On the assembly of a new Dáil following a General Election, the process of forming a Government begins with Dáil Éireann nominating persons for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach (Prime Minister). The nominations are voted on in sequence until one is agreed. Normally, each of the political parties, or a coalition of parties, will have its own nominee and the person securing the nomination will have the support of the majority of the Members. The Taoiseach nominates the other members of the Government and assigns the Departments of State to them. On their approval by Dáil Éireann, the President formally appoints them and gives them their seals of Office. However, under the Constitution, where a Government ceases to retain the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann, a succesor Government can be formed without a General Election.

Ar thionól Dála nua tar éis Olltoghcháin, cromtar ar Rialtas a chur le chéile agus ainmníonn Dáil Éireann daoine lena gceapadh ag an Uachtarán mar Thaoiseach. Vótáiltear ar na hainmniúcháin faoi seach go dtí go gcomhaontaítear ar dhuine amháin. De ghnáth, beidh ainmnitheach dá chuid féin ag gach ceann de na páirtithe polaitíochta, nó comhghuaillíocht de pháirtithe, agus beidh tacaíocht thromlach na gComhaltaí ag an té a fhaigheann an t-ainmniúchán. Ainmníonn an Taoiseach comhaltaí eile den Rialtas agus sannann Ranna Stáit dóibh. Arna gceadú ag Dáil Éireann, déanann an tUachtarán iad a cheapadh go foirmeálta agus tugann a séala oifige dóibh. De réir an Bhunreachta, áfach, i gcás nach bhfuil tacaíocht ó thromlach sa Dáil ag Rialtas a thuilleadh, is féidir Rialtas comharbais a cheapadh gan Olltoghchán.

The executive power of the State is vested in the Government which is responsible to Dáil Éireann. The Government consists of a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 15 Members. The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance must be Members of Dáil Éireann. A rarely used provision in the Constitution permits not more than two Members of Seanad Éireann to be Members of the Government. The Government meets and acts as a collective authority. Ministers of State, who are not members of the Government, assist Government Ministers in their parliamentary and departmental work.

Under the Standing Orders (Rules) of Dáil Éireann, the Taoiseach decides the order in which Government business is to be taken daily, but in practice the ordering of business generally follows discussions at meetings of Party Whips.

The main business of Government is the care and management of the public finances, the administration of Departments of State and legislating in the economic, financial and social interests of the people.

The financial business of Government is principally concerned with

(a) the preparation of the Estimates of the Receipts and Expenditure of the State i.e. the cost of running each Department and Office of State, and

(b) the preparation, presentation and adoption of the annual Budget.

The annual debates on the Estimates provide opportunities for Members to examine in detail the day-to-day operations of Government Departments. The Appropriation Act gives statutory effect to the Departmental Estimates. The annual Budget is given immediate legal effect by financial resolutions of Dáil Éireann which are subsequently incorporated in the Finance Act within four months of Budget Day . If a Government should fail to get a Budget or any of its provision passed by Dáil Éireann, the result will be the collapse of that Government which could lead to the dissolution of the Dáil.

Government policy and administration are open to Members' scrutiny by way of formal Parliamentary Questions which may be addressed to Members of the Government on public affairs connected with their Departments or on matters of administration for which they are officially responsible. Moreover, Government performance and policy can also be the subject of more extended debate in the Houses.

A Government's legislative programme (Bills) will take the form of proposals for totally new legislation or for the amendment of existing law. Each House has similar procedures for examining a Bill during its passage through the House. Amendments may be made by either House with the exception that in the case of Money Bills i.e. Bills relating to financial matters Seanad Éireann can only make recommendations.

Statute law will frequently delegate to Ministers the power to make Statutory Instruments otherwise known as delegated or secondary legislation. This is an efficient method of implementing statute law without monopolising parliamentary time. However, Parliament retains control in that Statutory Instruments can be annulled by either or both Houses as appropriate.

While each House decides its own procedures for regulating its business, Government support for new procedures is necessary. Initiatives in recent years have resulted in the establishment of a series of legislative and other specialised committees across a broad spectrum of policy and administration. As a result, Members have increased opportunities to participate more actively and effectively in the working of Parliament.

Although the Government has no direct constitutional responsibility to Seanad Éireann, the Government's legislative proposals will be examined in Seanad Éireann by virtue of the fact that that House is a constituent part of the Oireachtas. Moreover, Members of the Government have a constitutional right of attendance in Seanad Éireann and either they or a Minister of State will be present when that House is dealing with Bills or holding debates on aspects of Government policy and administration.

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