Editing Republic of Ireland (section)

===Law===
{{Main|Law of the Republic of Ireland|Courts of the Republic of Ireland|Law enforcement in the Republic of Ireland}}
[[File:Dublin four courts.JPG|thumb|The [[Four Courts]], completed in 1802, is the principal building for civil courts.]]
Ireland has a [[common law]] [[legal system]] with a written constitution that provides for a [[parliamentary democracy]]. The court system consists of the [[Supreme Court of Ireland|Supreme Court]], the [[Court of Appeal (Ireland)|Court of Appeal]], the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]], the [[Circuit Court (Ireland)|Circuit Court]] and the [[District Court (Ireland)|District Court]], all of which apply the [[Law of the Republic of Ireland|Irish law]] and hear both civil and criminal matters. Trials for serious offences must usually be held before a [[jury]]. The High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court have authority, by means of [[Judicial review in the Republic of Ireland|judicial review]], to determine the compatibility of laws and activities of other institutions of the state with the constitution and the law. Except in exceptional circumstances, court hearings must occur in public.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article34_1 | title = Constitution of Ireland – The Courts – Article 34.1 | website = irishstatutebook.ie | publisher = Attorney General | quote = Justice shall be administered in courts [...] and, save in such special and limited cases as may be prescribed by law, shall be administered in public | access-date = 28 July 2020 | archive-date = 3 May 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190503055502/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article34_1 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url = https://www.ijsj.ie/assets/uploads/6.%20Clare%20Craven-Barry.pdf | journal = Irish Judicial Studies Journal | volume = 3 | year = 2019 | last = Craven-Barry | first = Clare | title = Transparency in Family And Child Law Proceedings: Disentangling The Statutory Techniques And Terminology | access-date = 28 July 2020 | archive-date = 28 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200728205214/https://www.ijsj.ie/assets/uploads/6.%20Clare%20Craven-Barry.pdf | url-status = live }}</ref>

[[File:CriminalCourtofJusticeDublin.jpg|thumb|The [[Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin|Criminal Courts of Justice]] is the principal building for criminal courts.]]

The [[Garda Síochána]] (''lit.'' Guardians of the Peace), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí, is the state's civilian police force. The force is responsible for all aspects of civil policing, both in terms of territory and infrastructure. It is headed by the Garda Commissioner, who is appointed by the Government. Most uniformed members do not routinely carry [[Firearms legislation in Ireland|firearms]]. Standard policing is traditionally carried out by uniformed officers equipped only with a [[baton (law enforcement)|baton]] and [[pepper spray]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://jrnl.ie/169075 |title=Poll: Should the Garda Síochána be armed? |date=4 July 2011 |newspaper=TheJournal.ie |access-date=20 November 2012 |archive-date=22 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922125603/https://www.thejournal.ie/poll-should-the-garda-siochana-be-armed-169075-Jul2011/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Military Police Corps (Ireland)|Military Police]] is the corps of the [[Irish Army]] responsible for the provision of policing service personnel and providing a military police presence to forces while on exercise and deployment. In wartime, additional tasks include the provision of a traffic control organisation to allow rapid movement of military formations to their mission areas. Other wartime roles include control of [[prisoners of war]] and refugees.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rdf.ie/corps/military-police.html |title=The Defence Forces |publisher=Rdf.ie |access-date=12 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606053238/http://www.rdf.ie/corps/military-police.html |archive-date=6 June 2009}}</ref>

Ireland's [[Irish nationality law|citizenship laws]] relate to "the island of Ireland", including islands and seas, thereby extending them to [[Northern Ireland]], which is part of the United Kingdom. Therefore, anyone born in Northern Ireland who meets the requirements for being an Irish citizen, such as birth on the island of Ireland to an Irish or British citizen parent or a parent who is entitled to live in Northern Ireland or the Republic without restriction on their residency,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent.html |title=Irish citizenship through birth or descent |publisher=Citizens Information |access-date=12 November 2010 |archive-date=12 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101112220125/http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/moving_country/irish_citizenship/irish_citizenship_through_birth_or_descent.html |url-status=live }}</ref> may exercise an entitlement to Irish citizenship, such as an [[Irish passport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/1956/act/26/revised/en/html|title=Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 |website=[[Law Reform Commission (Ireland)|Law Reform Commission]] }}</ref>

In 2024, Ireland was second only to [[Iceland]] in the list of the world's most peaceful countries.<ref name="peace2024"/>