The Minister for Supplies ( ga, An tAire Soláthairtí) was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, to assist

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

through

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, or the Emergency, as it was referred to by the

Government of Ireland The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The gover ...

. Although the legislation creating the new department was not passed until 21 December 1939, it was given retrospective effect, and was deemed to have come into force on 8 September 1939. The Minister for Supplies was charged with controlling production, distribution and pricing of vital supplies during the Emergency. According to the historian Bryce Evans, Minister

Seán Lemass Seán Francis Lemass (born John Francis Lemass; 15 July 1899 – 11 May 1971) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach and Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1959 to 1966. He also served as Tánaiste from 1957 to 1959, 1951 to 1954 ...

introduced full rationing in Ireland 'too late', ensuring the black market trumped later state attempts at equitable distribution amid the British wartime supply squeeze. Earlier historians had pointed to Lemass's successes in stockpiling essential goods. The minister's functions were transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce on abolition of the office on 1 August 1945. Lemass had been serving in both positions from 1941.

References

See also