The Government of the 9th Dáil was successively the 8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State (21 July – 29 December 1937) and the 1st Government of Ireland (29 December 1937 – 30 June 1938). They were led by
Éamon de Valera, first as
President of the Executive Council and then as
Taoiseach. It was formed after the
1937 general election held on 1 July, the same day the new
Constitution of Ireland was
approved in a plebiscite.
Fianna Fáil were continuing in office as a single-party government as they had since the
1932 general election.
The 8th Executive Council lasted for days and the 1st Government lasted for days.
8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Election of President of the Executive Council
The
9th Dáil first met on 21 July 1937. In the debate on the
election of the President of the Executive Council,
Fianna Fáil leader
''Fianna'' ( , ; singular ''Fian''; gd, Fèinne ) were small warrior-hunter bands in Gaelic Ireland during the Iron Age and early Middle Ages. A ''fian'' was made up of freeborn young males, often aristocrats, "who had left fosterage but had ...
and outgoing President Éamon de Valera was proposed, and the motion was approved by 82 votes to 52.
The election took place under Article 53 of the
Constitution of the Irish Free State, as amended by the
Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act 1936, which had removed the constitutional role of the
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
. It was the only time from December 1922 that the head of government was directly elected by the Dáil only; from December 1922 to December 1936, the nomination of the president of the Executive Council was approved by Dáil for appointment by the Governor-General, and since December 1937, the nomination of the Taoiseach has similarly been approved by the Dáil for appointment by the
president of Ireland.
Members of the Executive Council
The members of the Executive Council were proposed by the President after his election and approved by the Dáil for their appointment by him.
Parliamentary Secretaries
On 21 July, the Executive Council appointed
Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the President.
1st Government of Ireland
Under Article 56 of the
Constitution of Ireland, the 8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State led by Éamon de Valera of
Fianna Fáil became the 1st
Government of Ireland (29 December 1937 – 30 June 1938). The offices of President of the Executive Council and Vice-President of the Executive Council were abolished, and replaced by the offices of
Taoiseach and
Tánaiste respectively. There was no fresh approval or appointment of the government and no change in the personnel of the Government.
Parliamentary Secretaries
Foreign relations
The government signed the
Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement with the
United Kingdom on 25 April 1938, which brought the
Anglo-Irish trade war to a close and transferred the
Treaty Ports to Ireland. These were the ports of
Berehaven,
Cóbh
Cobh ( ,), known from 1849 until 1920 as Queenstown, is a seaport town on the south coast of County Cork, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. With a population of around 13,000 inhabitants, Cobh is on the south side of Great Island in Cork Harbour a ...
and
Lough Swilly which had stayed under the control of the United Kingdom after the establishment of the
Irish Free State.
See also
*
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
*
Constitution of the Irish Free State
*
Constitution of Ireland
*
Politics of the Republic of Ireland
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Government Of The 9th Dail
Government 09
1937 establishments in Ireland
1938 disestablishments in Ireland
Cabinets established in 1937
Cabinets disestablished in 1938
Minority governments
9th Dáil