Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968

Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1968 Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968 Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 34 of 1968 REFERENDUM (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1968 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section 1. Constitutional referenda in relation to Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, and Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968. 2. Amendment of Fourth Schedule to Electoral Act, 1963. 3. Short title, collective citation and construction. Acts Referred to Electoral Act, 1963 1963, No. 19. Referendum Act, 1942 1942, No. 8. Number 34 of 1968 REFERENDUM (AMENDMENT) ACT, 1968 AN ACT TO AMEND THE REFERENDUM ACTS, 1942 TO 1963. [6th August, 1968.] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:— Constitutional referenda in relation to Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, and Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968. 1.—At a constitutional referendum in relation to the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, and at a constitutional referendum in relation to the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968— (a) a polling card sent under section 64 (1) of the Electoral Act, 1963 , shall contain the statement set out in the Appendix to this section, (b) a polling card shall also be sent by the local returning officer for a constituency to every elector whose name is on the register of Dáil electors for such constituency and is on the postal voters list for such constituency, (c) a polling card sent under paragraph (b) of this section— (i) shall indicate that it is for a postal voter and shall accordingly not state the number and place referred to in the said section 64 (1), (ii) shall contain the statement referred to in paragraph (a) of this section, and (iii) shall be sent by post to the elector at the same time as his ballot paper is sent, being addressed to him at the same address as is stated on the envelope in which the ballot paper is sent, (d) subsections (3) to (6) of the said section 64 shall apply in relation to polling cards sent under paragraph (b) of this section, (e) copies of the statement referred to in paragraph (a) of this section shall be displayed by a presiding officer in and in the precincts of his polling station: Provided that no referendum shall be invalidated by reason of any failure to display such copies in or in the precincts of any polling station, (f) in applying Rule 18 (inserted by the Electoral Act, 1963 ) of the First Schedule to the Referendum Act, 1942 , the following paragraph shall be substituted for paragraph (5)— “(5) (a) Where a ballot paper is to be marked pursuant to paragraph (3) of this Rule, the presiding officer may assist the voter by reading out in full from the ballot paper the proposal stated therein and asking the voter ‘Do you approve of or do you object to that Bill becoming law?’ and shall then, unless it is a case to which subparagraph (b) of this paragraph applies, mark the ballot paper in accordance with the answer of the voter, but he shall not act on any written instruction. (b) Where the voter fails to understand the import of the said question, the presiding officer— (i) shall read out to the voter such summary of the proposal which is the subject of the referendum as is contained in the statement set out in the Appendix to section 1 of the Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968, (ii) shall then ask the voter ‘Which do you wish to do—to vote in favour of the proposal to change the Constitution? or to vote against the proposal to change the Constitution?’, and (iii) shall then mark the ballot paper in accordance with the answer of the voter, but shall not act on any written instruction.” APPENDIX 1. You may vote at the Referenda on two proposals:— WHITE BALLOT PAPER THE THIRD AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION BILL, 1968, proposes that in forming Dáil constituencies, the population per deputy in any case may not be greater or less than the national average by more than one-sixth and that regard must be had to the extent and accessibility of constituencies, the need for having convenient areas of representation and the desirability of avoiding the overlapping of county boundaries. GREEN BALLOT PAPER THE FOURTH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION BILL, 1968, proposes—(1) To substitute for the present system of voting at Dáil elections the “straight vote” system in singlemember constituencies; (2) To establish a Commission to determine constituencies, subject to the right of the Dáil to amend the constituencies as so determined; and (3) To provide that whenever the Dáil is dissolved the outgoing Ceann Comhairle may be returned, without a contest, as a second deputy for a constituency chosen by him which consists of, or includes a part of, the constituency he represented before the dissolution. 2. If you APPROVE of the proposals in the Bill to which the ballot paper relates, mark X opposite the word YES on the paper. 3. If you DO NOT APPROVE of the proposals in the Bill to which the ballot paper relates, mark X opposite the word NO on the paper. 4. Copies of the Bills can be inspected and purchased for sixpence each at any Post Office. Amendment of Fourth Schedule to Electoral Act, 1963. 2.—The Fourth Schedule to the Electoral Act, 1963 , is hereby amended by the substitution for Part I of the following Part— “Part I FORM OF BALLOT PAPER AT CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM. (Front of Paper) ” Short title, collective citation and construction. 3.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Referendum (Amendment) Act, 1968. (2) The Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1963, and this Act may be cited together as the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1968. (3) This Act shall be construed as one with the Referendum Acts, 1942 to 1963. Privacy Statement Accessibility European Legislation Identifier (PDF) Open Data License Ráiteas Príobháideachais Inrochtaineacht Aitheantóir Eorpach Reachtaíochta (ELI) Ceadúnas Sonraí Oscailte Liosta Fianán © Government of Ireland. Oireachtas Copyright Material is reproduced with the permission of the Houses of the Oireachtas © Rialtas na hÉireann. Atáirgtear ábhar faoi Chóipcheart le cead ó Thithe an Oireachtais