ly in areas located along the
western seaboard, English is the language generally used

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% (1981 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

@Ireland:Government

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 compulsory ICJ 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 prime minister and approval of the House of Representatives
elections : president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
election last held 9 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1997);
prime minister nominated by the House of Representatives and appointed
by the president
election results: Mary Bourke ROBINSON elected president; percent of
vote - Mary Bourke ROBINSON 52.8%, Brian LENIHAN 47.2%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Oireachtas consists of the
Senate or Seanad Eireann (60 seats, 49 elected by the universities and
from candidates put forward 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 representation to
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 NA November 1997)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - Fianna Fail 26, Fine Gael 16, Labor 9, Progressive Democrats
2, Democratic Left 1, independents