Why has President Higgins convened the Council of State? 

The Council of State has been convened to examine whether a piece of legislation is constitutional on 29 occasions. However, only 15 of those times was the bill sent to the Supreme Court 

President Michael D Higgins, centre front, convened a meeting of the Council of State in  Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday for the purpose of his hearing from the Council regarding the constitutionality of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024. Picture: Maxwells

On Monday, the Council of State was convened by President Michael D Higgins to examine the constitutionality of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024.

It’s a fairly uncommon practice, with this being just the fourth time President Higgins has done so since he took on the role in 2011.