Editing Ordinary referendum (section)

==Overview==
The [[Oireachtas]] is a [[bicameral]] legislature in which [[Dáil Éireann]], the lower house, is much more powerful than [[Seanad Éireann]], the upper house. The Seanad cannot veto bills passed by the Dáil; it can at most delay them for 90 days before they are deemed to have been passed.<ref>Constitution of Ireland, Article 23.1</ref> The ordinary referendum in theory allows the Seanad to exercise a check on the Dáil by providing a mechanism for it to prevent the passing of a bill with which it disagrees. However, the composition of the Seanad, especially the fact that 11 of the 60 Senators are [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by the Taoiseach]], means that it usually has a pro-government majority and will not oppose a government bill.<ref name="CoakleyGallagher2010"/>

The process leading to an ordinary referendum is in several stages:
* the Dáil passes a bill and sends it to the Seanad
* ''either''
** the Seanad rejects or amends the bill; ''or''
** 90 days elapse without the Seanad passing or rejecting the bill
* the Dáil passes a resolution deeming the bill to have been passed unamended by the Seanad
* Oireachtas members petition the President to refer the bill to the people
* the President 
** confers with the Council of State; ''and''
** decides to refer the bill to the people
* the Government decides to hold a referendum
* the referendum is held

The petition process is outlined in Article 27 of the Constitution and detailed in the Constitution (Verification of Petition) Act, 1944.

The referendum process is broadly similar to that for a constitutional referendum; both are outlined in Article 47 of the Constitution and detailed in the Referendum Act, 1994. The electorate, as for constitutional referendums and [[Presidential elections in Ireland|Presidential elections]], consists of all [[Irish nationality|Irish citizen]]s who are either [[legal residence|resident]] in the state or abroad on [[Foreign relations of Ireland|diplomatic]] or [[Irish Defence Forces|Defence Forces]] assignments. Both ordinary and constitutional referendums will approve a bill if a majority of votes are cast in favour of it.<ref>Constitution of Ireland, Article 47</ref> However, an ordinary referendum will not reject a bill unless at least one-third of voters on the [[electoral register]] vote against it.<ref>Constitution of Ireland, Article 47.2</ref> The bill will still become law even if a majority of those who vote reject it, provided the [[Voter turnout|overall turnout]] is low. Hogan ''et al.'' call this restriction "altogether unsatisfactory", and consider it another reason why no such referendum has been held.<ref name="Hogan45113">Hogan ''et al.'' 2003, p.419, §4.5.113</ref>