This post outlines the legal basis of the publication of legislation in Ireland.
Documentary Evidence Act 1925
Proof of Acts of the Oireachtas
2. —
Prima facie evidence of this or any other Act of the Oireachtas whether public, or private, and whether passed before or after the passing of this Act, or of the Journal of the Proceedings of either House of the Oireachtas, may be given in all Courts of Justice and in all legal proceedings by the production of a copy of such Act or Journal printed under the superintendence or authority of and published by the Stationery Office.
Constitution of Ireland – Bunreacht na hÉireann 1937
Signing and Promulgation of Laws
Article 25 4
2° Every Bill signed by the President under this Constitution shall be promulgated by him as a law by the publication by his direction of a notice in the Iris Oifigiúil stating that the Bill has become law.
5° As soon as may be after the signature and promulgation of a Bill as a law, the text of such law which was signed by the President or, where the President has signed the text of such law in each of the official languages, both the signed texts shall be enrolled for record in the office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, and the text, or both the texts, so enrolled shall be conclusive evidence of the provisions of such law.
The Statutory Instruments Act 1947
3.—
(1) The following provisions shall apply in respect of every statutory instrument to which this Act primarily applies
(a ) within seven days after the making thereof, a copy thereof shall be sent to each of the following, namely, the National Library of Ireland, the Law Library, Four Courts, Dublin, the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Cork Chamber of Commerce the Limerick Chamber of Commerce, the Waterford Chamber of Commerce and the Galway Chamber of Commerce,
( b ) as soon as may be after it is made, it shall, notwithstanding that it is liable to be annulled, be printed under the superintendence of the Stationery Office,
( c ) as soon as may be after it has been printed, notice of the making thereof and of the place where copies thereof may be obtained shall be published in the Iris Oifigiúil,
( d ) as on and from the date of the issue of the Iris Oifigiúil containing the said notice, copies of the said statutory instrument shall be kept at the place specified in the said notice and may be obtained there.
Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000
Copyright in Acts, etc.
192.—
(1) The copyright in any Bill or enactment vests in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
(2) The copyright provided for in this section subsists from the date of the first lawful making available to the public of the work and shall expire 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was so made available.
