Presidential Commission (Ireland)

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Republic of Ireland

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The Presidential Commission (Irish: Coimisiún Uachtarán) is the collective vice-presidency of Ireland.

Contents 1 Membership 2 Powers 3 Origins 4 Members of the Presidential Commission as acting President of Ireland 4.1 1937–38 4.2 1974 4.3 1976 4.4 1997 5 See also

Membership

Three members serve on the Presidential Commission.

• Chief Justice – President of the Supreme Court
• Ceann Comhairle – Presiding officer of Dáil Éireann
• Cathaoirleach – Chairman of Seanad Éireann

Powers

The Presidential Commission fulfils all functions and duties of the office of President of Ireland:

• when the presidency is vacant due to death, resignation or impeachment and in the interregnum between the conclusion of one president's term of office and the inauguration of the next. (An Irish president's term of office technically expires on the day before the inauguration of their successor); or
• when the incumbent president is unavailable (e.g., abroad, ill, otherwise engaged) or unwilling to act (should the president "refuse" to fulfill any of their duties and functions).

See President of Ireland for the President's powers and duties.

Origins

The Presidential Commission was created in the 1937 Constitution of Ireland. It was first used between December 1937, when the Constitution came into force, and June 1938, when the first President was inaugurated. Initially, as the Irish senate had not been constituted and elected, the seat on the Presidential Commission intended for the Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann was filled by the President of the High Court under the Transitory Provisions of the Constitution.

Members of the Presidential Commission as acting President of Ireland

1937–38

Name	Title	Party	Entered Office	Left Office
Timothy Sullivan	Chief Justice	Non-party	29 December 1937	25 June 1938
Frank Fahy	Ceann Comhairle	Fianna Fáil
Conor Maguire	President of the High Court	Non-party

1974

Name	Title	Party	Entered Office	Left Office
Tom O'Higgins	Chief Justice	Non-party	17 November 1974	18 December 1974
Seán Treacy	Ceann Comhairle	Labour Party
James Dooge	Cathaoirleach	Fine Gael

1976

Name	Title	Party	Entered Office	Left Office
Tom O'Higgins	Chief Justice	Non-party	22 October 1976	2 December 1976
Seán Treacy	Ceann Comhairle	Labour Party
James Dooge	Cathaoirleach	Fine Gael

1997

Name	Title	Party	Entered Office	Left Office
Liam Hamilton	Chief Justice	Non-party	12 September 1997	10 November 1997
Séamus Pattison	Ceann Comhairle	Labour Party
Liam T. Cosgrave	Cathaoirleach	Fine Gael	12 September 1997	17 September 1997
Brian Mullooly	Cathaoirleach	Fianna Fáil	17 September 1997	10 November 1997

See also

• Council of State
• Official Seal of the President of Ireland

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