Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Bunreacht Shaorstát Éireann, the Constitution of the Irish Free State, was adopted by an Act of Dáil Éireann sitting as a constituent assembly on this day 100 years ago. The 1922 Constitution is considered to be one of the foundation documents of the Irish State. It was born out of and shaped by the needs of the Treaty and was our first written Constitution. It established the system of parliamentary government more or less as we would recognise it today and guaranteed certain fundamental rights, such as freedom of speech and worship. The Constitution came into effect on 6 December 1922 following the passing of the Irish Free State Constitution Act 1922 in Westminster and the issuing of the royal proclamation. It was a notable achievement of the nascent Irish State.