Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013

1. Definitions.

1.— In this Act—

“the establishment day” has the same meaning as it has in the amendments made by section 3(c) and (d);

“the relevant law” means the law required to be enacted by the amendments made by section 3(c)and (d).

2. Taking effect of provisions of this Act.

2.— (1) The amendments of the Constitution made by section 3 take effect on the enactment of this Act.

(2) Notwithstanding Article 46 of the Constitution—

(a) the amendments of the Constitution made by sections 4, 5 and 6 take effect on the establishment day appointed by the Government pursuant to the relevant law, and

(b) a provision, to the extent that it is applicable, of section 7 takes effect as stated therein.

(3) The amendments of Article 34 of the Constitution made by section 5(2)(f) and (g) apply to a case involving a question as to the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of the Constitution and which is heard, but the decision in which is not pronounced, before the day referred to in subsection (2)(a) as they apply to a case involving such a question which is heard, and the decision in which is pronounced, after that day.

3. Establishment of Court of Appeal.

3.— The Constitution is hereby amended as follows:

(a) the section, the text of which is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 1, shall be substituted for section 2 of Article 34 of the Irish text,

(b) the section, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 1, shall be substituted for section 2 of Article 34 of the English text,

(c) the Article, the text of which is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 2, shall be inserted after Article 34 of the Irish text, and

(d) the Article, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 2, shall be inserted after Article 34 of the English text.

4. Amendments relating to jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal.

4.— Article 34 of the Constitution is hereby amended as follows:

(a) the section, the text of which is set out in Part 1of Schedule 3, shall be inserted after section 3 of the Irish text,

(b) the section, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 3, shall be inserted after section 3 of the English text, and

(c) sections 4 and 5 of both texts shall be numbered as sections 5 and 6.

5. Amendments relating to jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.

5.— (1) A reference in this section to section 5 of Article 34 of the Constitution is a reference to the section of that Article numbered as section 5 by section 4(c).

(2) Article 34 of the Constitution is hereby amended as follows:

(a) the subsection, the text of which is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 4, shall be substituted for subsection 3 of section 5 of the Irish text,

(b) the subsection, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 4, shall be substituted for subsection 3 of section 5 of the English text,

(c) the subsection, the text of which is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 5, shall be inserted after subsection 3 of section 5 of the Irish text,

(d) the subsection, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 5, shall be inserted after subsection 3 of section 5 of the English text,

(e) subsection 4 of section 5 of both texts shall be numbered as subsection 5,

(f) subsection 5 of section 5 of the Irish text shall be deleted, and

(g) subsection 5 of section 5 of the English text shall be deleted.

6. Other amendments to the Constitution.

6.— (1) Every Article of the Constitution mentioned in the second column of Part 1of Schedule 6 shall, as respects the Irish text of it, be amended in the manner stated in the third column of that Part opposite the mention, or each of the several mentions, of the Article in that second column.

(2) Every Article of the Constitution mentioned in the second column of Part 2of Schedule 6 shall, as respects the English text of it, be amended in the manner stated in the third column of that Part opposite the mention, or each of the several mentions, of the Article in that second column.

(3) A reference in Schedule 6 to section 6 of Article 34 of the Constitution is a reference to the section of that Article numbered as section 6 by section 4(c).

(4) The Constitution is hereby further amended as follows:

(a) the Article, the text of which is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 7, shall be inserted after Article 63 of the Irish text, and

(b) the Article, the text of which is set out in Part 2 of Schedule 7, shall be inserted after Article 63 of the English text.

7. Contingent amendments and construction provision.

7.— (1) If the Seanad Abolition Bill is enacted into law—

(a) in the event that the abolition day falls after the establishment day, section 4, inserted by the Seanad Abolition Bill, of Article 35 of the Constitution shall be amended, from the abolition day—

(i) as respects the Irish text, in the manner stated in Part 1 of Schedule 8, and

(ii) as respects the English text, in the manner stated in Part 2of Schedule 8,

(b) in the event that the abolition day falls before the establishment day, a reference in Schedule 6 to section 4 of Article 35 of the Constitution shall, from the establishment day, be construed as a reference to the section of that Article inserted by the Seanad Abolition Bill.

(2) In this section—

(a) “the abolition day” has the same meaning as it has in the amendment of the Constitution made by section 2 of the Seanad Abolition Bill;

(b) “the Seanad Abolition Bill” means the Bill entitled the Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013 and initiated in Dáil Éireann on 4 June 2013;

(c) a reference to the Seanad Abolition Bill being enacted into law is a reference to that Bill being enacted into law in accordance with Articles 46 and 47.1 of the Constitution.

8. Citation.

8.— (1) The several amendments of the Constitution effected by this Act shall be collectively known as and may for all purposes be collectively referred to as the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution, and any particular one of those amendments that are effected by Schedule 6 may, for purposes of identification, be referred to by the number in the first column of Part 1or, as the case may be, Part 2 of that Schedule opposite the statement of such amendment in the third column of the Part concerned.

(2) This Act may be cited as the Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Act 2013.

SCHEDULE 1

Part 1

2 Beidh ar na Cúirteanna sin:

i Cúirteanna Céadchéime;

ii Cúirt Achomhairc; agus

iii Cúirt Achomhairc Dheiridh.

Part 2

2 The Courts shall comprise:

i Courts of First Instance;

ii a Court of Appeal; and

iii a Court of Final Appeal.

SCHEDULE 2

Part 1 Cúirt Achomhairc a Bhunú

Airteagal 34A

1 Bunófar an Chúirt Achomhairc dá dtagraítear i mír ii d’Airteagal 34.2 den Bhunreacht seo (“an Chúirt Achomhairc”) de réir an Airteagail seo.

2 A luaithe is féidir tar éis an tAirteagal seo a achtú, achtófar dlí lena ndéanfar socrú chun an Chúirt Achomhairc a bhunú.

3 Cuirfear de cheangal ar an Rialtas leis an dlí sin lá (“an lá bunaithe”) a cheapadh le hordú arb é an lá é a bhunófar an Chúirt Achomhairc de bhua an dlí sin; oibreoidh ordú ón Rialtas mar a dúradh chun go mbeidh an éifeacht sin leis dá bhíthin sin.

4 Déanfar an tAirteagal seo a fhágáil ar lár as gach téacs oifigiúil den Bhunreacht seo a fhoilseofar tar éis an lae bunaithe.

Part 2 Establishment of Court of Appeal

Article 34A

1 The Court of Appeal referred to in paragraph ii of Article 34.2 hereof (“the Court of Appeal”) shall be established in accordance with this Article.

2 As soon as practicable after the enactment of this Article, a law providing for the establishment of the Court of Appeal shall be enacted.

3 That law shall require the Government to appoint by order a day (“the establishment day”) on which the Court of Appeal shall be established by virtue of that law; an order of the Government as aforesaid shall operate to have that effect accordingly.

4 This Article shall be omitted from every official text of this Constitution published after the establishment day.

SCHEDULE 3

Part 1

4 1 Maidir leis an gCúirt Achomhairc—

i taobh amuigh de chás dá socraítear a mhalairt leis an Airteagal seo, agus

ii taobh amuigh de cibé eisceachtaí agus faoi chuimsiú cibé rialacha a ordófar le dlí,

beidh dlínse achomhairc aici ar bhreitheanna uile na hArd-Chúirte agus, fairis sin, ar na breitheanna sin ó chúirteanna eile a ordófar le dlí.

2 Ní cead aon dlí a achtú a chuirfeadh ar an taobh amuigh de dhlínse achomhairc na Cúirte Achomhairc cásanna ina mbeadh ceisteanna le réiteach i dtaobh bail a bheith nó gan a bheith ar aon dlí, ag féachaint d’fhorálacha an Bhunreachta seo.

3 Ní bheidh dul thar breith na Cúirte Achomhairc, taobh amuigh de chás dá socraítear a mhalairt leis an Airteagal seo.

Part 2

4 1 The Court of Appeal shall—

i save as otherwise provided by this Article, and

ii with such exceptions and subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law,

have appellate jurisdiction from all decisions of the High Court, and shall also have appellate jurisdiction from such decisions of other courts as may be prescribed by law.

2 No law shall be enacted excepting from the appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal cases which involve questions as to the validity of any law having regard to the provisions of this Constitution.

3 The decision of the Court of Appeal shall be final and conclusive, save as otherwise provided by this Article.

SCHEDULE 4

Part 1

3 Faoi chuimsiú cibé rialacha a ordófar le dlí, beidh dlínse achomhairc ag an gCúirt Uachtarach ar bhreith ón gCúirt Achomhairc más deimhin leis an gCúirt Uachtarach—

i gur breith í lena ngabhann ní a bhfuil tábhacht phoiblí i gcoitinne ann, nó

ii gur gá, ar mhaithe leis an gceartas, achomharc chun na Cúirte Uachtaraí a bheith ann.

Part 2

3 The Supreme Court shall, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law, have appellate jurisdiction from a decision of the Court of Appeal if the Supreme Court is satisfied that—

i the decision involves a matter of general public importance, or

ii in the interests of justice it is necessary that there be an appeal to the Supreme Court.

SCHEDULE 5

Part 1

4 D’ainneoin alt 4.1 den Airteagal seo, beidh ag an gCúirt Uachtarach, faoi chuimsiú cibé rialacha a ordófar le dlí, dlínse achomhairc ar bhreith ón Ard-Chúirt más deimhin leis an gCúirt Uachtarach go bhfuil imthosca neamhchoiteanna ann a fhágann gur gá achomharc díreach chuici a bheith ann agus, chun gur deimhin leis an gCúirt Uachtarach amhlaidh, is réamhchoinníoll é gurb ann do cheachtar de na tosca seo a leanas nó dóibh araon:

i gur breith í lena ngabhann ní a bhfuil tábhacht phoiblí i gcoitinne ann;

ii gur ar mhaithe leis an gceartas é.

Part 2

4 Notwithstanding section 4.1 hereof, the Supreme Court shall, subject to such regulations as may be prescribed by law, have appellate jurisdiction from a decision of the High Court if the Supreme Court is satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances warranting a direct appeal to it, and a precondition for the Supreme Court being so satisfied is the presence of either or both of the following factors:

i the decision involves a matter of general public importance;

ii the interests of justice.

SCHEDULE 6

Part 1 Particulars of Amendments of Irish text Mentioned in Section 6(1)

Ref. No.	Article amended	Nature of amendment of the Irish text
1	Article 12	In section 8, the insertion of “, den Chúirt Achomhairc” after “den Chúirt Uachtarach”.
2	Article 14	In section 2.2, the substitution of “Uachtarán na Cúirte Achomhairc” for “Uachtarán na hArd-Chúirte”.
3	Article 31	In section 2, the insertion, in paragraph i, of “Uachtarán na Cúirte Achomhairc,” after “an Príomh-Bhreitheamh,”.
4	Article 34	In section 3.2, the insertion of “, an Chúirt Achomhairc” after “seachas an Ard-Chúirt”.
5	Article 34	In section 6.2, the insertion of “, gach breitheamh den Chúirt Achomhairc,” after “gach breitheamh eile den Chúirt Uachtarach”.
6	Article 35	In section 1, the insertion of “na Cúirte Achomhairc,” after “breithiúna na Cúirte Uachtaraí,”.
7	Article 35	In section 4.1, the insertion of “, den Chúirt Achomhairc” after “den Chúirt Uachtarach”.
8	Article 36	In paragraph i, the insertion of “na Cúirte Achomhairc,” after “breithiúna na Cúirte Uachtaraí,”.
9	Article 40	In section 4.3, the substitution of “faoi bhreith na Cúirte Achomhairc” for “faoi bhreith na Cúirte Uachtaraí” and “an Chúirt Achomhairc” for “an Chúirt Uachtarach”.

Part 2 Particulars of Amendments of English text Mentioned in Section 6(2)

Ref. No.	Article amended	Nature of amendment of the English text
1	Article 12	In section 8, the insertion of “, of the Court of Appeal” after “Supreme Court”.
2	Article 14	In section 2.2, the substitution of “President of the Court of Appeal” for “President of the High Court”.
3	Article 31	In section 2, the insertion, in paragraph i, of “the President of the Court of Appeal,” after “the Chief Justice,”.
4	Article 34	In section 3.2, the insertion of “, the Court of Appeal” after “other than the High Court”.
5	Article 34	In section 6.2, the insertion of “the judges of the Court of Appeal,” after “judges of the Supreme Court,”.
6	Article 35	In section 1, the insertion of “the Court of Appeal,” after “Supreme Court,”.
7	Article 35	In section 4.1, the insertion of “, the Court of Appeal,” after “Supreme Court”.
8	Article 36	In paragraph i, the insertion of “of the Court of Appeal,” after “Supreme Court,”.
9	Article 40	In section 4.3, the substitution of “Court of Appeal” for “Supreme Court” in each place where it occurs.

SCHEDULE 7

Part 1 Cúirt Achomhairc a Bhunú: Forálacha Idirthréimhseacha

Airteagal 64

1 San Airteagal seo, tá le “an lá bunaithe” an bhrí chéanna atá leis in Airteagal 34A den Bhunreacht seo.

2 1 Baineann ailt 3 agus 4 den Airteagal seo le hachomharc a tionscnaíodh chun na Cúirte Uachtaraí roimh an lá bunaithe agus nár éist an Chúirt Uachtarach é, go hiomlán nó go páirteach, roimh an lá sin.

2 Chun críocha an Airteagail seo, ní mheasfar gur éisteadh achomharc go páirteach de bhíthin gur éist an Chúirt Uachtarach iarratas idirbhreitheach i ndáil leis an achomharc nó, mura mbaineann an t-achomharc féin ach amháin le ní nóis imeachta, de bhíthin gur éist an Chúirt Uachtarach aon iarratas nó tairiscint nóis imeachta maidir leis an ní.

3 1 An lá bunaithe nó dá éis, féadfaidh an Príomh-Bhreitheamh, más deimhin leis an bPríomh-Bhreitheamh go bhfuil sé ar mhaithe le riaradh cirt agus cinneadh éifeachtúil achomharc déanamh amhlaidh, ordachán faoi shéala na Cúirte a thabhairt, le comhthoil na mbreithiúna eile den Chúirt Uachtarach, lena ndéanfar socrú, maidir le gach achomharc lena mbainfidh an t-alt seo agus a thiocfaidh faoi réim aicme achomharc a bheidh sonraithe san ordachán, go ndéanfaidh an Chúirt Achomhairc é a éisteacht agus a chinneadh agus, i gcás go dtabharfar ordachán den sórt sin, beidh dlínse ag an gCúirt Achomhairc, faoi réir fho-alt 3 den alt seo, gach achomharc is ábhar don ordachán sin a éisteacht agus a chinneadh dá bhíthin sin.

2 Féadfaidh socrú a bheith in ordachán faoi fho-alt 1 den alt seo maidir le haon ní ar dóigh leis an bPríomh-Bhreitheamh gur cuí socrú a dhéanamh ina leith de dhroim an Chúirt Achomhairc d’éisteacht agus do chinneadh na n-achomharc lena mbaineann agus beidh le haon socrú den sórt sin an éifeacht chéanna a bheidh le socrú a bheidh in ordú arna dhéanamh ag an gCúirt Uachtarach.

3 Maidir leis an gCúirt Uachtarach, ar iarratas chuici atá de réir cibé rialacha, más ann, a ordófar le dlí, is iarratas arna dhéanamh ag aon pháirtí de na páirtithe in achomharc is ábhar d’ordachán faoi fho-alt 1, féadfaidh sí, más deimhin léi gur cóir sin a dhéanamh, ordú a dhéanamh—

i lena gcealaítear éifeacht an ordacháin sin, nó

ii lena gcealaítear nó lena n-athraítear éifeacht aon socraithe, dá dtagraítear i bhfo-alt 2 den alt seo, san ordachán sin,

a mhéid a bhaineann sé leis an achomharc sin.

4 1 Más rud é, ar iarratas chuici atá de réir cibé rialacha, más ann, a ordófar le dlí, ar iarratas é arna dhéanamh ag aon pháirtí de na páirtithe san achomharc, gur deimhin leis an gCúirt Uachtarachgur ar mhaithe le riaradh cirt agus cinneadh éifeachtúil achomharc déanamh amhlaidh, féadfaidh an Chúirt Uachtarach ordú a dhéanamh lena ndéantar socrú go ndéanfaidh an Chúirt Achomhairc an t-achomharc a éisteacht agus a chinneadh, agus i gcás go ndéanfar ordú den sórt sin beidh dlínse ag an gCúirt Achomhairc an t-achomharc a éisteacht agus a chinneadh dá bhíthin sin.

2 Féadfaidh socrú a bheith in ordú faoi fho-alt 1 den alt seo maidir le haon ní ar dóigh leis an gCúirt Uachtarach gur cuí socrú a dhéanamh ina leith de dhroim an Chúirt Achomhairc d’éisteacht agus do chinneadh an achomhairc.

5 Ach amháin sa mhéid go ndéantar socrú le haon ordachán arna thabhairt nó le haon ordú arna dhéanamh de bhun na gcumhachtaí a thugtar le halt 3 nó 4 den Airteagal seo, ní dhéanfaidh na leasuithe ar an mBunreacht seo arna ndéanamh leis an Acht um an Tríú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cúirt Achomhairc), 2013 difear d’fheidhmiú a dlínse ag an gCúirt Uachtarach i ndáil le hachomhairc chun na Cúirte sin a tionscnaíodh roimh an lá bunaithe.