Country name
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Ireland

Data code EI

Government type republic

National capital Dublin

Administrative divisions 26 counties; Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Dublin, Galway, Kerry,Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath,Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford,Wicklow

Independence 6 December 1921 (from UK)

National holiday Saint Patrick's Day, 17 March

Constitution 29 December 1937; adopted 1 July 1937 by plebiscite

Legal system based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts;judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsoryICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
chief of state: President Mary Bourke ROBINSON (since 9 November 1990)
head of government: Prime Minister John BRUTON (since 15 December 1994)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with previous nomination by the primeminister and approval of the House of Representatives
elections : president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; election lastheld 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997); prime minister nominatedby the House of Representatives and appointed by the president
election results: Mary Bourke ROBINSON elected president; percent of vote - Mary BourkeROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%

Legislative branch bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the Senate or SeanadEireann (60 seats, 49 elected by the universities and from candidates putforward by five vocational panels, 11 are nominated by the prime minister;members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Dail Eireann(166 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote and proportional representationto serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held NA February 1992 (next to be held NA February 1997);House of Representatives - last held 25 November 1992 (next to be held NANovember 1997)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Fianna Fail26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats 2, Democratic Left 1, independents6; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - Fianna Fail 39.1%,Fine Gael 24.5%, Labor Party 19.3%, Progressive Democrats 4.7%, DemocraticLeft 2.8%, Sinn Fein 1.6%, Workers' Party 0.7%, independents 5.9%; seats byparty - Fianna Fail 68, Fine Gael 45, Labor Party 33, Progressive Democrats10, Democratic Left 4, Greens 1, independents 5

Judicial branch Supreme Court, judges appointed by the president on the advice of thegovernment (prime minister and cabinet)

Political parties and leaders Democratic Left [Proinsias DE ROSSA]; Fianna Fail [Bertie AHERN]; LaborParty [Richard SPRING]; Fine Gael [John BRUTON]; Communist Party of Ireland [Michael O'RIORDAN]; Sinn Fein [Gerry ADAMS]; Progressive Democrats [MaryHARNEY]; The Workers' Party [Marion DONNELLY]; Green Alliance [Bronwen MAHER]
note: Prime Minister BRUTON heads a three-party coalition consisting of theFine Gael, the Labor Party, and the Democratic Left

International organization participation Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EIB, ESA, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat,Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MTCR, NEA, NSG, OECD, OSCE,UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP,UNPREDEP, UNTAES, UNTSO, UPU, WEU (observer), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Dermot A. GALLAGHER (will return to Dublin in July)
chancery: 2234 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 462-3939
FAX : [1] (202) 232-5993
consulate(s) general: Boston, Chicago, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Jean Kennedy SMITH
embassy: 42 Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin
mailing address : use embassy street address
telephone: [353] (1) 6688777
FAX: [353] (1) 6689946

Flag description three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and orange;similar to the flag of Cote d'Ivoire, which is shorter and has the colorsreversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green; also similar to the flagof Italy, which is shorter and has colors of green (hoist side), white, andred

NOTE: The information regarding Ireland on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ireland Government 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ireland Government 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.