Several constitutional conventions have considered or proposed constitutions for the island of Ireland or for one of its two jurisdictions, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Body Members Authority When met Territory Result Irish Convention Appointed, nominated British government 1917–18 Whole island Failed to agree on a replacement for the Government of Ireland Act 1914. First Dáil Elected Self-appointed 1919–1921 Whole island Produced a brief Dáil Constitution and aspirational Democratic Programme for its self-proclaimed Irish Republic 3rd Dáil sitting as a constituent assembly Elected Anglo-Irish Treaty 1922After enacting the constitution, the 3rd Dáil continued as a provisional parliament and then as the first Free State Dáil until the 1923 election. Irish Free StateThe state's territory was technically the whole island till the Parliament of Northern Ireland formally opted out. The Provisional Parliament's members represented only the territory of Southern Ireland. Enacted the Constitution of the Irish Free State, which had been drafted by a committee appointed by the Provisional Government, and which was then re-enacted at Westminster via the Irish Free State Constitution Act 1922 8th Dáil Elected Irish Free StateSee also legality of the enactment of the Constitution of Ireland 1937 State of IrelandArticle 2 of the new constitution claimed the whole island as the national territory (though not the state jurisdiction) until a 1999 amendment Passed the Constitution of Ireland, which had been drafted by a committee appointed by the Taoiseach, and which was then adopted by plebiscite Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention Elected British government 1975–76 Northern Ireland An elected consultative body envisaged as a prelude to devolution, which was dissolved after nationalist and unionist members failed to reach any agreement. New Ireland Forum Appointed (Chair), nominated Irish government 1983–84 Whole island Established by the Dublin government to consider possible constitutional arrangements in view of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland Forum Elected British governmentNorthern Ireland (Entry to Negotiations, etc) Act 1996 1996–98 Northern Ireland Played a subsidiary role in the Northern Ireland peace process, as Sinn Féin boycotted the Forum but not the talks that led to the Good Friday Agreement Constitutional Convention Appointed (Chair), nominated (33), randomly selected (66) Irish government 2012–14 State of Ireland To consider specified proposed amendments to the existing Constitution.
Notes
See also Irish question Partition of Ireland The Troubles and Northern Ireland peace process
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