Skip to main content

Ireland: the referendum as a conservative device?

  • Chapter
The Referendum Experience in Europe

Abstract

The referendum plays a significant part in the political process in the Republic of Ireland. If referendums are not as frequent as in Switzerland or Italy, they nonetheless occur more often than in most countries. We shall examine the constitutional basis for the holding of referendums in Ireland, outline the history of referendums, examine voting patterns and draw some conclusions about the role that the referendum has played.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bogdanor, Vernon, 1994. “Western Europe”, pp. 24–97 in David Butler and Austin Ranney (eds), Referendums around the World: the growing use of direct democracy. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler, David and Austin Ranney, 1994. “Conclusion”, pp. 258–63 in David Butler and Austin Ranney (eds), Referendums around the World: the growing use of direct democracy. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coakley, John, 1981. “The referendum and popular participation in the Irish political system”, paper presented at the Workshop on Referendums, ECPR, Lancaster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coakley, John, 1987. “Moral consensus in a secularising society: the Irish divorce referendum of 1986”, West European Politics 10:2, pp. 291–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Darcy, R. and Michael Laver, 1990. “Referendum dynamics and the Irish divorce amendment”, Public Opinion Quarterly 54:1, pp. 1–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, Brian, 1971. The Founding of Dáil Éireann. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • FitzGerald, Garret, 1991. All in a Life. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, Michael, 1988. “The Single European Act referendum”, Irish Political Studies 3, pp. 77–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher, Michael, 1993. “The constitution”, pp. 49–66 in John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 2nd ed. Dublin: Folens, and Limerick: PSAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galligan, Yvonne, 1993. “Women in Irish politics”, pp. 207–26 in John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 2nd ed. Dublin: Folens, and Limerick: PSAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garvin, Tom and Anthony Parker, 1972. “Party loyalty and Irish voters: the EEC referendum as a case study”, Economic and Social Review 4:1, pp. 35–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Girvin, Brian, 1986. “Social change and moral politics: the Irish constitutional referendum 1983”, Political Studies 34:1, pp. 61–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girvin, Brian, 1987. “The divorce referendum in the Republic”, Irish Political Studies 2. pp. 93–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Girvin, Brian, 1993. “The referendums on abortion 1993”, Irish Political Studies 8, pp. 118–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesketh, Tom, 1990. The Second Partitioning of Ireland?: the abortion referendum of 1983. Dublin: Brandsma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, Michael, 1993. “The Maastricht Treaty referendum of June 1992”, Irish Political Studies 8, pp. 105–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kennelly, Brendan and Eilís Ward, 1993. “The abortion referendums”, pp. 115–34 in Michael Gallagher and Michael Laver (eds), How Ireland Voted 1992. Dublin: Folens; Limerick: PSAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kohn, Leo, 1932. The Constitution of the Irish Free State. London: George Allen and Unwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Laver, Michael and Michael Marsh, 1993. “Parties and voters”, pp. 104–25 in John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 2nd ed. Dublin: Folens, and Limerick: PSAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manning, Maurice, 1978. “Ireland”, pp. 193–210 in David Butler and Austin Ranney (eds), Referendums: a comparative study of theory and practice. Washington: American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, Cornelius, 1961. The Irish Republic and its Experiment with Proportional Representation. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, Cornelius, 1979. Irish Elections 1918–1977. Dublin: Gill and Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, Cornelius and Tom Hesketh, 1988. “The Irish abortion and divorce referendum campaigns”, Irish Political Studies 3, pp. 43–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinnott, Richard, 1993. “The electoral system”, pp. 67–85 in John Coakley and Michael Gallagher (eds), Politics in the Republic of Ireland, 2nd ed. Dublin: Folens, and Limerick: PSAI Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinnott, Richard, 1995. Irish Voters Decide: voting behaviour in elections and referendums since 1918. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suksi, Markku, 1993. Bringing in the People: a comparison of constitutional forms and practices of the referendum. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, Alan J., 1994. The Irish Constitutional Tradition: responsible government and modern Ireland, 1782–1992. Blackrock, Co. Dublin: Irish Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Copyright information

© 1996 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gallagher, M. (1996). Ireland: the referendum as a conservative device?. In: Gallagher, M., Uleri, P.V. (eds) The Referendum Experience in Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24796-7_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics