Government of the 5th Dáil

The Government of the 5th Dáil or the 3rd Executive Council (23 June 1927 – 11 October 1927) was formed after the June 1927 general election held on 9 June 1927. It was led by W. T. Cosgrave, leader of Cumann na nGaedheal, as President of the Executive Council, who had led the government since August 1922.

Government of the 5th Dáil
3rd Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Date formed23 June 1927
Date dissolved11 October 1927
People and organisations
KingGeorge V
Governor-GeneralTim Healy
President of the Executive CouncilW. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive CouncilKevin O'Higgins (June–July 1927)
Ernest Blythe (July–Oct. 1927)
Total no. of members10
Member partyCumann na nGaedheal
Status in legislatureMinority Government
Opposition partiesLabour Party
Fianna Fáil
Opposition leadersThomas Johnson (June–Aug. 1927) (Lab)
Éamon de Valera (Aug.–Oct. 1927) (FF)
History
Election(s)June 1927 general election
Legislature term(s)5th Dáil
1st Seanad (1925–28)
Predecessor2nd Executive Council
Successor4th Executive Council

The 3rd Executive Council lasted 110 days.

3rd Executive Council of the Irish Free State

Nomination of President of the Executive Council

The members of the 5th Dáil first met on 23 June 1927. In the debate on the nomination of the President of the Executive Council, Cumann na nGaedheal leader and outgoing President W. T. Cosgrave was proposed, and this resolution was carried with 68 votes in favour and 22 against.[1] Cosgrave was then appointed as President of the Executive Council by Governor-General Tim Healy.[2]

23 June 1927
Nomination of W. T. Cosgrave (CnaG) as President of the Executive Council
[3]
Motion proposed by James Murphy and seconded by Peadar Doyle
Absolute majority: 77/153
Vote Parties Votes
Y YesCumann na nGaedheal (44), Farmers' Party (11), Independents (13)
68 / 153
NoLabour Party (22)
22 / 153
Absent or
Not voting
National League Party (8), Cumann na nGaedheal (2), Independents (2), Ceann Comhairle (1)
13 / 153
AbstentionistFianna Fáil (44), Sinn Féin (5), Independent (1)
50 / 153

Members of the Executive Council

The members of the Executive Council were nominated by the President and approved by the Dáil.[2] They were then appointed by the Governor General.[4]

Office Name
President of the Executive Council W. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive Council Kevin O'Higgins
Minister for External Affairs
Minister for Justice
Minister for Finance Ernest Blythe
Minister for Defence Desmond FitzGerald
Minister for Industry and Commerce Patrick McGilligan
Minister for Education John M. O'Sullivan
Minister for Agriculture and Lands Patrick Hogan
Minister for Fisheries Fionán Lynch
Minister for Local Government and Public Health Richard Mulcahy
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs James J. Walsh

Changes 14 July 1927

Following the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins.[5][6][7]

Office Name
Vice-President of the Executive Council Ernest Blythe
Minister for External Affairs W. T. Cosgrave (acting)
Minister for Justice

Parliamentary Secretaries

The Executive Council appointed Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the President. The first three were appointed on 24 June 1927.[8]

Name Office
Eamonn Duggan Government Chief Whip
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence
Séamus Burke Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
Martin Roddy Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Fisheries

Appointment 18 August 1927

Name Office
James FitzGerald-Kenney Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Justice

Actions of the government

After the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins on 10 July 1927, the Executive Council proposed the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill.[9] This legislation provided for the disqualification for five years of any member of the Oireachtas who did not take the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in Article 17 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State. After this legislation had passed both houses, the TDs elected for Fianna Fáil led by Éamon de Valera took the oath and entered the Dáil for the first time since the 1922 general election.[10]

Confidence in the government

On 16 August, Labour Party leader Thomas Johnson proposed a motion of no confidence in the Executive Council. The motion was defeated, but only on the casting vote of the Ceann Comhairle Michael Hayes, giving a final vote of 71 votes to 72.[11] Although the Executive Council had narrowly retained the confidence of the Dáil, the president sought a dissolution of the Dáil and a new election was held in September 1927.

See also

References

  1. "NOMINATION OF PRESIDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Thursday, 23 June 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  2. "NOMINATION OF MINISTERS, MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Thursday, 23 June 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  3. "NOMINATION OF PRESIDENT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Votes – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  4. "APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Thursday, 30 June 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  5. "NOMINATION OF MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Thursday, 14 July 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  6. "NOMINATION OF VICE-PRESIDENT OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Thursday, 14 July 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  7. "MINISTER FOR JUSTICE AND MINISTER FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 July 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  8. "History of Government – Fifth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  9. "Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  10. "NEW DEPUTIES TAKE THEIR SEATS – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Friday, 12 August 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  11. "PUBLIC BUSINESS. - NO CONFIDENCE MOTION – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Tuesday, 16 August 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
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