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Government of the 10th Dáil

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2nd government of Ireland

Government of Ireland
Date formed30 June 1938
Date dissolved1 July 1943
People and organisations
PresidentDouglas Hyde
TaoiseachÉamon de Valera
TánaisteSeán T. O'Kelly
Total no. of members
  • 10 (1938–1939)
  • 12 (1939–1943)
Member partyFianna Fáil
Status in legislatureMajority Government
Opposition partyFine Gael
Opposition leaderW. T. Cosgrave
History
Election1938 general election
Legislature terms
Predecessor1st government
Successor3rd government

The 2nd government of Ireland (30 June 1938 – 1 July 1943) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1938 general election to the 10th Dáil held on 17 June. It was a single-party Fianna Fáil government led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach. Fianna Fáil had been in office since the 1932 general election. It lasted for 1,828 days.

Nomination of Taoiseach

[edit]

The 10th Dáil first met on 30 June 1938. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Éamon de Valera was proposed. The motion was approved by 75 to 45.[1] De Valera was appointed as Taoiseach by President Douglas Hyde.[2] This occurred five days after the inauguration of Hyde as the first President of Ireland on 25 June.

30 June 1938
Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as Taoiseach
[3]
Motion proposed by Gerald Bartley and seconded by Bernard Maguire
Absolute majority: 70/138
Vote Parties Votes
checkY Yes Fianna Fáil (74), Independent (1)
75 / 138
No Fine Gael (44), Independent (1)
45 / 138
Absent or
Not voting
Labour Party (9), Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Independents (5), Ceann Comhairle (1)
19 / 138

Members of the government

[edit]

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Éamon de Valera proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[4] They were appointed to office by the president.

Office Name Term
Taoiseach Éamon de Valera 1938–1943
Minister for External Affairs
Tánaiste Seán T. O'Kelly 1938–1943
Minister for Local Government and Public Health 1938–1939
Minister for Justice P. J. Ruttledge 1938–1939
Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass 1938–1939
Minister for Finance Seán MacEntee 1938–1939
Minister for Agriculture James Ryan 1938–1943
Minister for Defence Frank Aiken 1938–1939
Minister for Education Thomas Derrig 1938–1939
Minister for Lands Gerald Boland 1938–1939
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Oscar Traynor 1938–1939

Changes 8 September 1939

[edit]

Re-organisation on declaration of The Emergency.[5]

Office Name Term
Minister for Education Seán T. O'Kelly (acting)
Minister for Local Government and Public Health P. J. Ruttledge 1939–1941
Minister for Supplies Seán Lemass 1939–1943
Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures Frank Aiken 1939–1943
Minister for Lands Thomas Derrig 1939–1943
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs (acting)
Minister for Justice Gerald Boland 1939–1943
Minister for Defence Oscar Traynor 1939–1943

Changes 16 September 1939

[edit]
Office Name Term
Minister for Finance Seán T. O'Kelly 1939–1943
Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán MacEntee 1939–1941

Changes 27 September 1939

[edit]

Appointment of new member of government.[6][7]

Office Name Term
Minister for Education Éamon de Valera (acting)
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Patrick Little 1939–1943

Changes 18 June 1940

[edit]
Office Name Term
Minister for Education Thomas Derrig 1940–1943

Changes 15 August 1941

[edit]
Office Name Term
Minister for Local Government and Public Health Éamon de Valera (acting)

Changes 18 August 1941

[edit]
Office Name Term
Minister for Industry and Commerce Seán Lemass 1941–1943
Minister for Local Government and Public Health Seán MacEntee 1941–1943

Parliamentary secretaries

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On 30 June 1938, the Government appointed Parliamentary secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[8]

Name Office Term
Patrick Little Government Chief Whip 1938–1939
Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs 1938–1939
Hugo Flinn Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance[9] 1938–Jan 1943
Conn Ward Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health 1938–1943
Seán O'Grady Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence 1938–1939
Seán Moylan Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce 1938–Feb 1943

Changes 27 September 1939

[edit]

Changes following the appointment of Patrick Little as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.

Name Office Term
Paddy Smith Government Chief Whip 1939–1943
Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs 1939–1943
Seán Moylan Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence 1939–1943

Changes 12 September 1941

[edit]
Name Office Term
Seán O'Grady Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands 1941–Feb 1943
Hugo Flinn Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health 1941–Jan 1943

Changes 9 February 1943

[edit]

Changes following the death of Hugo Flinn.

Name Office Term
Seán Moylan Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance Feb–Jun 1943
Seán O'Grady Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce Feb–Jun 1943
Eamon Kissane Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands Feb–Jun 1943

Constitutional amendments

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During the first three years of the term of office of the first President of Ireland, the Oireachtas could pass amendments to the Constitution of Ireland without a referendum. This period lasted from 25 June 1938 to 24 June 1941. The First Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was introduced and signed into law on 2 September 1939, allowing the Oireachtas to resolve that a state of emergency exists when an armed conflict exists outside of the state. The Emergency was declared on the same day, and the emergency powers lapsed on 2 September 1946. The Second Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was signed into law on 30 May 1941 and was an omnibus amendment with 40 separate changes across the text of the Constitution. Both amendments were proposed by the Taoiseach.

References

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  1. ^ "Election of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1938. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1938. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Election of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Thursday, 30 June 1938". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1938. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. – Changes in the Ministry – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 September 1939. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Nomination of Member of Government – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 September 1939. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Appointment of Minister – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 28 September 1939. Archived from the original on 14 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  8. ^ "History of Government – Tenth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  9. ^ Turf (Use and Development) Act 1936 (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1941 (S.R.O. No. 298 of 1941). Signed on 17 June 1941. Statutory Rules and Orders of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.