View source for Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland

{{Short description|Amendment on the International Criminal Court}}
{{for|the Irish Free State constitutional amendment|Constitution (Amendment No. 23) Act 1936}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox referendum
|name       = Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland
|title      = To permit the state to become a party to the International Criminal Court
|date       = {{Start date|2001|06|07|df=y}}
|country    = Ireland
|yes        =   629,234
|no         =   350,512
|total      =   997,565
|electorate = 2,867,960
}}
The '''Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Act 2001''' of the [[Constitution of Ireland]] is an amendment that permitted the state to become a party to the [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC). It was approved by [[referendum]] on 7 June 2001 and signed into law on the 27 March 2002. The referendum was held [[2001 Irish constitutional referendums|on the same day as referendums]] on the [[Twenty-first Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|prohibition of the death penalty]], which was also approved, and on the [[Twenty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001|ratification of the Nice Treaty]], which was rejected.

==Background==
The [[Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court|Statute of the International Criminal Court]] established the [[International Criminal Court]]. As its ratification would affect Ireland's sovereignty and powers and functions elsewhere in the Constitution, under the decision of the [[Supreme Court of Ireland|Supreme Court]] in ''[[Crotty v. An Taoiseach]]'' (1987), an amendment was required before it could be ratified.

==Changes to the text==
Insertion of new Article 29.9:
{{quote frame|The State may ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court done at Rome on the 17th day of July, 1998.}}

==Oireachtas debate==
The Twenty-third Amendment was proposed in [[Dáil Éireann]] by [[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for Foreign Affairs]] [[Brian Cowen]] on behalf of the [[Fianna Fáil]]–[[Progressive Democrats]] coalition government led by [[Taoiseach]] [[Bertie Ahern]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2001-04-11/11/|title=Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution Bill, 2001: Second Stage.|date=11 April 2001|access-date=24 May 2018|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref> It had the support of all parties and it passed final stages in the Dáil on 12 April.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2001-04-12/8/|title=Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2001: Committee and Remaining Stages.|date=12 April 2001|access-date=24 May 2018|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref> It passed final stages in the Seanad on 2 May and proceeded to a referendum on 11 June 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/2001-05-02/4/|title=Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Bill, 2001: Committee Stage and Remaining Stages.|date=2 May 2001|access-date=24 May 2018|publisher=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>

==Result==
{{Referendum
|title      = Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland referendum<ref name=Ref_results>{{cite web|url=http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/Voting/referendum_results_1937-2015.pdf|work=[[Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government]]|title=Referendum Results 1937–2015|page=66|date=23 August 2016|accessdate=24 May 2018}}</ref>
|yes        = 629,234
|yespct     = 64.22
|no         = 350,512
|nopct      = 35.78
|valid      = 979,746
|validpct   = 98.21
|invalid    = 17,819
|invalidpct = 1.79
|total      = 997,565
|turnoutpct = 34.78
|electorate = 2,867,960
}}

{|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:#c8ffc8;"| [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 92,470
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,747'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,094
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.9%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil constituency)|Cavan–Monaghan]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 85,803
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,803'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,184
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 76,227
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,251'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,767
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''66.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork East (Dáil constituency)|Cork East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 68,707
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,420'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,555
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''60.2%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.8%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 75,038
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,817'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,817
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''60.2%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.8%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork North-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 49,749
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,890'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,206
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''60.2%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.8%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 90,790
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''22,112'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,144
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''66.5%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.5%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Cork South-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 50,677
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,869'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,422
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal North-East (Dáil constituency)|Donegal North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 55,035
| style="text-align: right;" | 27.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,446'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,428
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''56.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Donegal South-West (Dáil constituency)|Donegal South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 52,671
| style="text-align: right;" | 28.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''8,175'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,572
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''55.5%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 44.5%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 61,290
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.7%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''11,377'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,926
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''56.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.9%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin North (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 70,321
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,262'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,039
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''69.5%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.5%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 64,007
| style="text-align: right;" | 43.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,490'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,897
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin North-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,877
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,419'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,181 
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''65.4%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.6%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin North-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 57,284
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''13,552'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,106
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''62.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin South (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 93,038
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''28,195'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,929
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''72.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 27.9%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 65,542
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,551'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,638
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 58,820
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,777'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,066
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''69.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.9%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 81,266
| style="text-align: right;" | 31.9%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,613'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,996
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 39.0%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 77,760
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,956'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,601
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''67.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 86,549
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''26,443'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,164
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''72.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 27.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 65,633
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,023'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,951
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.4%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.6%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Galway West (Dáil constituency)|Galway West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 83,176
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,536'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,503
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kerry North (Dáil constituency)|Kerry North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 53,366
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''9,902'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,178
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''58.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 42.0%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kerry South (Dáil constituency)|Kerry South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 48,992
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''9,585'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,690
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''62.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kildare North (Dáil constituency)|Kildare North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 59,035
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,099'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,985
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''70.3%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 29.7%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Kildare South (Dáil constituency)|Kildare South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 51,142
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,690'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 5,556
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''65.9%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.1%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 90,987
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''18,221'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,378
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Limerick East (Dáil constituency)|Limerick East]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 80,339
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.5%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''17,281'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,014
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.4%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 36.6%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Limerick West (Dáil constituency)|Limerick West]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 49,160
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''10,426'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,178
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''62.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 67,305
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,954'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,083
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Louth (Dáil constituency)|Louth]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 78,007
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''16,428'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 9,667
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''63.0%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.0%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 90,336
| style="text-align: right;" | 30.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,840'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,694
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''59.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Meath (Dáil constituency)|Meath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 101,888
| style="text-align: right;" | 32.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,817'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,880
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''66.8%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.2%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Sligo–Leitrim (Dáil constituency)|Sligo–Leitrim]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 66,748
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''14,000'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,930
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''61.1%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.9%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Tipperary North (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary North]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 56,278
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,062'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,585
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Tipperary South (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary South]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 53,463
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.1%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''12,098'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 7,205
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''62.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 37.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 71,946
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.0%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''15,845'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 8,797
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.4%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.6%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Westmeath]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 51,664
| style="text-align: right;" | 31.6%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''9,538'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 6,474
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''59.6%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 40.4%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"| [[Wexford (Dáil constituency)|Wexford]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 90,507
| style="text-align: right;" | 33.4%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''19,156'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 10,467
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''64.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.3%
|-
| style="background:#c8ffc8;"|[[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]
| style="text-align: right;" | 85,067
| style="text-align: right;" | 38.3%
| style="text-align: right;" | '''21,029'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 11,016
| style="text-align: right; background:#c8ffc8;" | '''65.7%'''
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.3%
|- class="sortbottom" style="font-weight:bold; background:rgb(232,232,232);"
|Total
| style="text-align: right;" | 2,867,960
| style="text-align: right;" | 34.8%
| style="text-align: right;" | 628,695
| style="text-align: right;" | 350,963
| style="text-align: right;" | 64.2%
| style="text-align: right;" | 35.8%
|}

==Aftermath==
The International Criminal Court came into force on 1 July 2002.

==Note on numbering==
The Twenty-third Amendment Bill was put to the people with the Twenty-first and Twenty-fourth Amendment Bills. This is because the [[Twenty-second Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001|Twenty-second Amendment of the Constitution Bill]] was withdrawn by the government during the course of debate in the Oireachtas. There was therefore no Twenty-second Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, as the title of legislation is not changed on its enactment.

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2001/en/act/cam/0023/index.html Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Act 2001]
*[http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/en/constitution/index.html Full text of the Constitution of Ireland]
*[https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/bills/bill/2001/18/ Oireachtas Debates: Twenty-third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2001]

{{Amendments of the Constitution of Ireland|state=collapsed}}
{{International Criminal Court|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:2001 in international relations]]
[[Category:2001 in Irish law]]
[[Category:2001 in Irish politics]]
[[Category:2001 referendums]]
[[Category:2002 in Irish law]]
[[Category:2002 in Irish politics]]
[[Category:Amendments of the Constitution of Ireland|23]]
[[Category:International Criminal Court]]
[[Category:Constitutional referendums in the Republic of Ireland|23]]
[[Category:Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court]]
[[Category:June 2001 in Ireland]]
[[Category:2000s elections in Ireland|Amendment, 23]]