ( 1923-1937 )
- 4.5 Dáil Éireann ( House of Representatives ) (1937 -present)
Composition
The Dáil currently consists of 166 members. They are elected at least every five years by the citizens of the Republic of Ireland. Members of the House must be at least 21 years old and are as Teachta Dala (TD ) or Deputy referred.
Choice
Entitled to vote one is 18 years old. According to the Irish Constitution, a general election must be held at least every seven years - the current time limitation of five years is based on a law. The Taoiseach can resolve a request by the Irish President, the House at any time, leading to new elections within 30 days.
Through the system of single transferable vote ( STV), the seats in the Dáil be distributed proportionately. The relatively small constituencies bringing the larger parties hereby advantages and disadvantage slightly smaller parties. Since the 1990s, the government consists entirely of coalitions. Before 1989, however, were one-party governments, mostly by the Fianna Fáil party, the rule. The fact that the electoral districts due to the STV always correspond to a plurality of seats in the House, candidates often have to compete against members of the same party. This leads to a wider choice for the voters, but is criticized by some because it partly leads to quite parochial lower house members. Two attempts to move to the British system of majority voting (1959 and 1968 ), were rejected by referenda. Elections will take place in the system of instant runoff voting.
Currently (as of 2007) everyone agrees constituency over three to five from (average is 3.9 ) members of the House. The Irish constitution provides only that no constituency shall represent less than three members in the House. An upper limit is not set. Furthermore, it is established in the Constitution that the electoral boundaries every twelve years must be reviewed at least. It is therefore possible that these, due to changes in population density, move. Constituency boundaries are currently drawn up by an independent commission whose proposals are usually provided. By a constitution is prohibited " unfair distribution of constituencies ."
Number of members
By Irish Constitution to each of at least 30,000 inhabitants and per 20,000 inhabitants at most one lower house member must be present. Since all Irish Minister must come from the ranks of the little Parliament, it was always been the task of the lower house, as large a number of talented and capable politicians " provide ", which is why the number of members in the House has mostly located close to the maximum limit. In the current (30th) Dáil a lower house member comes to 25,500 inhabitants - one of the highest rates in the world. With the adoption of the ( current ) Constitution in 1937 decreased by this regulation the number from 153 to 138 Since this Taoiseach Seán Lemass for the led in the 1960s to problems, establish appropriate Minister, the number was increased subsequently. 1981 was again instead of an increase to the still valid number of 166 members.
Ceann Comhairle
The Speaker or Chairman of Dáil Éireann is the so-called Ceann Comhairle. The Ceann Comhairle is elected from among the members in the House, he is but requires strict impartiality. Regardless, the government is trying to achieve a chairman from among its own ranks.
Powers
Although Dáil Éireann is next to the President and the Seanad Éireann only one of three pillars of the Parliament, the Dáil has probably the most powerful powers. He can virtually adopt any desired law because the president is usually obliged every law that was passed by both houses of the Oireachtas to sign, and the Seanad normally only delay a law, but it can not prevent it. Furthermore, the Dáil determines the Irish Prime Minister, the so-called Taoiseach. Dáil Éireann can ask a question of trust; in this case, the Taoiseach either Parliament should dissolve or zurücktreten1. The Dáil has the sole power
- Propose the budget (as long as it does not affect the Senate )
- To ratify treaties
- To declare war or participation in a war.
The Dáil determined independently via its own rules of procedure and its members are protected by various laws (political immunity). As in other parliamentary systems, the lower house members are in principle bound by the requirements of the party and not vote according to their own discretion location from. Meetings of the Dáil are public, unless there are exceptional circumstances occur.
History
Irish House of Commons (13th century -1800 )
The first legislative power in Ireland was the Parliament of Ireland ( Parliament of Ireland) from the 13th century and the House of what the Irish House of Commons ( Irish House of Commons). The Parliament was abolished in 1800 with the Act of Union.
House of Commons of Southern Ireland (1921-1922)
Only in 1921 abolished the British government with the Parliament of Southern Ireland ( Parliament of Southern Ireland ) A new official legislative power in Ireland. This was an attempt nationalists with a kind of limited to appease Home Rule. This institution was rejected by the nationalists and boycotted whose loyalty still belonged to the Dáil. However, since the First Dáil was illegal under British jurisdiction, the lower house of the southern Irish Parliament, the House of Commons of Southern Ireland applies, there still considered the predecessor of the Dáil.
Dáil Éireann ( House of Assembly ) ( 1919-1922 )
Already before 1921, namely 1919 to Irish nationalists gathered again under a kind of " Revolution Parliament ", which was based on the unilaterally proclaimed independence. This Parliament is also known under the name "First Dáil ". The name Dáil Éireann dates from this period and although it had successfully taken on many tasks of government, it was invented by British law, as well as the Second Dáil, never recognized. Only the Third Dáil, which was elected under the Anglo- Irish Treaty, was regarded as a kind of transitional House of Commons.
Dáil Éireann ( Chamber of Deputies ) ( 1923-1937 )
1921, the Irish Free State was created by the Treaty Anglo -Irish, which consisted of 26 (of 32) counties of the island. By choosing 1923, the previous transitional House ( Third Dáil ) was dissolved and reassembled. The newly elected lower house of the Irish Free State (now also with Chamber of Deputies referred to ) was now part of the legislature, which was first called the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament). Both Dáil Éireann as the upper house also gathered in the Leinster House in Dublin. Although the first three Daila were never officially recognized, the first lower house is called under the Free State as 4th Dáil.
Dáil Éireann ( House of Representatives ) (1937 -present)
The Constitution of the Republic of Ireland from the year 1937 due to the still existing modern Irish state. Under this condition, both the legislature ( Oireachtas ) and the lower house ( Dáil Éireann ) retained the old name. The House of Commons but was referred from now on as the " House of Representatives ". The first House of Commons, which met under the new constitution is also referred to as the 9th Dáil ( Ninth Dáil ).
Distribution of seats in the 31st Dáil Éireann ( March 2011)
Main article: Elections to Dáil Éireann in 2011