As published in The Right to Conscientious Objection in Europe, Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2005.
Conscription has never existed in Ireland.
According to Article 28 of the Constitution and Article 54 of the Defence Act, conscription may be introduced in case of national emergency.
There is no further legislation on conscription and there never has been since Ireland became independent as the Irish Free State in 1922.
It is not known if there are legal provisions for conscientious objection for professional soldiers. According to one source, it is believed that soldiers who develop conscientious objection may seek discharge from the armed forces.[1] No further information is available.
[1] Informaton provided by Peace Pledge Union, quoted in: War Resisters' International: Refusing to bear arms - A world survey on conscription and conscientious objection to military service, 1998.
To browse the 1998 CONCODOC report for this country, click here. To return to the country menu, click here.
Refusing to Bear Arms: A worldwide survey of conscription and
conscientious objection to military service
(c) War Resisters'
International, 1998-2005.
email concodoc
wri-irg.org
This updated country entry © Quaker Council for
European Affairs, 2005.
Refusing to Bear Arms: A worldwide survey of conscription and conscientious objection to military service
Conscription and Conscientious Objection Documentation Project
© War Resisters' International, 1998-2005. This updated country entry © Quaker Council for European Affairs, 2005.
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