What the course asks you to know
A road-speed rule can start in an Act that gives a Minister authority to set details later by statutory instrument; each source has a different job.
- Bill
- A proposal for a law while it is moving through the Oireachtas.
- Act
- A law passed by the Oireachtas and signed by the President; it may commence later.
- Statutory instrument
- A detailed rule made under authority delegated by an Act.
- Precedent
- A legal principle from an earlier court decision that may bind or guide a later court.
On the course: CSPE strand 3 asks how laws are made and enforced, and first-year law starts from these same sources.
Learn the five sources first. Once you can name them and say where each sits, the later guides on Bills, EU measures and citation make more sense.
The five sources at a glance
Use this table as a map. The paragraphs after it show where to read each source and which DáilDex guides go deeper.
| Source | What it is | Where to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Constitution | Bunreacht na hÉireann. It sits above ordinary Acts. An ordinary Act that conflicts with it can be struck down by the courts. | Irish Statute Book (full text) |
| Acts of the Oireachtas | Primary legislation. A Bill becomes an Act after the Dáil, the Seanad, and the President. An Act may not start on the day it is signed. A minister may need a commencement order. | irishstatutebook.ie |
| Statutory instruments | Detailed rules made by ministers under a power an Act gives them. They are law. They cannot go beyond that Act. | irishstatutebook.ie (SIs) |
| EU law | A regulation applies in Ireland directly. A directive needs an Irish Act or statutory instrument to give it effect. Article 29.4 of the Constitution allows EU membership. | EUR-Lex and the Irish Statute Book |
| Common law | Decisions of judges, used where the Oireachtas has not legislated, and as interpretation of statutes. Later courts follow earlier decisions of higher courts. | Reported judgments and textbooks |
For the Constitution itself, start with the Irish Constitution explained, then read the official text on the Irish Statute Book.
For how a Bill becomes an Act, see how a bill becomes law. Read Acts and commencement orders on irishstatutebook.ie.
For regulations, directives and Irish follow-up measures, see how EU law reaches Ireland.
Common law in one paragraph
Common law is the body of rules built from judicial decisions. Judges use it where the Oireachtas has not legislated, and when they interpret the words of a statute. Later courts follow earlier decisions of higher courts, so the hierarchy of the courts matters as much as the wording of any single judgment. This guide names no cases; your course will introduce those later.
One worked example: the Finance Act
The Finance Act is an Act of the Oireachtas. It passes through the Dáil and the Seanad and is signed by the President. Signing creates the Act, but a tax change in it may not apply that same day. A commencement order can switch on a tax change later. That order is a statutory instrument made under the power the Act gives the relevant minister.
How the law is enforced
An Garda Síochána investigates crime and brings people before the courts. The courts apply the law. Some public bodies enforce particular Acts, for example in planning or financial regulation. The Constitution's division of roles between the Oireachtas, the Government and the courts is covered in separation of powers in Ireland.
Citing an Act in an essay
When you reference an Act for a law or politics essay, give the short title and year, and the section if you rely on one. How to cite Oireachtas sources shows Harvard and OSCOLA Ireland patterns for Acts, debates and the Constitution.