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Government of the 4th Dáil

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2nd executive council of the Irish Free State
Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Date formed19 September 1923
Date dissolved23 June 1927
People and organisations
KingGeorge V
Governor-GeneralTim Healy
President of the Executive CouncilW. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive CouncilKevin O'Higgins
Total no. of members11 (inc. 4 non-members of the Executive Council)
Member partyCumann na nGaedheal
Status in legislatureMinority Government
Opposition partyLabour Party
Opposition leaderThomas Johnson
History
Election1923 general election
Legislature terms
Predecessor1st executive council
Successor3rd executive council


The 2nd executive council of the Irish Free State (19 September 1923 – 23 June 1927) was formed after the general election to the 4th Dáil held on 27 August 1923. It was a minority Cumann na nGaedheal government led by W. T. Cosgrave as President of the Executive Council. It lasted lasted 1,374 days.

President of the Executive Council

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The 4th Dáil first met on 19 September 1923. The nomination of W. T. Cosgrave as President of the Executive Council was proposed by Richard Mulcahy and seconded by William Magennis. It was approved by the Dáil and Cosgrave was re-appointed by the governor-general.[1]

Members of the Executive Council

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The members of the Executive Council were proposed by the president and approved by the Dáil on 20 September 1923.[2]

Office Name
President of the Executive Council W. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive Council Kevin O'Higgins
Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Defence Richard Mulcahy
Minister for Education Eoin MacNeill
Minister for External Affairs Desmond FitzGerald
Minister for Finance Ernest Blythe
Minister for Industry and Commerce Joseph McGrath

Change on 20 March 1924

[edit]

Richard Mulcahy resigned after criticism by the Executive Council
of his handling of the Army Mutiny.[3]

Office Name
Minister for Defence W. T. Cosgrave (acting)

Change on 4 April 1924

[edit]

Joseph McGrath resigned on 7 March 1924 because of dissatisfaction with
government attitude to IRAO army officers.[4]

Office Name
Minister for Industry and Commerce Patrick McGilligan

Change on 21 November 1924

[edit]

Permanent Minister for Defence.[5]

Office Name
Minister for Defence Peter Hughes

Change on 28 January 1926

[edit]

Eoin MacNeill resigned in November 1925 after a leak of the report of the Irish Boundary Commission
was published in a newspaper. MacNeill had represented the Free State on the commission.[6][7]

Office Name
Minister for Education John M. O'Sullivan

Ministers not members of the Executive Council

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Extern Ministers were appointed by the Dáil on 10 October.[8]

Office Name
Minister for Agriculture Patrick Hogan
Minister for Fisheries[9] Fionán Lynch
Minister for Local Government[10] Séamus Burke
Postmaster-General[11] J. J. Walsh

Parliamentary secretaries

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The Executive Council appointed Parliamentary secretaries, with Daniel McCarthy continuing as Chief Whip from the beginning of the term.[12]

Name Office Term
Daniel McCarthy Government Chief Whip 1922–1924

Appointment 21 April 1924

[edit]
Name Office Term
Eamonn Duggan Parliamentary secretary to the Executive Council 1924–1926

Appointment 1 December 1924

[edit]
Name Office Term
John M. O'Sullivan Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance 1924–1926

Change 19 June 1924

[edit]

Following the resignation of Daniel McCarthy from the Dáil.

Name Office Term
James Dolan Government Chief Whip 1924–1927

Appointment 15 January 1925

[edit]
Name Office Term
George Nicolls Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence 1925–1927

Change 10 May 1926

[edit]

Following the appointment of John O'Sullivan to the Executive Council in January.

Name Office Term
Eamonn Duggan Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance 1926–1927

Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924

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The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 came into effect on 2 June 1924.[13] On this date, the following ministerial titles were renamed:[14]

Old title New title
Minister for Home Affairs Minister for Justice
Minister for Local Government Minister for Local Government and Public Health
Minister for Agriculture Minister for Lands and Agriculture
Postmaster-General Minister for Posts and Telegraphs

Amendments to the Constitution of the Irish Free State

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The following amendments to the Constitution of the Irish Free State were proposed by the Executive Council and passed by the Oireachtas:

  • Amendment No. 1 (11 July 1925): Provided that the first Senators would vacate office in December 1925, made changes relating to the terms of office of senators, and the date on which Seanad elections were to be held.
  • Amendment No. 3 (4 March 1927): Removed the requirement that the day of any general election would be declared a public holiday.
  • Amendment No. 4 (4 March 1927): Extended the maximum term of the Dáil from four to six years.
  • Amendment No. 2 (19 March 1927): Introduced a system of automatic re-election of the Ceann Comhairle in a general election.
  • Amendment No. 5 (5 May 1927): Increased the maximum membership of the Executive Council from seven to twelve members.

References

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  1. ^ "Nomination of President – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 19 September 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  2. ^ "NOMINATION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 September 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  3. ^ "THE MILITARY SITUATION – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 March 1924. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  4. ^ "MINISTER FOR INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 April 1924. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  5. ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTER FOR DEFENCE – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 21 November 1924. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  6. ^ "MINISTER FOR EDUCATION – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 January 1926. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  7. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF MINISTER FOR EDUCATION – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 February 1926. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  8. ^ "MINISTERS NOT MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 October 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  9. ^ "MINISTER FOR FISHERIES – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 October 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. ^ "MINISTER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 October 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  11. ^ "POSTMASTER-GENERAL – Dáil Éireann (4th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 October 1923. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  12. ^ "History of Government – Fourth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  13. ^ "Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (Commencement) Order 1924". Irish Statute Book. 30 May 1924. Archived from the original on 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  14. ^ Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, Schedule: Tenth Part (No. 16 of 1924, Schedule). Enacted on 21 April 1924. Act of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 August 2019.