The Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, convened the Council of State at Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday 29th July to hear the council’s advice on the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill.
The bill passed through the Oireachtas but must be signed by the President to become law. President Higgins has invoked his right to convene a Council of State to consider the bill. This is the first step he must take before being able to refer the bill to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality. The council’s advice is not binding.
President Higgins has until Wednesday 31st July 2013 to decide to refer the bill to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court then has 60 days to review the bill. If the court approves the bill, it automatically becomes law and its constitutional standing can not be challenged any further.
In This Story: Constitutional Law
Constitutional law is a body of law which defines the role, powers, and structure of different entities within a state, namely, the executive, the parliament or legislature, and the judiciary; as well as the basic rights of citizens and, in federal countries such as the United States and Canada, the relationship between the central government and state, provincial, or territorial governments. Source: Wikipedia
Ireland is an island in the North Atlantic. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George’s Channel.
Geopolitically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland), which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. As of 2016, 4.8 million people live in the Republic of Ireland, and 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland.
The Irish climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and thus very moderate, and winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area, although summers are cooler than those in continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant.
A strong Irish culture exists, as expressed through Gaelic games, Irish music and the Irish language. The island’s culture shares many features with that of Great Britain, including the English language, and sports such as association football, rugby, horse racing, and golf.