For one of our final business casual outings, our class visited the Irish Parliament. Honestly, I didn’t think we’d actually get to go inside I assumed there would be intense security, ID checks, and a long process to gain access, especially since that’s often the case with official government buildings in the U.S. But to my surprise, our CEA guide Sean walked us right in without any issues.
What made the experience even more memorable was that we unexpectedly met Senator Mark Daly from the Fianna Fáil party . I’ll admit, I didn’t know who he was at the time that I even had to Google him later but it was pretty surreal to be standing right next to a sitting senator and get a photo with him.
Our tour guide was fantastic. They walked us through the entire Parliament building, explaining its history, the original purpose of the building, and why it’s located in Dublin. It felt like a behind-the-scenes look at how the Irish government operates. We got to see the rooms where debates and discussions happen before and after official meetings, which gave us a real sense of how their political process works.
Before we arrived, Sean also gave us a helpful overview of Ireland’s government structure explaining the roles of the president, the prime minister (Taoiseach), and how representatives are elected from different counties. It was interesting to compare their system with our own, especially considering how turbulent U.S. politics can feel right now.
I think the voting system in Ireland requires 180 votes to achieve a majority. Regardless, learning how their system functions and how they elect their leaders sparked my curiosity even more. I’ve always been interested in politics, so this visit was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for me. It deepened my understanding of another country’s political structure and made me reflect on how government works in different parts of the world.