The Constitution of Ireland, Bunreacht na hÉireann is the basic law of Ireland. A law cannot be passed that disagrees with the Constitution. To change the Constitution there must be a referendum. People can only vote in a referendum if they are over 18 years of age and a citizen of Ireland. The Constitution was passed on the 1st of July1937 by a referendum. The Constitution came into play on the 29th of December 1937. The existing Constitution replaced the Constitution of the Irish Free State, Saorstát Éireann that came into existence in 1922.

Eamon De Valera oversaw the writing of the Constitution and it was drafted in two languages. The Irish version was written by Micheál Ó Griobhtha (assisted by Risteárd Ó Foghludha) and the English version by John Hearne.

Main Terms in the Constitution
There are fifty articles with 16,000 words under sixteen headings. The headings include

1. The Nation (1-3)
2. The State (4-11)
3. The President (12-14)
4. The National Parliament (15-27)
5. The Government (28)
6. International Relations (29)
7. The Attorney General (30)
8. The Council of State (31-32)
9. The Comptroller and Auditor General (33)
10. The Courts (34-37)
11. Trial of Offences (38-39)
12. Fundamental Rights (40-44)
13. Directive Principles of Social Policy (45)
14. Amendment of the Constitution (46)
15. The Referendum (47)
16. Repeal of Constitution of Saorstát Éireann and Continuance of Laws (48-50)