Voters

The only way that our full democratic rights, embodied in Article 48, can be restored to us is if a constitutional amendment bill proposing the reintroduction of Article 48 into the Irish Constitution is passed in Dáil Éireann by a majority of the elected members (TDs).

Turkeys don’t vote for Christmas

To bring this about we are asking everyone of voting age in Ireland to make the Reinstate 48 (R48) pledge that they will only vote for candidates for the Dáil in the next General Election who have made the R48 Candidate Pledge. 

The R48 Candidate Pledge requires a candidate to make an irrevocable pledge to propose and vote for the reintroduction of Article 48 into the Irish constitution by voting for a constitutional amendment bill to this effect within one month after taking office following the next General Election.

Any candidate from any political party or independents can make the R48 Candidate Pledge.

Like bees to honey

If enough voters make the R48 pledge then it would be an enormous incentive for all candidates to also make the R48 Candidate Pledge so as to try to attract these votes in order to get elected to the Dáil.  Of course some candidates will embrace the Reinstate 48 initiative from the start and you will know these by their R48 Candidate Pledge number.

Next steps

Once a constitutional amendment bill proposing the reintroduction of Article 48 into the Irish Constitution has been passed then a referendum must be held within 90 days providing the people of Ireland with the opportunity to regain the right to directly participate in the decision making process of the governance of Ireland.

If Article 48 is reintroduced into the Irish Constitution the Dáil will have a two years period in which to enact the relevant legislation to provide for direct democracy in Ireland.  Should the Dáil fail to enact such legislation within this period of time the people, by petition of not less than 75,000 voter on the register, can force the Dáil to act. 

The table below shows all the total number of voters to date who have taken the R48 pledge.

Voters who have made the R48 pledge

Total R48 Pledges: 3766

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