Comparing United

States to Ireland
By: Dan Brown

Michael D. Higgins
Irish politician, human rights activist, university lecturer, and poet who served as the president of Ireland (2011 ). At age
five Higgins was separated from his parents, whose struggle to make ends meet was partly the product of his fathers ill
health. He was raised in modest means by relatives in County Clare and started his working life as a clerk in a bank.
alongside a 30-year-political career with separate roles as a sociology professor and a published poet. However, he was
re-elected in 1987 and retained his Galway West seat until he retired from the Dail in February of this year.

Barack Hussein Obama

Barack Obama is the 44th and current president of the United States, and the first
African American to serve as U.S. president. First elected to the presidency in
2008, he won a second term in 2012. Born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii,
Barack Obama is the 44th and current president of the United States. He was a community
organizer, civil-rights lawyer and teacher before pursuing a political career.

Compare their lawmaking body to our leader

The Houses of the Oireachtas included Dali Eireann and the Seanad. Bicameral
structure. It has 166 members in the houses of the Oireachtas

Americas Government
United States of America. Bicameral structure.

Compare some of the most important rights to the bill

of rights
Freedom of Religion the right to practice whatever religion one chooses.

Bill Of Rights
Freedom of speech, the right to express yourself without interference from the
government.

Do they have a freedom of speech/press

The freedom of speech, press, and assembly is defined as the general freedom of
the individual and the press to gather together freely and express opinions.
These rights first began when the settlers first came over to the United States
from Europe and created the original British Colonies.

Do they have Freedom of Religion

Yes it is Christianity, with the largest church being the Roman Catholic Church.
The Irish constitution says that the state may not endorse any particular religion
and guarantees freedom of religion.

Do they have right to bear arms

Firearms in Ireland are strictly controlled, both with strict legislation governing
licensing and very conservative application of that legislation by the Gardai (Irish
Police).

Does this country have a two party system, a one party

system or multiparty system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties across the
political spectrum run for national election, and have a similar or equal chance of
gaining control of government offices, separately or in coalition government.
Ireland has a multiparty system.

What are the names, key beliefs, and symbols of the

major political parties in Ireland
There are a number of political parties in Ireland, and coalition governments are
common. The state is unusual as a developed nation in that politics is not
primarily characterised by the left-right political divide. The two largest political
parties, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, arose from a split in the original Sinn Fein
party in the 1922-23 civil war, Fine Gael from the faction that supported the 1921
Anglo-Irish Treaty.

What is the voting age and what are the qualifications

to vote in Ireland
You must be at least 18 years of age on 15 February, the day the Register comes
into force. Irish citizens may vote at every election and referendum. Have been
ordinarily resident in the State on 1 September in the preceding the coming into
force of the register.

How often are elections held in Ireland

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government appoints
the polling day which must be between the 18th and 25th day (excluding Good
Friday, Sundays and Public Holidays) after the issue of the writ.

What type of elections are held (primaries, general,

etc?)
Local elections elect councillors to sit in local city and country councils. These
take place every five years.

Does Ireland charge an income tax?

In Ireland there is an income tax, a value added tax and various other taxes.
Employees pay-as-you-earn taxes based on their income, less certain
allowances.

What other specific ways does Irelands government

make money
Ireland is a parliamentary democracy. The National Parliament consists of the
President and two houses: a house of representatives and a senate.

Compare Irelands spending with what we spend on

Military
Ireland spends $1,302 on military. We spend $689,591 on military.

Education
The 6,600 spent on each primary pupil was barely above the OECD average and
the 14th highest of 33 countries.

Healthcare
The US has the highest health spending in the world- equivalent to 17.9%of its
gross domestic product or $8,362 per person

Compare Irelands crime rates, prison population,

punishments, and court system to our rates here in the
United States
Incarceration in the United States is one of the main forms of punishment,
rehabilitation, or both for the commission of felony and other offenses.

Describe the current relationship between United

States and Ireland
According to the governments of the United States and Ireland, relations have
long been based on common ancestrial ties and shared values. Besides regular
dialogue on political and economic issues, the U.S. and Irish governments have
official exchanges in areas such as medical research and education.