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Updated to 23 October 2025 (Act No. 10 of 2025 and S.I. No. 506 of 2025)

All effects below are reflected in the most recent Revised Act.

Referendum Act 1994
No. 12 of 1994

Contents

Commencement

Section Commencement/Effective Date
Where the commencement and effective dates differ, the effective date is shown below.
 Commencement Information
Whole Act 28 June 1994 Referendum Act 1994 (Commencement) Order 1994 (S.I. No. 183 of 1994), art. 2

Amendments and other effects

How AffectedAffecting Provision
Functions transferred and references construed (Mayor of Limerick) 7/2024, ss. 1(3), 10, & sch. 1 part 2
Act applied with modifications for specific referenda S.I. No. 214 of 2019
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004
  S.I. No. 153 of 1999
Appl. with mods. S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 2(2)
Applic. rstrct. S.I. No. 345 of 1996, art. 3, schedule
Trans. of cert. functns. under S.I. No. 418 of 2011, arts. 1(2), 3 & sch. 1
Parts 1, 2, 4, appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 2(3) (f) (g) (h) (m) (v), pars. substit. 1/1998, s. 15(a)
S. 2(3) (x), par. del. 25/1997, ss. 1(6), 79 (4)
S. 2(3) appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 2(3)(l) deleted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(a)
S. 4(2) amended 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(a)
S. 7 appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
Parts 2, 3 (ss. 10-41) application restricted (electronic voting) S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 3(1)
  15/2004, ss. 1(8), 5(1)
S. 10(4) Clerk of Dáil Éireann construed 24/2014, s. 1
S. 10A inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 174
S. 13 (b) am. 38/2001, ss. 1(9), 55(a)
S. 13(1) section renumbered 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(i)
S. 13(2) inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(ii)
S. 13(3) inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(ii)
S. 13(4) inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(ii)
S. 13(5) inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(ii)
S. 13(6) inserted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(b)(ii)
S. 14 appl. S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 3(4)
S. 14(4) amended 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(b)
S. 14(5) functions transferred and references construed S.I. No. 418 of 2011, arts. 1(2), 3 & sch. 1
S. 14 (6) amended 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(c)
  38/2001, ss. 1 (9), 55(b)
S. 15 appl. S. I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 3(4)
S. 15(3) appl. with mods. S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 24(a)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 26
  S.I. No. 153 of 1999, regs. 3, 25
S. 15(4) appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 16(1) am. 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(d)
S. 16(1A) am. 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(e)
S. 16(1A) ins. 25/1997, ss. 1 (6), 77 (c)
S. 16(2), (4) functions transferred and references construed S.I. No. 418 of 2011, arts. 1(2), 3 & sch. 1
S. 16(3) am. 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(f)
S. 16(3) substit. 38/2001, ss. 1 (9), 55(c)
S. 18(4) applied with modifications S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 24(b)
S. 18 refs. constr. S.I. No. 153 of 1999, regs. 3, 5(2)
S. 21(c) rep. 27/2013, ss. 1(7), 22
S. 22 rep. 27/2013, ss. 1(7), 22
S. 23 appl. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 35
S. 23(1) applied with modifications S.I. No. 206 of 2001, art. 3
  S.I. No. 122 of 1998, art. 3
S. 23(e), par. ins. 38/2001, ss. 1 (9), 55(d)
S. 24 appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 25(1) appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 26 applied S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 7(1)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, reg. 7(3)
S. 26(1) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 26(2) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(2) (4)-(9) (11) (12), appl. with ness. mods. 1/1998, s. 11(1), (3)
S. 26(4) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(5) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(6) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(6) appl. with mods 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 26(7) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(7) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 26(8) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(9) application extended with modification 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(11) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 26(12) application extended with modifications 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 37(3)
S. 27(1) am. 1/1998, s. 15(b)
S. 28 applied with modifications 33/2006, s. 7(2)
S. 28(2) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 28(4) am. 1/1998, s. 15(c)
S. 28(5) am. 1/1998, s. 15(c)
S. 29(2) amended 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 117(a)
S. 30 amended 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 202(c)
S. 31(1) non applic. of S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 12(1)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 13(1)
  S.I. No. 153 of 1999, regs. 3, 14(1)
S. 31(1A) inserted 38/2001, ss. 1 (9), 55(e)
S. 31(1A)(a) amended 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 117(b)(i)(I), (II)
S. 31(1A)(c) substituted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 117(b)(ii)
S. 31(1A)(d) substituted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 117(b)(iii)
S. 31(2) non applic. of S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 13(1)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 12(1)
  S.I. No. 153 of 1999, regs. 3, 13(1)
S. 32(1) appl. with mods. S.I. No. 153 of 1999, regs. 3, 19(f), (g)
Part 3 (ss. 33-41) application restricted (electronic voting) S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 3(1)
  15/2004, ss. 1(8), 5(1)
Part 3 (other then ss. 34(1)-(4), 36(1)-(4)) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 14(7) (8) (9)
  S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 12(1)
S. 34 appl. 15/2004, ss. 1(8), 12(4)
  S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 10(4)
S. 35, appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 14 (7) (8) (9)
S. 38 applied S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 23(3)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 25(3)
S. 38(1) appl. with mods.  15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 38(2)(a), applic. restrct. S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 23(1)
  S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 25(1)
S. 39 applied S.I. No. 214 of 2019, reg. 23(3)
S. 39(2)(d) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 39, applic. ext. S.I. No. 237 of 2004, regs. 3, 25(3)
Part 4 (ss. 42- 58) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1(8), 15
  S.I. No. 460 of 2002, art. 13
S. 43(3) inserted 1/1998, s.12
S. 43(3) substituted 30/2022, ss. 1(5), 38
S. 47(1) - (4) appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4
S. 47(5) am. 10/2011, ss. 1(2), 6, 75(g)
S. 52(2) references construed 13/2021, s. 4(2), schedule 2
S. 54(2), (5) functions transferred and references construed S.I. No. 418 of 2011, arts. 1(2), 3 & sch. 1
Sch. 2 part 1 appl. with mods. 15/2004, ss. 1 (8), 6 (b), 7, schs. 1, 2, 3, 4

SIs made under the Act

SectionSIs made under the Act
S. 3 Referendum (Forms) Regulations 1995 (S.I. No. 246 of 1995)
S. 24 Referendum (Ballot Paper) (No. 4) Order 2001 (S.I. No. 205 of 2001)
  Referendum (Ballot Paper) (No. 3) Order 2001 (S.I. No. 204 of 2001)
  Referendum (Ballot Paper) Order 2001 (S.I. No. 203 of 2001)
  Referendum Act, 1994 Referendum (Ballot Paper) Order 1998 (S.I. No. 103 of 1998)
S. 40 Referendum (Forms) Regulations 1995 (S.I. No. 246 of 1995)