Minister for Publicity

The Minister for Publicity was a position in the Ministry of Dáil Éireann, the government of the Irish Republic, a self-declared state which was established in 1919 by Dáil Éireann, the parliamentary assembly made up of the majority of Irish MPs elected in the 1918 general election.

History

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In April 1918, a Sinn Féin Department of Propaganda was established at No. 6 Harcourt Street in charge of Robert Brennan.[1] The portfolio was created to promote the new government of Ireland throughout the country. After the First Dáil came into being a similar department was set up under the new Dáil, concentrating more on overseas publicity. Both Departments co-operated in issuing publicity material.[1] The first Director of Publicity under Dáil Éireann was Laurence Ginnell.[2]

In the First Dáil, the post was called Director of Propaganda.[3]

List of office-holders

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Director of Propaganda 1919–1921

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Name Term of office Party Dáil Ministry
Laurence Ginnell 1 April 1919 17 June 1919 Sinn Féin 2nd DM
Desmond FitzGerald[a] 17 June 1919 11 February 1921 Sinn Féin 2nd DM
Erskine Childers[b] 12 February 1921 8 March 1921 Sinn Féin 2nd DM

Minister for Publicity 1921–1922

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Name Term of office Party Dáil Ministry
Desmond FitzGerald 26 August 1921 9 September 1922 Sinn Féin 3rd DM • 4th DM
  1. ^ Desmond FitzGerald acted as substitute Director of Propaganda while Laurence Ginnell was imprisoned.[4]
  2. ^ Erskine Childers acted as substitute Director of Propaganda while Desmond FitzGerald was imprisoned.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Dáil Éireann Department of Publicity: History and Progress". Archived from the original on 2 December 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  2. ^ "Laurence Ginnell". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. ^ "HEADS OF DEPARTMENT – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  4. ^ "APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTITUTE-DIRECTOR OF PROPAGANDA – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 June 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.