Presidents hold office for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The office was established by the Constitution of Ireland in The first president assumed office in , and became recognised internationally as head of state in after the coming into effect of the Republic of Ireland Act.
The current president is Michael D. Higgins , who was first elected on 29 October , and inaugurated on 11 November He was re-elected for a second term on 26 October The Constitution of Ireland provides for a parliamentary system of government, by which the role of the head of state is largely a ceremonial one. Unlike most parliamentary republics , the president is not designated as the nominal chief executive.
Rather, executive authority in Ireland is expressly vested in the government cabinet. The government is obliged, however, to keep the president generally informed on matters of policy both foreign and domestic.
Most of the functions of the president may be performed only in accordance with the strict instructions of the Constitution, or the binding " advice " of the government. The president does, however, possess certain personal powers that may be exercised discretionally. The president possesses the following powers exercised "in his absolute discretion" according to the English version of the Constitution.
Lawyers have suggested that a conflict may exist in this case between the two versions of the constitution. In the event of a clash between the Irish and English versions of the constitution, the Irish one is given supremacy. While "absolute discretion" appears to leave some freedom for manoeuvre for a president in deciding whether to initiate contact with the opposition, "own counsel" has been interpreted by some lawyers as suggesting that no contact whatsoever can take place.
