▁were ▁however ▁also ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁limitations ▁to ▁the ▁O ire acht as ▁power : ▁ ▁La ws ▁or ▁constitution al ▁am end ments ▁were ▁invalid ▁if ▁they ▁viol ated ▁the ▁Ang lo - I r ish ▁Tre aty . ▁ ▁It ▁could ▁not ▁ret ros pect ively ▁criminal ise ▁acts ▁that ▁were ▁not ▁illegal ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁they ▁were ▁committed . ▁ ▁Until ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁Stat ute ▁of ▁West min ster , ▁the ▁British ▁Parliament ▁retained ▁the ▁power , ▁in ▁theory , ▁to ▁legisl ate ▁for ▁the ▁Irish ▁Free ▁State ▁without ▁its ▁consent . ▁ ▁The ▁O ire acht as ▁could ▁only ▁legisl ate ▁for ▁the ▁Irish ▁Free ▁State ▁( defined ▁as ▁the ▁area ▁which ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁known ▁as ▁Southern ▁Ireland ), ▁and ▁not ▁for ▁Northern ▁Ireland . ▁▁ 1 9 3 6 – 1 9 3 7 ▁A ▁series ▁of ▁constitution al ▁am end ments ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁substantial ly ▁alter ed ▁the ▁function ing ▁of ▁the ▁O ire acht as : ▁ ▁The ▁King ▁ceased ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁O ire acht as , ▁and ▁the ▁responsibility ▁for ▁signing ▁b ills ▁into ▁law ▁became ▁a ▁form ality ▁exerc ised ▁by ▁the ▁Ce ann ▁Com h air le . ▁ ▁The ▁Se an ad ▁was ▁abol ished ▁so ▁the ▁Irish ▁Free ▁State ▁O ire acht as ▁consisted ▁sole ly ▁of ▁the ▁D á il . ▁ ▁The ▁original ▁o ath ▁was ▁abol ished . ▁ ▁The ▁requirement ▁for ▁laws ▁and ▁constitution