Europe

Ireland
Last reviewed: 18 June 2009

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POLITICS

Recent Political Developments

Finance Minister, Brian Lenihan, delivered a Supplementary Budget on 7 April to address the rapidly widening budget deficit. He set out six steps to restore and renew the Irish economy: stabilising the public finances; restoring the banking system; regaining competitiveness; protecting jobs; stimulating economic confidence; and restoring Ireland’s financial reputation abroad and the damage done by the ‘No’ to the Lisbon Treaty.

European Parliament (EP) elections and Local Government elections took place on 5 June 2009.

The EP results were (compared with the 2004):

FG - 4 seats (down 1)
FF - 3 seats (down 1)
Lab - 3 seats (up 2)
Greens - 0 seats (0)
Sinn Fein - 0 seats (down 1)
Others/Ind - 2 seats (no change)

(Ireland's EP seats were reduced from 13 to 12).

The Local Election results were (compared with 2004):

FG - 338 seats (up 45)
FF - 213 seats (down 89)
Lab - 116 seats (up 15)
Greens - 3 seats (down 15)
SF - 53 seats (down 1)
Others/Ind - 134 seats (up 19)

Two by-elections were also held on 5 June following the death of two TDs. FG won in Dublin South (previously held by FF) and an independent left-wing candidate took Dublin Central (no change).

The government's majority is now reduced from 13 (at the 2007 general election) to 6 (following the by-election results and some defections to the opposition benches).

ELECTIONS

Presidential elections are due in 2011. The next General Election is due in 2012, or before if the Taoiseach asks the President to dissolve parliament.

Social Partnership

A significant part of Ireland's recent economic success has been attributed to the “Social Partnership” – a formalised dialogue between the state, employers, unions and civil society actors. This dialogue produces periodic binding agreements that cover minimum standards in pay, employment conditions, social welfare provision and specific parts of infrastructural development. In June 2006, a new partnership agreement (binding for 27 months) entitled “Towards 2016” was announced.

Ireland and the EU

Ireland joined the European Economic Community, which was later renamed the European Union, in 1973, along with the UK and Denmark. EU membership is the central framework within which the Irish Government pursues its foreign policy objectives. There are 13 Irish Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Irish is an Official and Working Language of the European Union.

Ireland has held the six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union on six occasions. Its most recent Presidency was in 2004, when it oversaw the enlargement that saw ten Member States join the EU.

Ireland's membership of the EU has impacted on its social and economic landscape. One of the more recent effects has been the influx of migrant workers from the newer Member states. An estimated 200,000 people have since moved to Ireland since June 2004 making it one of the largest recipients (per capita) of migrant labour in the EU.

The Treaty of Lisbon was signed on 13 December 2007 at a summit of European leaders in Lisbon. The purpose of the Lisbon Treaty is to enhance the efficiency and democratic legitimacy of the Union and to improve its coherence. Each of the 27 Member States must ratify the treaty according to its own national provisions. For Ireland, ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, as with a number of previous EU treaties, requires the Irish Constitution to be amended. Each time the Irish Government proposes to change or amend the Constitution, it must hold a referendum.

Ireland held a referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon on 12 June 2008. The treaty was rejected in the referendum, with 53.4% voting “No” and 46.6% “Yes”. Turnout was 53.1%. The Irish Government has announced its intention to develop a fuller understanding of the concerns that affected the outcome of the referendum as a necessary step before deciding how best to respond.

Northern Ireland

There is regular contact with the Irish Government through the North South Ministerial Council, which brings together Irish Ministers and Ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive (www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org) and through the British Irish Council (www.british-irishcouncil.org), which brings together British and Irish Ministers and their counterparts from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
For more information on NI devolved matters please go to www.niassembly.gov.uk. Non-devolved issues are covered at www.nio.gov.uk.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Ireland has ratified the core UN human rights treaties and a wide range of other international human rights instruments. In 2007 Ireland signed five new international treaties, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of All Persons with Disabilities, the United Nations Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the United Nations Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings and the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

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Contacts

Ireland, Dublin, British Embassy

Address:

British Embassy
29 Merrion Road
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4

Telephone:

(353) (1) 205 3775 Trade and Investment
(353) (1) 205 3742 Press & Public Affairs enquiries only
1570 214 666 (in Ireland, charged at €1.75 per minute) or 0906 664 1717 (from the UK, charged at £1.50 per minute). All passport enquiries are handled on our behalf by Abtran.
1570 214 314 (in Ireland, charged at €1.75 per minute) or 00 353 76 670 9865 (if calling outside of Ireland, callcharged at $14). All UK visa enquiries are handled on our behalf by WordBridge Service.

Fax:

(353) (1) 205 3885 Management
(353) (1) 205 3880 Trade and Investment
(353) (1) 205 3731 Chancery
(353) (1) 205 3890 Visa
(353) (1) 205 3820 Passports
(353) (1) 205 3779 Consular
(353) (1) 205 3893 Press & Public Affairs

Email: management.dubli@fco.gov.uk

Email: consular.dubli@fco.gov.uk

Email: chancery.dublx@fco.gov.uk

Office hours:

GMT: (Local Time = GMT)
Mon-Thurs: 0900-1245 / 1400-1715
Fri: 0900-1245 / 1400-1700

Website: http://britishembassyinireland.fco.gov.uk/en/

Ireland