- Name of State
- Island of Ireland
- Language
- Flag
- Emblem
- Anthem
- The National Day
- Government
- Political Parties
- Local Government
- The Courts
- Police & Defence Forces
Name of State
The Irish constitution provides that the name of the state is Éire or in the english language, Ireland.
Island of Ireland
The geographical island of Ireland consists of the sovereign independent state of Ireland comprising 26 counties, and the six counties of northern Ireland to the north-east of the island, which are governed by a power-sharing Executive and Assembly as established under the Good Friday Agreement.
Language
Article 8 of the Irish Constitution makes the following affirmation:
- The Irish language as the national language is the first official language.
- The English language is recognised as a second official language.
More information about the Irish Language, is available in the Schools Project Corner .
Flag
The national flag is a tricolour of
green, white and orange.
Emblem
The harp has been regarded as the
official symbol or coat of arms of Ireland since medieval times.
The heraldic harp is used by the Government, its agencies and
its representatives at home and abroad. It is engraved on the
seal matrix of the Office of the President as well as on the
obverse of Irish euro coins.
Anthem
Amhrán na bhFiann (Soldier’s Song) is the Irish national Anthem.
The National Day
saint Patrick’s Day, 17 March, is the national Day. tradition holds that the use of the shamrock by Saint Patrick when preaching in Ireland led to its adoption as an Irish symbol.
Government
Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. Its law is based on common Law and legislation enacted by the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) under the constitution. In addition, regulations and directives enacted by the European Union have the force of law in Ireland.
The constitution of Ireland sets out the form of government and defines the powers and functions of the President, both Houses of the Oireachtas and the Government. It also defines the structures and the powers of the courts and outlines the fundamental rights of citizens. The definition of rights covers five broad headings: Personal Rights, The Family, Education, Private Property and Religion
| Government of Ireland |
| President of Ireland |
| Fine Gael |
| Labour |
| Fianna Fáil |
| Sinn Féin |
| Irish Government News Service |
Local Government
The local government system is administered by 114 local authorities and is undergoing a process of renewal and reform.
The services provided by the local authorities include: housing and building, road transportation and safety, water supply and sewerage, development incentives and controls, environmental protection and waste management, recreation and amenity, education, health and welfare, and miscellaneous services.
Local government is funded partly by central government and partly by local sources including motor tax proceeds, rates (on commercial property) and local charges such as environmental waste charges, rents etc.
Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
The Courts
Irish law is based on common Law as modified by subsequent legislation and by the constitution of 1937. In accordance with the constitution, justice is administered in public by courts established by law. The President appoints judges on the advice of the Government.
| Department of Justice and Law Reform |
| Irish Courts Service |
| Director of Public Prosecutions |
| Office of the Attorney General |
Top of Page
Police and Defence Forces
The national police force, An Garda Síochána, was established in 1922. The general direction, management and control of the service is, subject to regulations made by the Minister for Justice and Law Reform, vested in a commissioner appointed by the Government.
An Garda Síochána is unarmed with the exception of some specialized units. Since 1989, An Garda Síochána have served in numerous United Nations (UN) missions around the world. They have also served under the EU flag in the former Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Eastern Slavonia and have provided monitors for the South African and Palestinian elections.
The Permanent Defence Forces, which include the regular Army, Naval Service and Air Corps, operate under the auspices of the Department of Defence. The Department is also responsible for the general planning, organisation and co-ordination of Civil Defence measures. Recruitment is voluntary. The Defence Forces have extensive peacekeeping experience and have served under UN mandate in UN, EU and NATO led peace support operations all over the world since 1958.
| Department of Justice and Equality |
| Garda Síochána (Irish Police) |
| Garda Ombudsman |
| Department of Defence |
| Irish Defence Forces |
