Who administers direct democracy mechanisms at the national level?

Website of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (accessed 14 September 2022):  

“The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is responsible for the law dealing with registration of electors and for conducting elections and referendums.

This involves:

- an ongoing review of electoral law

- review of constituencies and local electoral areas

- the provision of information and advice to registration authorities, returning officers and the general public together with the publication of election results.”

Ireland, Referendum Act 1998, as amended by the Referendum Act 2001, accessed 14 September 2022

Ireland, Electoral Act 2022, accessed 14 September 2022

Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as information in its website notes, is responsible for the conduct of referendums. However, Electoral Act 2022 provides that a Commission is established to have specific functions related to the administration of referendums, and both Electoral Act 2022 and Referendum Act 1998 contains provision about the appointment of a "Referendum Returning Officer". In general, it seems several bodies/entities are involved in overall administration of referendums.