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100+ Free FE-1 Constitutional Law Practice Questions

FE-1 Final Examination - First Part: Constitutional Law practice questions are available now; exam metadata is being verified.

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Key Facts: FE-1 Constitutional Law Exam

Bunreacht na hEireann 1937

Core Constitutional Text

Law Society of Ireland FE-1 syllabus

3 hours

Single Written Paper (3.5 hrs online)

Law Society of Ireland

Answer 4 of 5

Essay/Problem Questions

Law Society of Ireland

50%

Pass Mark Per Subject

Law Society of Ireland

7 years

To Pass All 8 FE-1 Subjects

Law Society of Ireland

100+

Practice Questions Here

OpenExamPrep question bank

FE-1 Constitutional Law is one of eight subjects in the Law Society of Ireland's FE-1, the entrance examination for solicitor training in Ireland. The paper is a single three-hour essay/problem exam (3.5 hours online) of five questions, of which candidates answer four, with a 50% pass mark. It is examined entirely on Irish law, centred on Bunreacht na hEireann 1937. Core topics include constitutional interpretation, the separation of powers (Oireachtas, President, Government), the courts and the administration of justice, judicial review and the presumption of constitutionality, and the personal rights of Article 40.3 (enumerated and unenumerated rights), equality, and personal liberty under Article 40.4. The family and education provisions are examinable, and candidates should note the March 2024 family and care referendums were rejected. The FE-1 is sat twice yearly (Spring and Autumn), subjects can be taken individually, and all eight must be passed within seven years.

Sample FE-1 Constitutional Law Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your FE-1 Constitutional Law exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Bunreacht na hÉireann, the Constitution of Ireland, came into operation on which date, replacing the Constitution of the Irish Free State?
A.29 December 1937
B.6 December 1922
C.18 April 1949
D.1 January 1973
Explanation: Bunreacht na hÉireann was approved by plebiscite on 1 July 1937 and came into operation on 29 December 1937, replacing the 1922 Constitution of the Irish Free State.
2Under Article 6 of the Constitution, from whom do all powers of government — legislative, executive and judicial — ultimately derive?
A.The President of Ireland
B.The Oireachtas
C.The people, under God
D.The Government and the Taoiseach
Explanation: Article 6.1 provides that all powers of government, legislative, executive and judicial, derive, under God, from the people, whose right it is to designate the rulers of the State. This establishes popular sovereignty as the foundation of the constitutional order.
3Article 15.2.1 of the Constitution vests the sole and exclusive power of making laws for the State in which body?
A.The Government
B.The Oireachtas
C.The Supreme Court
D.The President in Council
Explanation: Article 15.2.1 provides that the sole and exclusive power of making laws for the State is vested in the Oireachtas, and no other legislative authority has power to make laws for the State. This underpins the rule against impermissible delegation of legislative power, as in Cityview Press v An Comhairle Oiliúna.
4What are the two Houses of the Oireachtas named in the Constitution?
A.The Commons and the Lords
B.The Dáil and the Council of State
C.The Seanad and the Cabinet
D.The Dáil and the Seanad
Explanation: Article 15.1.2 provides that the Oireachtas consists of the President and two Houses: a House of Representatives, Dáil Éireann, and a Senate, Seanad Éireann. The President is also a constituent part of the Oireachtas.
5In McGee v Attorney General [1974] IR 284, the Supreme Court recognised a constitutional right that struck down the ban on importing contraceptives. Which unenumerated right did the Court principally rely upon?
A.The right to bodily integrity
B.The right to travel
C.The right to marital privacy
D.The right to earn a livelihood
Explanation: In McGee v Attorney General, the Supreme Court held that a married woman had an unenumerated right to marital privacy under Article 40.3, derived in part from the protection of the Family in Article 41, which the importation ban unconstitutionally infringed.
6Ryan v Attorney General [1965] IR 294 is the foundational case for the doctrine of unenumerated personal rights. Which provision did Kenny J interpret as protecting rights beyond those expressly listed?
A.Article 40.3.1 (the State to defend and vindicate personal rights)
B.Article 40.1 (equality before the law)
C.Article 41.1 (the rights of the Family)
D.Article 44.2 (freedom of conscience)
Explanation: In Ryan v Attorney General, Kenny J held that the personal rights guaranteed by Article 40.3.1 are not exhausted by those expressly enumerated, and recognised an unenumerated right to bodily integrity. The fluoridation challenge ultimately failed on the evidence, but the doctrine was established.
7Article 34.1 of the Constitution provides that justice shall be administered in courts established by law by judges appointed in the manner provided by the Constitution and, save in special and limited cases, shall be administered how?
A.By a jury in all cases
B.By the Government
C.Only in the Irish language
D.In public
Explanation: Article 34.1 requires that justice be administered in public, save in such special and limited cases as may be prescribed by law. The open administration of justice is a core constitutional principle (see Re R Ltd; Irish Times v Ireland).
8A litigant detained by An Garda Síochána wishes to challenge the lawfulness of their detention and obtain immediate release if it is unlawful. Which constitutional provision provides the habeas corpus remedy?
A.Article 40.1
B.Article 40.4.2
C.Article 40.3
D.Article 38.1
Explanation: Article 40.4.2 entitles a person to apply to the High Court to inquire into the lawfulness of their detention; if the detention is not in accordance with law, the Court must order release. This is the constitutional equivalent of habeas corpus.
9Which guarantee is contained in Article 40.1 of the Constitution?
A.All citizens shall, as human persons, be held equal before the law
B.The State shall provide free primary education
C.The dwelling of every citizen is inviolable
D.The State guarantees liberty for the exercise of religion
Explanation: Article 40.1 provides that all citizens shall, as human persons, be held equal before the law, while permitting the State to have due regard to differences of capacity, physical and moral, and of social function. This is the constitutional equality guarantee.
10Under the doctrine of the presumption of constitutionality, what is the position when a post-1937 Act of the Oireachtas is challenged?
A.It is presumed unconstitutional until the State proves otherwise
B.It cannot be challenged at all once signed by the President
C.It is presumed constitutional unless the challenger establishes its invalidity
D.The presumption applies only to pre-1937 laws
Explanation: Post-1937 statutes enjoy a presumption of constitutionality: the burden lies on the party challenging the Act to establish its invalidity, and where two interpretations are possible the constitutional one is preferred (the double construction rule). The presumption does not apply to pre-1937 laws, which are carried over under Article 50 subject to consistency with the Constitution.

About the FE-1 Constitutional Law Practice Questions

Verified exam format metadata for FE-1 Final Examination - First Part: Constitutional Law is pending. The practice questions above remain available while official exam length, timing, passing score, fee, and administrator details are reviewed.