Bart Foley
The President is the Head of State. S/he acts on the advice and authority of the Government but performs a limited number of functions after consultation with an advisory Council of State. S/he receives and accredits Ambassadors. Every law made by Parliament is promulgated by him/her. Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament require his/her signature for their enactment into law. S/he may, before signing a Bill, seek a Supreme Court ruling on whether it is repugnant to the Constitution .
On the nomination of the Dáil the President appoints the Taoiseach (Head of Government). On the advice of the Taoiseach and with prior approval of the Dáil, S/he appoints the other members of the Government. On the advice of the Taoiseach she accepts the resignation or terminates the appointment of members of Government and summons and dissolves the Dáil, but S/he has discretionary power to refuse to dissolve the Dáil on the advice of a Taoiseach who has ceased to retain the support of the majority in the Dáil. This power, which has not so far been exercised, would force the Taoiseach to resign and give the Dáil the opportunity to nominate a successor.
The supreme command of the Defence Forces is vested in the President. S/he is not answerable to either House of Parliament or to any court for the exercise and performance of the powers and functions of her office. S/he may, however, be impeached for stated misbehaviour.