Government of the 8th Dáil

The 7th executive council of the Irish Free State (8 February 1933 – 21 July 1937) was the Executive Council formed after the general election to the 8th Dáil held on 24 January 1933. It was led by Fianna Fáil leader Éamon de Valera as President of the Executive Council, who had first taken office in the Irish Free State after the 1932 general election. It lasted for 1,625 days.

7th executive council of the Irish Free State
Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Date formed8 February 1933
Date dissolved21 July 1937
People and organisations
King
Governor-GeneralDomhnall Ua Buachalla
(until 11 Dec. 1936)
President of the Executive CouncilÉamon de Valera
Vice-President of the Executive CouncilSeán T. O'Kelly
Total no. of members10
Member partyFianna Fáil
Status in legislatureMinority Government
Opposition partyCumann na nGaedheal
Opposition leaderW. T. Cosgrave
History
Election1933 general election
Legislature terms
Predecessor6th executive council
Successor8th executive council

Nomination of President of the Executive Council

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The 8th Dáil first met on 8 February. In the debate on the nomination of the President of the Executive Council, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing President Éamon de Valera was proposed, and the motion was approved by 82 votes to 54.[1] He was then appointed as president by Governor-General Domhnall Ua Buachalla.

8 February 1933
Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as President of the Executive Council
[2]
Motion proposed by Seán Moylan and seconded by Micheál Clery
Absolute majority: 77/153
Vote Parties Votes
 Y Yes Fianna Fáil (74), Labour Party (8)
82 / 153
No Cumann na nGaedheal (45), Independents (9)
54 / 153
Absent or
Not voting
National Centre Party (11), Cumann na nGaedheal (3), Fianna Fáil (2), Ceann Comhairle (1)
17 / 153

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.[3] They were appointed by the Governor-General on the same day.[4][5]

 
De Valera's cabinet in 1933
Office Name Term
President of the Executive Council Éamon de Valera 1933–1937
Minister for External Affairs
Vice-President of the Executive Council Seán T. O'Kelly 1933–1937
Minister for Local Government and Public Health
Minister for Justice P. J. Ruttledge 1933–1937
Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass 1933–1937
Minister for Finance Seán MacEntee 1933–1937
Minister for Agriculture James Ryan 1933–1937
Minister for Defence Frank Aiken 1933–1937
Minister for Education Thomas Derrig 1933–1937
Minister for Lands and Fisheries Joseph Connolly 1933–1936
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Gerald Boland 1933–1936

Changes 3 June 1936

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Reassignment of department on abolition of Seanad Éireann.[6][7][8]

Office Name Term
Minister for Lands and Fisheries Frank Aiken 1936

Changes 11 November 1936

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Appointment of Ministers.[9][10]

Office Name Term
Minister for Lands and Fisheries Gerald Boland 1936–1937
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Oscar Traynor 1936–1937

Attorney General

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Conor Maguire SC was appointed by the Governor-General as Attorney General on the nomination of the Executive Council.[11]

Parliamentary secretaries

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On 8 February, the Executive Council appointed Parliamentary secretaries on the nomination of the President.[12][5]

Name Office Term
Patrick Little Government Chief Whip 1933–1937
Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs 1933–1937
Hugo Flinn Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance 1933–1937
Conn Ward Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health 1933–1937
Seán O'Grady Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands and Fisheries 1933–1937

Changes 3 June 1936

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On the assignment of a second department to Aiken.[13]

Name Office Term
Oscar Traynor Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence Jun.–Nov. 1936

Changes 11 November 1936

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On the appointment of Oscar Traynor to the Executive Council.

Name Office Term
Seán O'Grady Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence 1936–1937

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.

  • Constitution (Removal of Oath) Act 1933 (3 May 1933): Abolished the Oath of Allegiance and removed requirements that the constitution and laws of the Free State be compatible with the Anglo-Irish Treaty. This involved repealing Section 2 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann) Act 1922, as well as altering provisions of the constitution.
  • Amendment No. 20 (2 November 1933): Removed the Governor General's role in recommending appropriations of money to the Dáil on the advice of the Executive Council. This function was transferred directly to the Executive Council. In practice this change was merely symbolic.
  • Amendment No. 21 (2 November 1933): Removed provisions granting the Governor General the right to veto bills or reserve them "for the King's pleasure" by referring them to London.
  • Amendment No. 22 (16 November 1933): Abolished the right of appeal to the Privy Council.
  • Amendment No. 26 (5 April 1935): Made a technical change to Article 3, which dealt with citizenship.
  • Amendment No. 23 (24 April 1936): Abolished the two university constituencies in the Dáil.
  • Amendment No. 24 (29 May 1936): Abolished Seanad Éireann.
  • Amendment No. 27 (11 December 1936): Abolished the office of Governor General and removed all reference to the King from the constitution. The functions of the Governor General were transferred to various other branches of government.

Role of the Monarch

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As well as the constitutional changes above affecting the status of the British monarch, after the abdication of Edward VIII on 11 December 1936, the Executive Council proposed and passed the Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936 which reduced the role of the King to external functions only. It was followed the following year by the Executive Powers (Consequential Provisions) Act 1937, which completed the process of removing the position of Governor-General from Irish law.

Proposal of the Constitution of Ireland

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The Executive Council proposed a new Constitution of Ireland which passed final stages in the Dáil on 14 June 1937. In a plebiscite held on 1 July 1937, the same date as a general election, the Constitution was approved with the support of 56.5% of votes cast. It came into force on 29 December 1937.

References

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  1. ^ "Nomination of President of the Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 8 February 1933. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Nomination of President of the Executive Council – Votes – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 8 February 1933. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Nomination of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 8 February 1933. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Appointment of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 March 1933. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b "History of Government – Eighth Dáil". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Nomination of Minister for Lands – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 June 1936. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Appointment of Minister for Lands – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 June 1936. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  8. ^ Connolly was appointed as Minister for Lands and Fisheries while a member of Seanad Éireann. On its abolition, he ceased to be a minister.
  9. ^ "Nomination of Ministers – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 11 November 1936. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Appointment of Ministers – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 11 November 1936. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Appointment of Attorney-General – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 March 1933. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 March 1933. Retrieved 14 December 2019.
  13. ^ "Appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 3 June 1936. Retrieved 7 January 2021.