List of addresses to the Oireachtas

Several distinguished leaders have addressed a joint session of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann, the two houses of the Oireachtas or parliament of Ireland. The President of Ireland is entitled to make such an address under Article 13.7.1° of the Constitution.[1] T. M. Healy, the first Governor-General of the Irish Free State, made addresses in 1922 and 1923 modelled on the British speech from the throne. Several foreign leaders have been honoured with an invitation to address the Oireachtas, typically during a state visit. A few leaders have also addressed Dáil Éireann sitting alone; those are also listed below. The standing orders of Seanad Éireann more readily allow addresses by non-members: see the list of addresses to Seanad Éireann.

Date (link to text) Assembly Speaker Role Country /
Institution		 Notes
12 December 1922 203 Dáil (3rd) with Seanad (1st) members present Healy , T. M.T. M. Healy Governor-General Irish Free State Governor-General's Address six days after the creation of the Irish Free State. Labour Party members boycotted the speech.[2]
3 October 1923 204 Dáil (4th) with Seanad (1st) members present Healy , T. M.T. M. Healy Governor-General Irish Free State Governor-General's Address after the 1923 general election
28 June 1963 117 Joint sitting of 17th Dáil and 10th Seanad Kennedy , John F.John F. Kennedy President United States Kennedy presented the banner of the Irish Brigade under Thomas Francis Meagher flown at the Battle of Fredericksburg in 1862. His speech included the famous line, "George Bernard Shaw, speaking as an Irishman, summed up an approach to life: Other peoples, he said, see things and say: 'Why?' ... But I dream things that never were—and I say: 'Why not?' "
21 January 1969 118 Simultaneous sitting of 18th Dáil and 11th Seanad Devalera, EamonÉamon de Valera President Ireland Address under Article 13.7, on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the first meeting of the First Dáil. The speech was in Irish.
4 June 1984 124 Joint sitting of 24th Dáil and 17th Seanad Reagan, RonaldRonald Reagan President United States Three left-wing TDs — Tony Gregory, Tomás Mac Giolla and Proinsias De Rossa — left the chamber during the proceedings.[3]
21 October 1987 225 Dáil (25th) Hawke , BobBob Hawke Prime Minister Australia
26 February 1988 125 Joint sitting of 25th Dáil and 18th Seanad Mitterrand, FrancoisFrançois Mitterrand President France The speech was in French.
2 July 1990 226 Dáil (26th) Mandela , NelsonNelson Mandela Deputy Leader of the African National Congress South Africa Several months after his release from prison, and early in the negotiated end to apartheid.
8 July 1992 126 Joint sitting of 26th Dáil and 19th Seanad Robinson, MaryMary Robinson President Ireland Address under Article 13.7, on the topic "the Irish Identity in Europe".[4]
20 September 1993 227 Dáil (27th) Keating, PaulPaul Keating Prime Minister Australia
2 February 1995 127 Joint sitting of 27th Dáil and 20th Seanad Robinson , MaryMary Robinson President Ireland Address under Article 13.7 on the topic "Cherishing the Irish Diaspora"[5]
1 December 1995 127 Joint sitting of 27th Dáil and 20th Seanad Clinton, BillBill Clinton President United States Address made at an early stage in the Northern Ireland peace process
2 October 1996 227 Dáil (27th) Kohl , HelmutHelmut Kohl Chancellor Germany The speech was in German.
26 November 1998 128 Joint sitting of 28th Dáil and 21st Seanad Blair, TonyTony Blair Prime Minister United Kingdom Address made after the Belfast Agreement.
16 December 1999 128 Joint sitting of 28th Dáil and 21st Seanad Macaleese, MaryMary McAleese President Ireland Address under Article 13.7 to mark the millennium.[6]
23 May 2006 229 Dáil (29th) Howard , JohnJohn Howard Prime Minister Australia
4 October 2012 231 Dáil (31st) Schulz, MartinMartin Schulz President European Parliament [7]

On 28 April 1949, Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India, was received on the floor of the Dáil; he did not make a speech.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Constitution of Ireland". Irish Statute Book. Attorney General of Ireland. p. Article 13.7.1°.
  2. ↑ Macardle, Dorothy (1951). The Irish Republic; a Documented Chronicle of the Anglo-Irish Conflict and the Partitioning of Ireland, with a Detailed Account of the Period 1916-1923. Éamon De Valéra (preface) (4th ed.). Dublin: Irish Press. p. 821. Retrieved 19 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Hanley, Brian. "Gregory, Tony". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 5 December 2015. (subscription required (help)).
  4. ↑ 29 June 1992 - Address to the Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Office of the President
  5. ↑ 24 January 1995 - Address to the Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) Office of the President
  6. ↑ "28th October 1999 - Address to the Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament)". Office of the President. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
  7. ↑ Dáil debates 27 September 2012, p.9
  8. ↑ "Reception of Prime Minister of India". Oireachtas. 28 April 1949. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
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