Electoral (Amendment) Act 1959

Electoral (Amendment) Act 1959
Electoral (Amendment) Act 1959
Oireachtas
	Long title AN ACT TO FIX THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF DÁIL ÉIREANN AND TO REVISE THEIR CONSTITUENCIES AND TO AMEND THE LAW RELATING TO THE ELECTION OF SUCH MEMBERS. ;
Citation	No. 33 of 1959
Signed	26 November 1959
Commenced	26 November 1959 (in part)
Repealed	14 July 1961
Legislative history
Bill citation	No. 34 of 1959
Introduced by	Minister for Local Government (Neil Blaney)
Introduced	22 July 1959
Repealed by
	Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961
	Status: Struck down

The Electoral (Amendment) Act 1959 (No. 33) was a law in Ireland which sought to revise Dáil constituencies. It was found to be repugnant to the Constitution and never came into effect.

It was challenged by John O'Donovan, a Fine Gael senator and former TD. In O'Donovan v. Attorney-General (1961), the High Court held that the Act was unconstitutional and suggested that the ratio of representation to population across constituencies should differ by no more than 5%. The court, interpreting the "so far as it is practicable" condition of the Constitution, suggested a 5% variation as the limit without exceptional circumstances.

It was formally repealed by the Electoral (Amendment) Act 1961.

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