Ireland is revoking a ban on being drunk and swearing on Sundays.

The law, which dates from 1661, bans "drunkenness, cursing, swearing and profaning on the Lord's Day". It is among thousands of laws set to be scrapped.

Ireland is also scrapping its declarations of war against Denmark in 1666 and against France in 1744 - both of which took place under British rule.

A declaration announcing the death of King George III, who died in 1820 after nearly a decade of mental illness, is also being scrapped.

The Reform Minister, Brendan Howlin has announced his intention to revoke approximately 4,500 pre-independence government regulations and orders.

It is the largest repealing measure ever announced in the history of the State.

Mr Howlin said "Statute law revision is the process by which spent or obsolete legislation is removed from the statute book. The removal leads to a more accessible statute book and will pave the way for further simplification and modernisation measures."

"The process and work of the Statute Law Revision Programme to date, has been strongly supported by outside observers such as the OECD, and is included in the Programme for Government and the Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016," he added.

In addition, a number of instruments imposing restrictions on Catholics are to be done away with.

For example, a proclamation of 1679 promising a reward for the apprehension of "any Popish Dignitary or Jesuit" and an Order of the same date "for the suppression of mass-houses."

The obsolete orders listed for removal include:

• An Order from January 1801 setting out the styles, titles and arms of the United Kingdom
• A Proclamation of 1817 reserving oatmeal and potatoes for consumption by the “lower orders of people"
• A Proclamation of 1690 prohibiting officers and soldiers from engaging in duels
• A Proclamation of 1676 which concerned the hearing of claim of persons transplanted to Connaught and Clare
• A Proclamation of 1668 offering a pardon and reward for taking dead or alive named rebels who fail to surrender by a designated date
• A Proclamation of 1819 directing that all shipping from Boston, New York and Baltimore should be subject to quarantine
• An Order of 1801 providing for a general fast and thanksgiving in England and Ireland
• An Order of 1815 providing that a prayer of thanksgiving be offered for the victory at the Battle of Waterloo
• A Proclamation of 1665 appointing the first Wednesday of every month as a day of fasting and humiliation on account of the bubonic plague in London