Third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill, 1958

The Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1958 was a proposal to amend the Constitution of Ireland to alter the electoral system. The proposal was rejected.

Proposed changes to the text

The subject matter of the referendum was described as follows:

:The Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1958 –:At present, members of Dáil Éireann are elected on a system of proportional representation for constituencies returning at least three members, each voter having a single transferable vote. It is proposed in the Bill to abolish the system of proportional representation and to adopt, instead, a system of single-member constituencies, each voter having a single non-transferable vote. It is also proposed in the Bill to set up a Commission for the determination and revision of the constituencies, instead of having this done by the Oireachtas, as at present.

Overview

It proposed to alter the electoral system for elections to Dáil Éireann from proportional representation under the Single Transferable Vote to the British 'First Past the Post' system. It also proposed to establish an independent commission for the drawing of constituency boundaries on a constitutional basis. It was put to a referendum on 17 June 1959 (The same day as the Irish presidential election, 1959) but was defeated. It was introduced by the Fianna Fáil government of Éamon de Valera but was opposed by Fine Gael, the main opposition party, and by the Labour Party. The Third Amendment, 1958 was rejected by 486,989 (51.8%) against to 453,322 (48.2%) in favour.

A second attempt by Fianna Fáil to abolish Proportional representation was tried in 1968, see Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968.

Result

ee also

*Politics of the Republic of Ireland
*History of the Republic of Ireland
*Constitutional amendment

External links

* [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1959/en/act/pub/0005/index.html Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1959] (Full text at [http://www.irishstatutebook.ie IrishStatuteBook.ie] )
* [http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/html%20files/Constitution%20of%20Ireland%20(Eng).htm Full text of the Constitution of Ireland] (Accurate up to and including the Twenty-seventh Amendment from [http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/ Department of the Taoiseach] )
* [http://www.johnpghall.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ The Unabridged Constitution of Ireland] (Unofficial variorum edition - accurate only up to Twentieth Amendment)