View source for 1968 Irish constitutional referendums

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
Two '''[[referendum]]s''', related to the '''Third''' and '''Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bills''', were held in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] on 16 October 1968, each on a proposed amendment of the [[Constitution of Ireland|Irish constitution]] relating to the electoral system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Referendum On Proportional Representation |url=https://www.rte.ie/archives/2018/0820/986264-referendum-on-proportional-representation/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=[[RTÉ]] Archives |language=en}}</ref> Both proposals were rejected.

The Third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill 1968 define the [[Apportionment (politics)|apportionment]] of [[constituency]] boundaries in a manner which would have allowed a greater degree of divergence of the ratio between population and constituencies.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Referendum on the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 - Formation of Dáil Constituencies |url=https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-formation-of-dail-constituencies-third-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=referendum.ie |language=en-US}}</ref>

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill 1968 proposed to alter the electoral system for elections to [[Dáil Éireann]] from [[proportional representation]] by means of the [[Single transferable vote]] to the [[First-past-the-post voting]] system.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Referendum on the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 - Voting System |url=https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-voting-system-fourth-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |access-date=2024-02-02 |website=referendum.ie |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Background==
Elections to [[Dáil Éireann]], the [[house of representatives]] in the [[Oireachtas]], are governed by Article 16 of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16_1_1|title=Constitution of Ireland, Article 16|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-date=23 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423200419/https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16_1_1|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1959, the [[8th Government of Ireland|Fianna Fáil government]] of [[Éamon de Valera]] put the [[Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1958|Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill]] to a referendum, which proposed to replace the electoral system of [[proportional representation]] by means of the [[single transferable vote]] (PR-STV) with [[First-past-the-post voting|first-past-the-post]] (FPTP). The referendum was defeated by 51.8% to 48.8%, on the same day on which de Valera had won the [[1959 Irish presidential election|presidential election]].

[[John O'Donovan (politician)|John O'Donovan]], a former [[Fine Gael]] TD, challenged the [[Electoral (Amendment) Act 1959]], which had been proposed by a [[9th Government of Ireland|previous Fianna Fáil government]], on the basis that there were "grave inequalities" with "no relevant circumstances to justify" them.<ref>{{Cite FTP |last=Coakley|first=John|title=Constituency boundary revision and seat redistribution in the Irish parliamentary tradition|location=Dublin|volume=28|issue=3|pages=305–7|url=ftp://78.153.208.68/bkp/ipa/PDF/B3_parliamentarytradition.pdf#page=15|server=[[Institute of Public Administration (Ireland)|Institute of Public Administration]]|url-status=dead|format=PDF}}</ref> In ''O'Donovan v. Attorney-General'' (1961), [[Gardner Budd]] held for the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]] that the Act was unconstitutional. The court, interpreting the "so far as it is practicable" condition of the Constitution, suggested a 5% variation as the limit without exceptional circumstances.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Irish Reports|year=1961|page=114|title=''O'Donovan v. Attorney General''}}</ref>

In 1968, the [[12th Government of Ireland|Fianna Fáil government]] of [[Jack Lynch]] proposed two constitutional amendments on the electoral system for election to Dáil Éireann: the '''Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill''', which would have allowed for greater [[Apportionment (politics)|divergence in the ratio of population to constituencies]], and the '''Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill''', a second proposal to introduce FPTP voting in single-member constituencies. The opposition parties [[Fine Gael]] and [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] described the two bills in 1968 as a combined attempt by Fianna Fáil to rig the electoral system in its favour.

==Oireachtas debate==
The third bill was proposed in the Dáil by [[Taoiseach]] [[Jack Lynch]] on 21 February 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-02-21/47/|title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: First Stage|date=21 February 1968|accessdate=21 April 2018|archive-date=11 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811085952/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-02-21/47/|url-status=live}}</ref> It passed its Second Reading on 3 April by 72 votes to 59.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-04-03/87/|title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Second Stage (Resumed).|date=3 April 1968|accessdate=21 April 2018|archive-date=24 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180524050445/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-04-03/87/|url-status=live}}</ref> It passed final stages in the Dáil on 20 June.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-06-20/4/|title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage.|date=20 June 1968|accessdate=21 April 2018|archive-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104042643/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-06-20/4/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 30 July 1968, it passed final stages in the Seanad by 26 votes to 17.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1968-07-30/10/|title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Final Stage.|date=30 July 1968|accessdate=21 April 2018|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022114654/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1968-07-30/10/|url-status=live}}</ref> Referendums on both the Third Amendment Bill and the Fourth Amendment Bill were held on 16 October 1968.

The fourth bill to amend the constitution was also Lynch on 21 February 1968.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-02-21/51/|title=Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: First Stage|date=21 February 1968|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-date=20 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180520120021/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-02-21/51/|url-status=live}}</ref> It was opposed by [[Fine Gael]] and the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]. On 3 July, it passed final stages in the Dáil by 66 to 56.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-07-03/56/|title=Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Fifth Stage (Resumed)|date=3 July 1968|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104041123/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1968-07-03/56/|url-status=live}}</ref> On 30 July 1968, it passed final stages in the Seanad by 25 to 18.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1968-07-30/14/|title=Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Final Stage|date=30 July 1968|access-date=21 April 2018|archive-date=22 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022114701/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1968-07-30/14/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/1968/6/eng/ver_c/bills1968-1r-04.pdf|title=Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas|date=30 July 1968|publisher=Oireachtas|accessdate=4 February 2024}}</ref>

==Proposed changes to the text==
The third bill  proposed to change the text of Article 16.2.3° from:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16_2_3|title=Constitution of Ireland|work=[[Irish Statute Book]]|pages=Article 16.2.3°|accessdate=15 April 2015|archive-date=23 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220423200419/https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article16_2_3|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote frame|The ratio between the number of members to be elected at any time for each constituency and the population of each constituency, as ascertained at the last preceding census, shall, so far as it is practicable, be the same throughout the country.}}
to:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/1968/5/eng/ver_c/bills1968-1ll-04.pdf|title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968: Passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas|date=30 July 1968|publisher=Oireachtas|accessdate=3 February 2024|archive-date=3 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203080926/https://data.oireachtas.ie/ie/oireachtas/bill/1968/5/eng/ver_c/bills1968-1ll-04.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{quote frame|A determination of constituencies shall be so effected that if with respect to each of the constituencies, the number of members to be elected for it is divided into its population (as ascertained at the census immediately preceding the determination) none of the quotients shall be greater, or less, than the average obtained by dividing the total population, as ascertained at the immediately preceding census, by the total number of members of Dáil Éireann by more than one-sixth of that average.

A determination of constituencies shall not be effected during a period beginning on the date of a census and ending on the date of the publication of the relevant results (not being provisional results) thereof, and, if the latest time for effecting such a determination falls during such a period and the determination is not effected before the period begins, it shall, notwithstanding anything in this Article, be effected as soon as may be after the period ends.

Subject to the foregoing requirement of this sub-section, regard shall be had at a determination of constituencies to the extent and accessibility of constituencies and the need for securing convenient areas of representation and, subject to those considerations, to the desirability of avoiding the overlapping by constituencies of the boundaries of [[local government in the Republic of Ireland|Administrative Counties]] (other than boundaries between those Counties and County Boroughs).}}

==Voter information==
In the information supplied to voters, the subject matter of the referendum was described as follows:<ref>{{cite ISB|year=1968|num=34|title=Referendum (Amendment) Act 1968|date=6 August 1968|section=1|stitle=Constitutional referenda in relation to Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, and Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 (Appendix)|accessdate=21 April 2018}}</ref>
{{quote frame|'''The Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, proposes –'''
that in forming Dáil constituencies, the population per deputy in any case may not be greater or less than the national average by more than one-sixth and that regard must be had to the extent and accessibility of constituencies, the need for having convenient areas of representation and the desirability of avoiding the over-lapping of county boundaries.}}

{{quote frame|'''The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968, proposes –'''
#To substitute for the present system of voting at Dáil elections the "straight vote" system in single-member constituencies;
#To establish a Commission to determine constituencies, subject to the right of the Dáil to amend the constituencies as so determined; and
#To provide that whenever the Dáil is dissolved the outgoing [[Ceann Comhairle]] may be returned, without a contest, as a second deputy for a constituency chosen by him which consists of, or includes a part of, the constituency he represented before the dissolution.}}

==Result==
=== Third amendment bill ===
{{Referendum
| title = Third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill 1968<ref name=Ref_results>
{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/130420/f956fce2-ac22-465a-b6c0-7f4289be27f8.pdf#page=22|title=Referendum Results|page=22|work=[[Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government]]|accessdate=3 February 2024|archive-date=22 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122160624/https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/130420/f956fce2-ac22-465a-b6c0-7f4289be27f8.pdf#page=22|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Referendum on the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 – Formation of Dáil Constituencies |url=https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-formation-of-dail-constituencies-third-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |website=Referendum Returning Officer |access-date=3 February 2024 |archive-date=2 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240202060558/https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-formation-of-dail-constituencies-third-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| no = 656,803
| nopct = 60.76
| yes = 424,185
| yespct = 39.24
| valid = 1,080,988
| validpct = 95.71
| invalid = 48,489
| invalidpct = 4.29
| total = 1,129,477
| turnoutpct = 65.77
| electorate = 1,717,389
}}
{{collapse top|title=Results by constituency}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Results by constituency<ref name=Ref_results/>
! rowspan=2 | Constituency
! rowspan=2 | Electorate
! rowspan=2 | {{nowrap|Turnout (%)}}
! colspan=2 | Votes
! colspan=2 | Proportion of votes
|-
! Yes
! No
! Yes
! No
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 58,039
| style="text-align: right;" | 71.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,552
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,397'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Cavan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,996
| style="text-align: right;" | 70.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,706
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,225'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"|[[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 48,008
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,323'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 13,996
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.4%
|-  
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Cork Borough (Dáil constituency)|Cork Borough]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,607
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,954
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,229'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Cork Mid (Dáil constituency)|Cork Mid]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 51,423
| style="text-align: right;" | 72.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,446
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,326'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Cork North-East (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,515
| style="text-align: right;" | 70.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,789
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,649'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,625
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,823
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,121'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''61.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"|[[Donegal North-East (Dáil constituency)|Donegal North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,698
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,440'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,658
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''51.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"|[[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 35,596
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,744'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,340
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''51.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.0%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin County (Dáil constituency)|Dublin County]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 77,837
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,755
| style="text-align: right;" | '''32,073'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''67.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,771
| style="text-align: right;" | 57.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,804
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,353'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 27.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''72.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 80,453
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,888
| style="text-align: right;" | '''36,150'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''69.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,984
| style="text-align: right;" | 61.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,429
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,656'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 52,371
| style="text-align: right;" | 57.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,407
| style="text-align: right;" | '''20,696'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 28.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''71.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,190
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,557
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,240'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 57,590
| style="text-align: right;" | 59.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,726
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,633'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 62,723
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,677
| style="text-align: right;" | '''27,349'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 53,105
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,716
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,643'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 46.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''53.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"|[[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,722
| style="text-align: right;" | 52.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,652'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,477
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.5%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.5%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Kerry North (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,785
| style="text-align: right;" | 64.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,264
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,880'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''56.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 35,323
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,706
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,535'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''51.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Kildare (Dáil constituency)|Kildare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,099
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,607
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,906'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 55,879
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,163
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,345'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Limerick East (Dáil constituency)|Limerick East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,883
| style="text-align: right;" | 67.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,245
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,701'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''62.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,546
| style="text-align: right;" | 72.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,253
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,905'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''51.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 43,795
| style="text-align: right;" | 67.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,714
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,309'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''61.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,781
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,738
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,495'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Mayo North (Dáil constituency)|Mayo North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 30,802
| style="text-align: right;" | 53.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,220
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,497'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''54.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Mayo South (Dáil constituency)|Mayo South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,324
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,604
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,963'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''56.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Meath (Dáil constituency)|Meath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 36,192
| style="text-align: right;" | 68.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,499
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,037'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Monaghan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 32,580
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,744
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,862'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 42,971
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,637
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,243'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 42,362
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,101
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,000'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,076
| style="text-align: right;" | 70.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,606
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,179'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,045
| style="text-align: right;" | 74.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,803
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,534'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''54.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,519
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,360
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,551'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 48,050
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,433
| style="text-align: right;" | '''20,542'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''64.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,124
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,100
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,108'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''65.1%'''
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);"
| Total
| style="text-align: right;" | 1,717,389
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 424,185
| style="text-align: right;" | 656,803
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 60.8%
|}
{{collapse bottom}}

===Fourth amendment bill===
{{Referendum
| title = Fourth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland Bill 1968<ref name=Ref_results2>
{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/130420/f956fce2-ac22-465a-b6c0-7f4289be27f8.pdf#page=24|title=Referendum Results|page=24|work=[[Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government]]|accessdate=4 February 2024|archive-date=22 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230122160624/https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/130420/f956fce2-ac22-465a-b6c0-7f4289be27f8.pdf#page=24|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Referendum on the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 1968 – Voting System |url=https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-voting-system-fourth-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |website=Referendum Returning Officer |access-date=3 February 2024 |archive-date=2 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240202060605/https://www.referendum.ie/archive/referendum-on-the-voting-system-fourth-amendment-of-the-constitution-bill-1968/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| no = 657,898
| nopct = 60.84
| yes = 423,496
| yespct = 39.16
| valid = 1,081,394
| validpct = 95.73
| invalid = 48,212
| invalidpct = 4.27
| total = 1,129,606
| turnoutpct = 65.77
| electorate = 1,717,389
}}
{{collapse top|title=Results by constituency}}
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+Results by constituency<ref name=Ref_results2/>
! rowspan=2 | Constituency
! rowspan=2 | Electorate
! rowspan=2 | {{nowrap|Turnout (%)}}
! colspan=2 | Votes
! colspan=2 | Proportion of votes
|-
! Yes
! No
! Yes
! No
|- 
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 58,039
| style="text-align: right;" | 71.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,253
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,174'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cavan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,996
| style="text-align: right;" | 70.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,710
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,318'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 48,008
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,193'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,131
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.9%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork Borough (Dáil constituency)|Cork Borough]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,607
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,784
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,448'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''61.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork Mid (Dáil constituency)|Cork Mid]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 51,423
| style="text-align: right;" | 72.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,337
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,440'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork North-East (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,515
| style="text-align: right;" | 70.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,784
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,659'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.5%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.5%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,625
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,691
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,281'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''62.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal North-East (Dáil constituency)|Donegal North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,698
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,414'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,701
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''51.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 35,596
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,692'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,397
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.3%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;" |[[Dublin County (Dáil constituency)|Dublin County]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 77,837
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 15,820
| style="text-align: right;" | '''31,999'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''66.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,771
| style="text-align: right;" | 57.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,877
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,187'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 27.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''72.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 80,453
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 16,147
| style="text-align: right;" | '''36,010'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 31.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''69.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,984
| style="text-align: right;" | 61.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,467
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,633'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 52,371
| style="text-align: right;" | 57.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,449
| style="text-align: right;" | '''20,790'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 28.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''71.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,190
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,726
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,044'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''70.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 57,590
| style="text-align: right;" | 59.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,667
| style="text-align: right;" | '''23,780'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 28.9%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''71.1%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 62,723
| style="text-align: right;" | 63.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,875
| style="text-align: right;" | '''27,135'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''69.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 53,105
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,713
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,708'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 46.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''53.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,722
| style="text-align: right;" | 52.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,606'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,574
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''50.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 49.9%
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Kerry North (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,785
| style="text-align: right;" | 64.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,246
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,887'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''56.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 35,323
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,698
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,605'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''52.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Kildare (Dáil constituency)|Kildare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,099
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,560
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,883'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 55,879
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,128
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,433'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''60.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Limerick East (Dáil constituency)|Limerick East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,883
| style="text-align: right;" | 67.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,190
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,793'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''62.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 33,546
| style="text-align: right;" | 72.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,272
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,908'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 48.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''51.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 43,795
| style="text-align: right;" | 67.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,674
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,414'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.0%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''62.0%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,781
| style="text-align: right;" | 66.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,785
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,453'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Mayo North (Dáil constituency)|Mayo North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 30,802
| style="text-align: right;" | 53.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,167
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,556'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''54.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Mayo South (Dáil constituency)|Mayo South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 41,324
| style="text-align: right;" | 62.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,513
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,025'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.8%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.2%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Meath (Dáil constituency)|Meath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 36,192
| style="text-align: right;" | 68.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,500
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,084'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.3%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.7%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Monaghan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 32,580
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,645
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,925'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''59.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Roscommon]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 42,971
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,635
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,299'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 42,362
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,034
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,097'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.2%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.8%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 34,076
| style="text-align: right;" | 71.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,600
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,217'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''57.9%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 46,045
| style="text-align: right;" | 74.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | 14,749
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,712'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 45.4%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''54.6%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,519
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,353
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,555'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 41.6%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''58.4%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 48,050
| style="text-align: right;" | 69.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,411
| style="text-align: right;" | '''20,588'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.7%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''64.3%'''
|-
| style="background:#ffc8c8;"| [[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 37,124
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,131
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,055'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.1%
| style="text-align: right; background:#ffc8c8;" | '''64.9%'''
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);"
| Total
| style="text-align: right;" | 1,717,389
| style="text-align: right;" | 65.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 423,496
| style="text-align: right;" | 657,898
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 60.8%
|}
{{collapse bottom}}

==See also==
*[[Constitutional amendment]]
*[[Politics of the Republic of Ireland]]
*[[History of the Republic of Ireland]]

== References ==
<references />

===Sources===
* {{cite web |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/1968/5/ |title=Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1968 (Bill 5 of 1968)  |website=Oireachtas debates |accessdate=1 February 2020}}
* {{cite web |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/1968/6/ |title=Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1968 (Bill 6 of 1968) |website=Oireachtas |access-date=1 February 2020}}

{{Amendments of the Constitution of Ireland}}

[[Category:1968 in Irish law]]
[[Category:1968 in Irish politics]]
[[Category:1968 referendums]]
[[Category:Constitutional referendums in the Republic of Ireland|Ireland 1968]]
[[Category:October 1968 in Europe]]
[[Category:1968 elections in the Republic of Ireland|Constitutional 1968]]