Référendums en Irlande : protéger la constitution

The author argues that referendums are a vital tool for evolving Ireland's constitution, which was originally shaped by the struggle for independence and the influence of the Catholic Church. The text notes an acceleration in the frequency of referendums since 2000, particularly those with significant social impact, such as marriage equality (2015) and abortion (2018), which saw high voter turnout. The author advocates for the introduction of postal voting to increase accessibility and suggests making the Independent Referendum Commission a permanent body to ensure best practices in formulating and explaining amendments. Finally, the author rejects the idea of grouping multiple referendums on a single day, arguing that careful, individual consideration of amendments preserves the integrity of the constitutional process.

• The Irish constitution, drafted in 1922 and revised in 1937, was heavily influenced by the struggle for independence from Britain and the power of the Catholic Church, the latter of which the author describes as having become 'étouffante' (stifling) and outdated for a modern state.
• There has been an increase in the frequency of referendums in Ireland, with 19 occurring since 2000. Socially impactful amendments have driven the highest engagement, with the 2018 abortion referendum recording a 64.1% turnout and the 2015 marriage equality referendum recording 62.1%.
• The 2015 marriage equality referendum marked a turning point in youth political engagement in Ireland, amplified by social media campaigns like #HomeToVote, which encouraged young citizens to travel from around the world to vote.
• To improve democratic inclusion and the quality of constitutional changes, the author recommends introducing postal voting to remove barriers to access and transforming the Independent Referendum Commission into a permanent advisory body.
• The author opposes the adoption of a 'Super Tuesday' style approach where multiple referendums are held on the same day, arguing that such a method could devalue the process and cause confusion, whereas individual referendums allow for the necessary careful examination by the public.

APA

O’Keeffe, S. (2021). Référendums en Irlande : protéger la constitution. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/referendums-en-irlande%e2%80%af-proteger-la-constitution/

Chicago

O’Keeffe, Susan. Référendums en Irlande : protéger la constitution. Green European Journal, 2021. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/referendums-en-irlande%e2%80%af-proteger-la-constitution/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=O’Keeffe |first1=Susan |title=Référendums en Irlande : protéger la constitution |publisher=Green European Journal |date=26 November 2021 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/referendums-en-irlande%e2%80%af-proteger-la-constitution/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{okeeffe2021rfrendums, author = {O’Keeffe, Susan}, title = {{Référendums en Irlande : protéger la constitution}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/referendums-en-irlande%e2%80%af-proteger-la-constitution/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }