Government Under the constitution of 1937, Ireland is a sovereign, independent, democratic state. It became a republic in 1949 when Commonwealth ties with Britain were severed.

A. Executive Executive power under the Irish constitution is vested in a cabinet, which forms a government of some 15 members. The government is responsible to the lower house of the national legislature. A prime minister serves as head of government and is appointed by the president after nomination by the lower house. Members of the government head the administrative departments, or ministries. They are selected by the prime minister, approved by the lower house, and appointed by the president. The president of Ireland is the head of state and is elected by direct popular vote for a seven-year term.

B. Legislature Ireland has a bicameral legislature known as the Oireachtas. The lower house, or Dáil Éireann, is directly elected and now has 166 members. The upper house, or Seanad Éireann, has 60 members—11 appointed by the prime minister, 6 elected by university graduates, and 43 chosen by an electoral college of some 900 representatives from local governments and the national legislature. The slate of candidates represents labor, agriculture and fisheries, public administration and social services, commerce and industry, and national culture. The upper house is limited in authority, while the lower house has the power to support or bring down governments in the parliamentary tradition.

C. Judiciary Judicial authority in Ireland is vested in a supreme court, a high court, a court of criminal appeal, a central criminal court, circuit courts, and district courts. The supreme court is the court of final appeal and plays a key role in constitutionality determinations. Judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the government.

D. Local Government County councils, county borough corporations, borough corporations, urban district councils, and town commissioners administer local services, including health and sanitation, housing, water supply, and libraries. Local officials are popularly elected, usually for five-year terms. The local executives, who function as managers of local authorities, are selected by the central ministry after examinations.

E. Political Parties The system of proportional representation by which members are elected to the Dáil complicates elections. Ireland has a history of party mergers, splinter groups, and coalitions. Among the most powerful parties in recent years have been Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Progressive Democratic Party, and Labour. Over the years, the prime minister has formed a number of governments without a clear-cut working majority.

F. Health and Welfare Most health services are provided free of charge for low-income groups and at moderate charges for others, through local and national agencies, under the supervision of the department of health. A nonprofit, contributory voluntary health insurance scheme is administered by an independent statutory agency. Public insurance and assistance programs are administered by the department of social welfare and include pensions for the aged, widows, and orphans; children's allowances; unemployment benefits; and other social security items.