88-688: Toby is a popular, usually male, name in many English speaking countries. The name is from the Middle English vernacular form of Tobias . Tobias itself is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew טוביה Toviah , which translates to Good is Yahweh . Yahweh is the name of the Jewish God. It is also used as a contraction of Tobin , an Irish surname now also used as a forename. English-speaking world The English-speaking world comprises
176-535: A lower house , Dáil Éireann ; an upper house , Seanad Éireann ; and an elected president ( Uachtarán ) who serves as the largely ceremonial head of state , but with some important powers and duties. The head of government is the Taoiseach (prime minister, lit. ' chief ' ), elected by the Dáil and appointed by the president, who appoints other government ministers. The Irish Free State
264-421: A second language , estimates of the total number of Anglophones vary from 1.5 billion to 2 billion. David Crystal calculated in 2003 that non-native speakers outnumbered native speakers by a ratio of three to one. Besides the major varieties of English — American , British , Canadian , Australian , Irish , New Zealand English —and their sub-varieties, countries such as South Africa , India , Nigeria ,
352-610: A temperate oceanic climate , temperatures are seldom lower than −5 °C (23 °F) in winter or higher than 26 °C (79 °F) in summer. The highest temperature recorded in Ireland was 33.3 °C (91.9 °F) on 26 June 1887 at Kilkenny Castle in Kilkenny, while the lowest temperature recorded was −19.1 °C (−2.4 °F) at Markree Castle in Sligo. Rainfall is more prevalent during winter months and less so during
440-467: A Regional Assembly composed of members delegated by the various county and city councils in the region. The regions do not have any direct administrative role as such, but they serve for planning, coordination and statistical purposes. Ireland has a common law legal system with a written constitution that provides for a parliamentary democracy . The court system consists of the Supreme Court ,
528-701: A ban on borrowing to fund current spending. This policy began in 1989–1992 by the Fianna Fáil/ Progressive Democrats government, and continued by the subsequent Fianna Fáil/ Labour government and Fine Gael /Labour/ Democratic Left government. Ireland became one of the world's fastest growing economies by the late 1990s in what was known as the Celtic Tiger period, which lasted until the Great Recession . Since 2014, Ireland has experienced increased economic activity. In
616-627: A bill to the Supreme Court for a judgment on its constitutionality. Michael D. Higgins became the ninth President of Ireland on 11 November 2011. The Taoiseach (Prime Minister) serves as the head of government and is appointed by the President upon the nomination of the Dáil . Most Taoisigh have served as the leader of the political party that gains the most seats in national elections. It has become customary for coalitions to form
704-404: A day. The sunniest months are May and June, which average between 5 and 6.5 hours per day over most of the country. The extreme southeast gets most sunshine, averaging over 7 hours a day in early summer. December is the dullest month, with an average daily sunshine ranging from about 1 hour in the north to almost 2 hours in the extreme southeast. The sunniest summer in the 100 years from 1881 to 1980
792-543: A government, as there has not been a single-party government since 1989. The Dáil has 160 members ( Teachtaí Dála ) elected to represent multi-seat constituencies under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote . The Seanad is composed of sixty members, with eleven nominated by the Taoiseach , six elected by two university constituencies , and 43 elected by public representatives from panels of candidates established on
880-543: A member of NATO's Partnership for Peace (PfP) program and NATO's Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), which is aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union. Ireland is a neutral country , and has "triple-lock" rules governing the participation of Irish troops in conflict zones, whereby approval must be given by the UN, the Dáil and Government. Accordingly, its military role
968-554: A number of policy areas under the North/South Ministerial Council created by the Agreement. Ireland is a developed country with a quality of life that ranks amongst the highest in the world; after adjustments for inequality , the 2021 Human Development Index listing ranked it the sixth-highest in the world. It also ranks highly in healthcare , economic freedom and freedom of the press . It
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#17327915353981056-709: A population of about 1.5 million. The sovereign state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland , which is part of the United Kingdom . It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the Celtic Sea to the south, St George's Channel to the south-east and the Irish Sea to the east. It is a unitary , parliamentary republic . The legislature, the Oireachtas , consists of
1144-678: A ship and a special unit of frogmen . The military includes the Reserve Defence Forces ( Army Reserve and Naval Service Reserve ) for part-time reservists. Ireland's special forces include the Army Ranger Wing , which trains and operates with international special operations units. The President is the formal Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces, but in practice these Forces answer to the Government via
1232-456: A vocational basis. The government is constitutionally limited to fifteen members. No more than two members can be selected from the Seanad , and the Taoiseach , Tánaiste (deputy prime minister) and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil . The Dáil must be dissolved within five years of its first meeting following the previous election, and a general election for members of
1320-611: Is a member of the EU and a founding member of the Council of Europe and the OECD . The Irish government has followed a policy of military neutrality through non-alignment since before World War II , and the country is consequently not a member of NATO , although it is a member of Partnership for Peace and certain aspects of PESCO . Ireland's economy is advanced, with one of Europe's major financial hubs being centred on Dublin. It ranks among
1408-604: Is also the primary native language and English is the primary language of government and education, such as Ireland , Gibraltar , and the Commonwealth Caribbean . While English is also spoken by a majority of people as a second language in a handful of countries such as Denmark , the Netherlands , Norway and Sweden , these countries are not considered part of the English-speaking world as
1496-505: Is appointed by the Government. Most uniformed members do not routinely carry firearms . Standard policing is traditionally carried out by uniformed officers equipped only with a baton and pepper spray . The Military Police is the corps of the Irish Army responsible for the provision of policing service personnel and providing a military police presence to forces while on exercise and deployment. In wartime, additional tasks include
1584-589: Is limited to national self-defence and participation in United Nations peacekeeping . The Irish Defence Forces ( Óglaigh na hÉireann ) are made up of the Army , Naval Service , Air Corps and Reserve Defence Force . It is small but well equipped, with almost 10,000 full-time military personnel and over 2,000 in reserve. Daily deployments of the Defence Forces cover aid to civil power operations, protection and patrol of Irish territorial waters and EEZ by
1672-462: Is so widely spoken, it has often been called a " world language ", the lingua franca of the modern era, and while it is not an official language in most countries, it is currently the language most often taught as a foreign language . It is, by international treaty, the official language for aeronautical and maritime communications. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations and many other international organizations, including
1760-1163: Is studied most often in the European Union , and the perception of the usefulness of foreign languages among Europeans is 67% in favour of English, ahead of 17% for German and 16% for French (as of 2012 ). In some of the non–English-speaking EU countries, the following percentages of adults claimed to be able to converse in English in 2012: 90% in the Netherlands; 89% in Malta; 86% in Sweden and Denmark; 73% in Cyprus, Croatia, and Austria; 70% in Finland; and over 50% in Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, Slovenia, and Germany. In 2012, excluding native speakers, 38% of Europeans consider that they can speak English. Books, magazines, and newspapers written in English are available in many countries around
1848-551: Is the official residence of the President of Ireland, while the houses of the Oireachtas meet at Leinster House in Dublin . The President serves as head of state , is elected for a seven-year term, and may be re-elected once. The President is primarily a figurehead , but is entrusted with certain constitutional powers with the advice of the Council of State . The office has absolute discretion in some areas, such as referring
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#17327915353981936-552: The Anglosphere . Speakers of English are called Anglophones . Early Medieval England was the birthplace of the English language; the modern form of the language has been spread around the world since the 17th century, first by the worldwide influence of England and later the United Kingdom, and then by that of the United States . Through all types of printed and electronic media of these countries, English has become
2024-662: The British government and the five Irish treaty delegates, led by Arthur Griffith , Robert Barton and Michael Collins , negotiated the Anglo-Irish Treaty in London from 11 October to 6 December 1921. The Irish delegates set up headquarters at Hans Place in Knightsbridge , and it was here in private discussions that the decision was taken on 5 December to recommend the treaty to Dáil Éireann. On 7 January 1922,
2112-561: The Commonwealth of Nations . English is the primary natively spoken language in several countries and territories. Five of the largest of these are sometimes described as the " core Anglosphere "; they are the United Kingdom , the United States , Australia , Canada , and New Zealand . The term "Anglosphere" can sometimes be extended to include other countries and territories where English or an English Creole language
2200-694: The Court of Appeal , the High Court , the Circuit Court and the District Court , all of which apply the Irish law and hear both civil and criminal matters. Trials for serious offences must usually be held before a jury . The High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have authority, by means of judicial review , to determine the compatibility of laws and activities of other institutions of
2288-741: The Crown of Ireland Act 1542 was repealed in Ireland by the Statute Law Revision (Pre-Union Irish Statutes) Act 1962 . Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955, after having been denied membership because of its neutral stance during the Second World War and not supporting the Allied cause . At the time, joining the UN involved a commitment to using force to deter aggression by one state against another if
2376-723: The European Communities (EC), the predecessor of the European Union (EU), in 1973. The state had no formal relations with Northern Ireland for most of the 20th century, but the 1980s and 1990s saw the British and Irish governments working with Northern Irish parties to resolve the conflict that had become known as the Troubles . Since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the Irish government and Northern Irish government have co-operated on
2464-464: The European Union (light green) Ireland ( Irish : Éire [ˈeːɾʲə] ), also known as the Republic of Ireland ( Poblacht na hÉireann ), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland , with a population of about 5.4 million. The capital and largest city is Dublin , on the eastern side of the island, with
2552-883: The International Olympic Committee . It is also one of two co-official languages for astronauts (besides the Russian language) serving on board the International Space Station . The English language has a particular significance in the Commonwealth of Nations, which developed from the British Empire. English is the medium of inter-Commonwealth relations. The English language as used in the Commonwealth has sometimes been referred to as Commonwealth English , most often interchangeably with British English . English
2640-524: The Irish Republican Army (IRA) split into two opposing camps: a pro-treaty IRA and an anti-treaty IRA . The pro-treaty IRA disbanded and joined the new National Army . However, because the anti-treaty IRA lacked an effective command structure and because of the pro-treaty forces' defensive tactics throughout the war, Michael Collins and his pro-treaty forces were able to build up an army with many tens of thousands of World War I veterans from
2728-611: The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands . However, some identification is required at airports and seaports. The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 was the founding statute of the present system of local government, while the Twentieth Amendment to the constitution of 1999 provided for its constitutional recognition. The twenty-six traditional counties of Ireland are the basis of the local government areas, with
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2816-482: The Philippines , Singapore , Jamaica , and Trinidad and Tobago also have millions of native speakers of dialect continua ranging from English-based creole languages to Standard English . Other countries and territories, such as Ghana , also use English as their primary official language even though it is not the native language of most of the people. English holds official status in numerous countries within
2904-711: The Second Dáil ratified the Treaty by 64 votes to 57. In accordance with the treaty, on 6 December 1922 the entire island of Ireland became a self-governing Dominion called the Irish Free State ( Saorstát Éireann ). Under the Constitution of the Irish Free State , the Parliament of Northern Ireland had the option to leave the Irish Free State one month later and return to the United Kingdom. During
2992-787: The Ulster Unionist Party , unionists became strongly militant, forming Ulster Volunteers in order to oppose "the Coercion of Ulster". After the Home Rule Bill passed parliament in May 1914, to avoid rebellion with Ulster, the British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith introduced an Amending Bill reluctantly conceded to by the Irish Party leadership. This provided for the temporary exclusion of Ulster from
3080-611: The diacritic ) and, from 1949, "Republic of Ireland", for the state. It was not until the 1998 Good Friday Agreement , when the state dropped its claim to Northern Ireland , that it began calling the state "Ireland". The state is also informally called "the Republic", "Southern Ireland" or "the South"; especially when distinguishing the state from the island or when discussing Northern Ireland ("the North"). Irish republicans reserve
3168-498: The leading language of international discourse and the lingua franca in many regions and professional fields, such as science , navigation and law . The United States and India have the most total English speakers, with 306 million and 129 million, respectively. These are followed by Pakistan (104 million), the United Kingdom (68 million), and Nigeria (60 million). As of 2022, there were about 400 million native speakers of English. Including people who speak English as
3256-586: The 1922 disbanded Irish regiments of the British Army, capable of overwhelming the anti-treatyists. British supplies of artillery, aircraft, machine-guns and ammunition boosted pro-treaty forces, and the threat of a return of Crown forces to the Free State removed any doubts about the necessity of enforcing the treaty. Lack of public support for the anti-treaty forces (often called the Irregulars) and
3344-430: The 88 countries and territories in which English is an official, administrative, or cultural language. In the early 2000s, between one and two billion people spoke English, making it the largest language by number of speakers , the third largest language by number of native speakers and the most widespread language geographically. The countries in which English is the native language of most people are sometimes termed
3432-437: The Atlantic Ocean via St George's Channel and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. The western landscape mostly consists of rugged cliffs, hills and mountains. The central lowlands are extensively covered with glacial deposits of clay and sand, as well as significant areas of bogland and several lakes. The highest point is Carrauntoohil (1,038.6 m or 3,407 ft), located in the MacGillycuddy's Reeks mountain range in
3520-438: The British Government. In January 1919, after the December 1918 general election , 73 of Ireland's 105 Members of Parliament (MPs) elected were Sinn Féin members who were elected on a platform of abstentionism from the British House of Commons . In January 1919, they set up an Irish parliament called Dáil Éireann . This first Dáil issued a declaration of independence and proclaimed an Irish Republic . The declaration
3608-436: The Constitution defined the national territory to be the whole island, they also confined the state's jurisdiction to the area that had been the Irish Free State. The former Irish Free State government had abolished the Office of Governor-General in December 1936. Although the constitution established the office of President of Ireland , the question over whether Ireland was a republic remained open. Diplomats were accredited to
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3696-444: The Dáil must take place no later than thirty days after the dissolution. In accordance with the Constitution of Ireland , parliamentary elections must be held at least every seven years, though a lower limit may be set by statute law. The current government is a coalition of Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael , and the Green Party with Simon Harris of Fine Gael as Taoiseach and Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil as Tánaiste. Opposition parties in
3784-403: The English language globally has had a large impact on many other languages, leading to language shift and language death , and to claims of linguistic imperialism . English itself has become more open to language shift as multiple regional varieties feed back into the language as a whole. Republic of Ireland – in Europe (light green & dark grey) – in
3872-462: The Irish Free State shall no longer extend to Northern Ireland." The Irish Free State was a constitutional monarchy sharing a monarch with the United Kingdom and other Dominions of the British Commonwealth . The country had a governor-general (representing the monarch), a bicameral parliament, a cabinet called the "Executive Council", and a prime minister called the President of the Executive Council . The Irish Civil War (June 1922 – May 1923)
3960-486: The Irish Naval Service, and UN, EU and PfP peace-keeping missions. By 1996, over 40,000 Irish service personnel had served in international UN peacekeeping missions. The Irish Air Corps is the air component of the Defence Forces and operates sixteen fixed wing aircraft and eight helicopters. The Irish Naval Service is Ireland's navy, and operates six patrol ships , and smaller numbers of inflatable boats and training vessels, and has armed boarding parties capable of seizing
4048-407: The Northern Ireland question, the British and Irish governments started to seek a peaceful resolution to the violent conflict involving many paramilitaries and the British Army in Northern Ireland known as " The Troubles ". A peace settlement for Northern Ireland, known as the Good Friday Agreement , was approved in 1998 in referendums north and south of the border. As part of the peace settlement,
4136-416: The State is Éire , or, in the English language, Ireland". Section 2 of the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 states, "It is hereby declared that the description of the State shall be the Republic of Ireland." The 1948 Act does not name the state "Republic of Ireland", because to have done so would have put it in conflict with the Constitution. The government of the United Kingdom used the name "Eire" (without
4224-417: The UK, but with strong links to Ireland". The state extends over an area of about five-sixths (70,273 km or 27,133 sq mi) of the island of Ireland (84,421 km or 32,595 sq mi), with Northern Ireland constituting the remainder. The island is bounded to the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean and to the northeast by the North Channel . To the east, the Irish Sea connects to
4312-437: The UK, launched an armed insurrection against British rule in the 1916 Easter Rising , together with the Irish Citizen Army . This commenced on 24 April 1916 with the declaration of independence . After a week of heavy fighting, primarily in Dublin, the surviving rebels were forced to surrender their positions. The majority were imprisoned, with fifteen of the prisoners (including most of the leaders) were executed as traitors to
4400-414: The UK. This included Patrick Pearse , the spokesman for the rising and who provided the signal to the volunteers to start the rising, as well as James Connolly , socialist and founder of the Industrial Workers of the World union and both the Irish and Scottish Labour movements. These events, together with the Conscription Crisis of 1918 , had a profound effect on changing public opinion in Ireland against
4488-586: The UN thought it was necessary. Interest towards membership of the European Communities (EC) developed in Ireland during the 1950s, with consideration also given to membership of the European Free Trade Area . As the United Kingdom intended on EC membership, Ireland applied for membership in July 1961 due to the substantial economic linkages with the United Kingdom. The founding EC members remained sceptical regarding Ireland's economic capacity, neutrality, and unattractive protectionist policy. Many Irish economists and politicians realised that economic policy reform
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#17327915353984576-428: The United Kingdom and United States are also important. It held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union on six occasions, most recently from January to June 2013. Ireland tends towards independence in foreign policy; thus the country is not a member of NATO and has a longstanding policy of military neutrality. This policy has led to the Irish Defence Forces contributing to peace-keeping missions with
4664-448: The United Nations since 1960, including during the Congo Crisis and subsequently in Cyprus , Lebanon and Bosnia and Herzegovina . Despite Irish neutrality during World War II , Ireland had more than 50,000 participants in the war through enlistment in the British armed forces. During the Cold War , Irish military policy, while ostensibly neutral, was biased towards NATO. During the Cuban Missile Crisis , Seán Lemass authorised
4752-466: The bursting of the Irish property bubble . The Great Recession lasted until 2014, and was followed by a new period of strong economic growth. The Irish name for Ireland is Éire , deriving from Ériu , a goddess in Irish mythology. The state created in 1922, comprising 26 of the 32 counties of Ireland , was "styled and known as the Irish Free State" ( Saorstát Éireann ). The Constitution of Ireland , adopted in 1937, says that "the name of
4840-421: The current Dáil are Sinn Féin , the Labour Party , People Before Profit–Solidarity , Social Democrats , Aontú , as well as a number of independents . Ireland has been a member state of the European Union since 1973. Citizens of the United Kingdom can freely enter the country without a passport due to the Common Travel Area , which is a passport-free zone comprising the islands of Ireland, Great Britain,
4928-432: The determination of the government to overcome the Irregulars contributed significantly to their defeat. Following a national plebiscite in July 1937, the new Constitution of Ireland ( Bunreacht na hÉireann ) came into force on 29 December 1937. This replaced the Constitution of the Irish Free State and declared that the name of the state is Éire , or "Ireland" in the English language. While Articles 2 and 3 of
5016-452: The early months of summer. Southwestern areas experience the most rainfall as a result of south westerly winds, while Dublin receives the least. Sunshine duration is highest in the southeast of the country. The far north and west are two of the windiest regions in Europe, with great potential for wind energy generation. Ireland normally gets between 1100 and 1600 hours of sunshine each year, most areas averaging between 3.25 and 3.75 hours
5104-410: The extensive clearing of woodland for farming are believed to be the main causes of deforestation . Today, only about 10% of Ireland is woodland, most of which is non-native conifer plantations , and only 2% of which is native woodland. The average woodland cover in European countries is over 33%. According to Coillte , a state-owned forestry business, the country's climate gives Ireland one of
5192-406: The fact that the state would remain part of the British Empire and that members of the Free State Parliament would have to swear what the anti-treaty side saw as an oath of fidelity to the British king. Pro-treaty forces, led by Michael Collins , argued that the treaty gave "not the ultimate freedom that all nations aspire to and develop, but the freedom to achieve it". At the start of the war,
5280-414: The fastest growth rates for forests in Europe. Hedgerows , which are traditionally used to define land boundaries, are an important substitute for woodland habitat, providing refuge for native wild flora and a wide range of insect, bird and mammal species. It is home to two terrestrial ecoregions: Celtic broadleaf forests and North Atlantic moist mixed forests . Agriculture accounts for about 64% of
5368-500: The hands of landlord-dominated grand juries of the Protestant Ascendancy . Home Rule seemed certain when the Parliament Act 1911 abolished the veto of the House of Lords , and John Redmond secured the Third Home Rule Act in 1914. However, the Unionist movement had been growing since 1886 among Irish Protestants after the introduction of the first home rule bill, fearing discrimination and loss of economic and social privileges if Irish Catholics achieved real political power. In
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#17327915353985456-433: The implementation of the Act at the end of the war through Ireland's engagement in the war , Redmond and the Irish National Volunteers supported the UK and its Allies . 175,000 men joined Irish regiments of the 10th (Irish) and 16th (Irish) divisions of the New British Army , while Unionists joined the 36th (Ulster) divisions. The remainder of the Irish Volunteers , who refused Redmond and opposed any support of
5544-402: The intervening period, the powers of the Parliament of the Irish Free State and Executive Council of the Irish Free State did not extend to Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland exercised its right under the treaty to leave the new Dominion and rejoined the United Kingdom on 8 December 1922. It did so by making an address to the King requesting, "that the powers of the Parliament and Government of
5632-428: The island's population of over 8 million fell by 30%. One million Irish died of starvation and disease and another 1.5 million emigrated, mostly to the United States. This set the pattern of emigration for the century to come, resulting in constant population decline up to the 1960s. From 1874, and particularly under Charles Stewart Parnell from 1880, the Irish Parliamentary Party gained prominence. This
5720-399: The king, but the president exercised all internal functions of a head of state. For instance, the President gave assent to new laws with his own authority, without reference to King George VI who was only an "organ", that was provided for by statute law. Ireland remained neutral during World War II, a period it described as The Emergency . Ireland's Dominion status was terminated with
5808-473: The language is still viewed primarily as a foreign tongue and does not serve an important cultural role in society. English is an official language ( de facto or de jure ) of the following countries and territories. Although not official, English is also an important language in some former colonies and protectorates of the British Empire where it is used as an administrative language , namely Brunei , Malaysia , and Sri Lanka . Because English
5896-404: The late 19th and early 20th-century unionism was particularly strong in parts of Ulster , where industrialisation was more common in contrast to the more agrarian rest of the island, and where the Protestant population was more prominent, with a majority in four counties. Under the leadership of the Dublin-born Sir Edward Carson of the Irish Unionist Party and the Ulsterman Sir James Craig of
5984-427: The name "Ireland" for the whole island and often refer to the state as "the Free State", "the 26 Counties", or "the South of Ireland". This is a "response to the partitionist view [...] that Ireland stops at the border". From the Act of Union on 1 January 1801, until 6 December 1922, the island of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . During the Great Famine , from 1845 to 1849,
6072-420: The passage of The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 , which came into force on 18 April 1949 and declared that the state was a republic. At the time, a declaration of a republic terminated Commonwealth membership. This rule was changed 10 days after Ireland declared itself a republic, with the London Declaration of 28 April 1949. Ireland did not reapply when the rules were altered to permit republics to join. Later,
6160-421: The provision of a traffic control organisation to allow rapid movement of military formations to their mission areas. Other wartime roles include control of prisoners of war and refugees. Ireland's citizenship laws relate to "the island of Ireland", including islands and seas, thereby extending them to Northern Ireland , which is part of the United Kingdom. Therefore, anyone born in Northern Ireland who meets
6248-434: The requirements for being an Irish citizen, such as birth on the island of Ireland to an Irish or British citizen parent or a parent who is entitled to live in Northern Ireland or the Republic without restriction on their residency, may exercise an entitlement to Irish citizenship, such as an Irish passport . Foreign relations are substantially influenced by membership of the European Union, although bilateral relations with
6336-615: The search of Cuban and Czechoslovak aircraft passing through Shannon and passed the information to the CIA . Ireland's air facilities were used by the United States military for the delivery of military personnel involved in the 2003 invasion of Iraq through Shannon Airport . The airport had previously been used for the United States invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, as well as the First Gulf War . Since 1999, Ireland has been
6424-696: The southwest. River Shannon , which traverses the central lowlands, is the longest river in Ireland at 386 kilometres or 240 miles in length. The west coast is more rugged than the east, with numerous islands, peninsulas , headlands and bays . Ireland is one of the least forested countries in Europe. Until the end of the Middle Ages , the land was heavily forested. Native species include deciduous trees such as oak , ash , hazel , birch , alder , willow , aspen , elm , rowan and hawthorn , as well as evergreen trees such Scots pine , yew , holly and strawberry trees . The growth of blanket bog and
6512-579: The state with the constitution and the law. Except in exceptional circumstances, court hearings must occur in public. The Garda Síochána ( lit. Guardians of the Peace), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí, is the state's civilian police force. The force is responsible for all aspects of civil policing, both in terms of territory and infrastructure. It is headed by the Garda Commissioner, who
6600-735: The territorial claim to Northern Ireland in Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution of Ireland was removed by referendum. In its white paper on Brexit the United Kingdom government reiterated its commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. With regard to Northern Ireland's status, it said that the UK Government's "clearly-stated preference is to retain Northern Ireland's current constitutional position: as part of
6688-459: The top five wealthiest countries in the world in terms of both GDP and GNI per capita. After joining the EC, the country's government enacted a series of liberal economic policies that helped to boost economic growth between 1995 and 2007, a time now often referred to as the Celtic Tiger period. A recession and reversal in growth then followed during the Great Recession , which was exacerbated by
6776-604: The total land area. This has resulted in limited land to preserve natural habitats, in particular for larger wild mammals with greater territorial requirements. The long history of agricultural production coupled with modern agricultural methods, such as pesticide and fertiliser use, has placed pressure on biodiversity . The Atlantic Ocean and the warming influence of the Gulf Stream affect weather patterns in Ireland. Temperatures differ regionally, with central and eastern areas tending to be more extreme. However, due to
6864-618: The traditional counties of Cork , Dublin and Galway containing two or more local government areas. The Local Government Act 2001 , as amended by the Local Government Reform Act 2014 , provides for a system of thirty-one local authorities – twenty-six county councils, two city and county councils, and three city councils. Counties (with the exception of the three counties in Dublin) are divided into municipal districts . A second local government tier of town councils
6952-611: The workings of the bill for a trial period of six years, with an as yet undecided new set of measures to be introduced for the area to be temporarily excluded. Though it received the Royal Assent and was placed on the statute books in 1914, the implementation of the Third Home Rule Act was suspended until after the First World War which defused the threat of civil war in Ireland. With the hope of ensuring
7040-462: The world; English is the most commonly used language in the sciences, with Science Citation Index reporting as early as 1997 that 95% of its articles were written in English, even though only half of them came from authors in English-speaking countries. In publishing, English literature predominates considerably, with 28% of all books published in the world [Leclerc 2011] and 30% of web content in 2011 (down from 50% in 2000). The increasing use of
7128-651: Was 1887, according to measurements made at the Phoenix Park in Dublin; 1980 was the dullest. Ireland is a constitutional republic with a parliamentary system of government. The Oireachtas is the bicameral national parliament composed of the President of Ireland and the two Houses of the Oireachtas: Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (Senate). Áras an Uachtaráin
7216-434: Was abolished in 2014. Local authorities are responsible for matters such as planning, local roads, sanitation, and libraries. The breaching of county boundaries should be avoided as far as practicable in drawing Dáil constituencies . Counties with greater populations have multiple constituencies, some of more than one county, but generally do not cross county boundaries. The counties are grouped into three regions , each with
7304-399: Was created with Dominion status in 1922, following the Anglo-Irish Treaty . In 1937, a new constitution was adopted, in which the state was named "Ireland" and effectively became a republic, with an elected non-executive president . It was officially declared a republic in 1949, following The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 . Ireland became a member of the United Nations in 1955. It joined
7392-612: Was firstly through widespread agrarian agitation via the Irish Land League , which won land reforms for tenants in the form of the Irish Land Acts , and secondly through its attempts to achieve Home Rule , via two unsuccessful bills which would have granted Ireland limited national autonomy. These led to "grass-roots" control of national affairs, under the Local Government Act 1898 , that had been in
7480-546: Was held later that year which confirmed Ireland's entry into the bloc, and it finally joined the EC as a member state on 1 January 1973. The economic crisis of the late 1970s was fuelled by the Fianna Fáil government's budget, the abolition of the car tax, excessive borrowing, and global economic instability including the 1979 oil crisis . There were significant policy changes from 1989 onwards, with economic reform, tax cuts, welfare reform, an increase in competition, and
7568-674: Was mainly a restatement of the 1916 Proclamation with the additional provision that Ireland was no longer a part of the United Kingdom. The Irish Republic's Ministry of Dáil Éireann sent a delegation under Ceann Comhairle (Head of Council, or Speaker, of the Daíl) Seán T. O'Kelly to the Paris Peace Conference of 1919, but it was not admitted. After the War of Independence and truce called in July 1921, representatives of
7656-455: Was necessary. The prospect of EC membership became doubtful in 1963 when French President General Charles de Gaulle stated that France opposed Britain's accession, which ceased negotiations with all other candidate countries. In 1969 his successor, Georges Pompidou , was not opposed to British and Irish membership. Negotiations began and in 1972 the Treaty of Accession was signed. A referendum
7744-534: Was the consequence of the ratification of the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the creation of the Irish Free State. Anti-treaty forces, led by Éamon de Valera , objected to the fact that acceptance of the treaty abolished the Irish Republic of 1919 to which they had sworn loyalty, arguing in the face of public support for the settlement that the "people have no right to do wrong". They objected most to
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