Irish Council of State

This article is part of the series Politics of the R. of Ireland

President Council of State

Oireachtas Dáil Éireann Seanad Éireann

Taoiseach Tánaiste Government

Supreme Court Judiciary

Constitution Referendum

The Council of State (Irish: Comhairle Stáit) is an organ established by the Constitution of Ireland to advise the President of Ireland in the exercise of many of her discretionary, reserve powers. It consists of a number of government officials, who sit ex-officio, as well as certain former office holders and up to seven individuals of the President's own choosing.

Composition

Ex-officio members

Two key figures from each of the major institutions of state serve on the Council of State ex officio.

From the executive:

• The Taoiseach (prime minister)
  • [currently Bertie Ahern, TD]
• The Tánaiste (deputy prime minister)
  • [currently Mary Harney, TD]

From the legislature:

• The Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of Dáil Éireann)
  • [currently Rory O'Hanlon]
• The Cathaoirleach (Chair of Seanad Éireann)
  • [currently Senator Rory Kiely]

From the judiciary:

• The Chief Justice
  • [currently John Murray]
• The President of the High Court
  • [currently Joseph Finnegan]

The Attorney-General also serves on the Council of State. This is currently currently Rory Brady, SC.

Former officer holders

• Former Presidents of Ireland
  • [currently Patrick Hillery and Mary Robinson ]
• Former Taoisigh (prime ministers) and Presidents of the Executive Council
  • [currrently Liam Cosgrave, Charles J. Haughey, Garret FitzGerald,
  • Albert Reynolds and John Bruton]
• Former Chief Justices
  • [currently Thomas A. Finlay and Ronan Keane].

The President's seven

These are currently:

• Sr. Stanislaus Kennedy
• Ruth Curtis
• Christina Carney Flynn
• Brian Crowley, MEP
• Noel Stewart
• Martin Naughton
• Gordon Brett

Role

The President is not obliged to heed the recommendations of the Council of State. However, she must seek its advice, and give each member the opportunity to be heard, before exercising any of the following discretionary powers (for a detailed description of the President's reserve powers see: President of Ireland):

• Reference of bills to the Supreme Court.
• Reference of bills to the people.
• Abridgement of the time for the consideration of a bills in the Senate.
• Establishment of a Committee of Privileges.
• Address to the Houses of the Oireachtas.
• Address to the Nation.

See also

• Presidential Commission
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland
• Council of State