Editing President of Ireland (section)

====Refer bills to the Supreme Court====
The president may refer a bill, in whole or part, to the [[Supreme Court of the Republic of Ireland|Supreme Court]] to test its constitutionality. If the Supreme Court finds any referred part unconstitutional, the entire bill falls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html|at=Article 26 (1)|publisher=Office of the Attorney General|title=Constitution of Ireland|access-date=28 November 2024}}</ref> This power may not be applied to a [[money bill]], a bill to amend the Constitution, or an urgent bill the time for the consideration of which has been abridged in the Seanad. This is the most widely used reserve power;<ref name="meetingscouncilofstate">[http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=18&lang=eng Meetings of the Council of State] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605024932/http://www.president.ie/index.php?section=18&lang=eng |date=5 June 2011 }} Office of the President</ref> a full list is at [[Council of State (Ireland)#Referring of bills]]. In a 1982 judgment delivered under such a referral, [[Chief Justice of Ireland|Chief Justice]] [[Tom O'Higgins]] bemoaned the crude strictures of the prescribed process; especially the fact that, if the court finds that a bill does not violate the Constitution, this judgment can never subsequently be challenged.<ref>[http://www.supremecourt.ie/supremecourt/sclibrary3.nsf/%28WebFiles%29/7FC625DAD10A956C802575F3002D6B7E/$FILE/Housing_%5B1983%5D%20IR%20181.htm In the matter of Article 26 of the Constitution and in the Matter of The Housing (Private Rented Dwellings) Bill, 1981] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100817220329/http://www.supremecourt.ie/supremecourt/sclibrary3.nsf/(WebFiles)/7FC625DAD10A956C802575F3002D6B7E/$FILE/Housing_%5B1983%5D%20IR%20181.htm |date=17 August 2010 }} 1983 IRSC 185–7</ref>