The government of the 1st Dáil was the executive of the unilaterally declared Irish Republic. At the 1918 Westminster election, candidates for Sinn Féin stood on an abstentionist platform, declaring that they would not remain in the Parliament of the United Kingdom but instead form a unicameral, revolutionary parliament for Ireland called Dáil Éireann.
The first meeting of the First Dáil was held on 21 January 1919 in the Round Room of the Mansion House in Dublin and made a Declaration of Independence. It also approved the Dáil Constitution. Under Article 2 of this Constitution, there would be a ministry of Dáil Éireann led by a President, with five Secretaries leading government departments. There were two ministries of Dáil Éireann during the First Dáil. The 1st ministry (22 January to 1 April 1919) was led by Cathal Brugha and lasted for 69 days; it was formed when a large number of those elected for Sinn Féin were in prison. The 2nd ministry (1 April 1919 to 26 August 1921) was led by Éamon de Valera, leader of Sinn Féin, and lasted for 878 days.
1st ministry
editGovernment of the 1st Dáil 1st ministry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date formed | 22 January 1919 |
| Date dissolved | 1 April 1919 |
| People and organisations | |
| President of Dáil Éireann | Cathal Brugha |
| Total no. of members | 4 |
| Member party | Sinn Féin |
| Status in legislature | Government |
| History | |
| Election | 1918 general election |
| Legislature term | 1st Dáil |
| Successor | 2nd ministry |
The 1st ministry was a temporary cabinet headed by Cathal Brugha, because Éamon de Valera, the leader of Sinn Féin, was in prison at the time.[1]
2nd ministry
editGovernment of the 1st Dáil 2nd Ministry | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date formed | 1 April 1919 |
| Date dissolved | 26 August 1921 |
| People and organisations | |
| President of Dáil Éireann | Éamon de Valera |
| Deputy President | Arthur Griffith (from June 1919) |
| Total no. of members | 12 (inc. 4 non-members of the cabinet) |
| Member party | Sinn Féin |
| Status in legislature | Government |
| History | |
| Legislature term | 1st Dáil |
| Predecessor | 1st ministry |
| Successor | 3rd ministry |
On 1 April 1919, the 1st ministry resigned.[2] On a motion proposed by Cathal Brugha and seconded by Pádraic Ó Máille, Éamon de Valera was declared elected as President of Dáil Éireann (Príomh Aire).[3] The Constitution was amended to allow for up to nine members of the ministry, as well as the President.[4] The following day, he formed the 2nd ministry. Countess Markievicz became the first Irish female Cabinet minister. She served until 26 August 1921, and the next woman appointed to cabinet was Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, who was appointed as Minister for the Gaeltacht in 1979.
De Valera travelled to the United States in June 1919, and by letter requested that Arthur Griffith be appointed as Deputy President in his absence and that Ernest Blythe take a place at cabinet.[5] De Valera resumed his position in the Dáil on 25 January 1921.[6]
Resignation of ministry
editIn May 1921, the Dáil passed a resolution declaring that elections to the House of Commons of Northern Ireland and the House of Commons of Southern Ireland would be used as the election for the Second Dáil.[21]
The members of the 2nd Dáil first met on 16 August 1921.[22] The outgoing ministry did not resign immediately. On 26 August 1921, Éamon de Valera resigned as president.[23] De Valera was then re-elected, taking the new title of President of the Republic, and formed the 3rd ministry of Dáil Éireann.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "DAIL MINISTRY – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 22 January 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "RESIGNATION OF MINISTRY – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 1 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OF DÁIL – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 1 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "AMENDMENTS TO CONSTITUTION - AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE 2 (b) – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 1 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "LETTER FROM PRESIDENT DE VALERA – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 June 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 25 January 1921". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Home Affairs – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Defence – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Foreign Affairs – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Labour – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Industries – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Finance – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. - Secretary for Local Government – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 April 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY PRESIDENT – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 June 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "INCLUSION IN THE MINISTRY OF THE DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND COMMERCE – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 17 June 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "APPOINTMENT OF SUBSTITUTE DIRECTOR OF TRADE AND COMMERCE – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Monday, 27 October 1919". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "RATIFICATION OF MINISTERS – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 29 June 1920". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "RATIFICATION OF ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR IRISH – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Friday, 17 September 1920". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT. - ELECTIONS – Dáil Éireann (1st Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 May 1921". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 5 August 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ "Prelude – Dáil Éireann (2nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 16 August 1921". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
- ^ "RESIGNATION OF MINISTRY – Dáil Éireann (2nd Dáil) – Friday, 26 August 1921". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.