The Minister of Home Affairs was a member of the

Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

(

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

) in the

Parliament of Northern Ireland The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended because of its inability to restore ord ...

which governed

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

from 1921 to 1972. The Minister of Home Affairs was responsible for a range of non-economic domestic matters, although for a few months in 1953 the office was combined with that of the Minister of Finance. Under the

Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act (Northern Ireland) 1922 The Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act (Northern Ireland) 1922 (12 & 13 Geo. 5. c. 5 (N.I.)), often referred to simply as the Special Powers Act and known as the "Flogging Act", was an act passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland during ...

, the Minister was enabled to make any regulation necessary to preserve or re-establish law and order in Northern Ireland. The act specifically entitled him to ban parades, meetings, and publications, and to forbid inquests. One of the position's more problematic duties was responsibility for

parades in Northern Ireland Parades are a prominent cultural feature of Northern Ireland. The overwhelming majority of parades are held by Ulster Protestant, unionist or Ulster loyalist groups, but some Irish nationalist, republican and non-political groups also parad ...

under the Special Powers Act and from 1951 the

Public Order Act Public Order Act (with its variations) is a stock short title used for legislation in Malaysia, Rhodesia, Sierra Leone, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, relating to public order offences. List Hong Kong *The Pu ...

. Parading was (and is) extremely contentious in Northern Ireland, and so the Minister was bound to anger one community or other regardless of what decision he made. Ministers generally allowed parades by the

Orange Order The Loyal Orange Institution, commonly known as the Orange Order, is an international Protestant fraternal order based in Northern Ireland and primarily associated with Ulster Protestants. It also has lodges in England, Grand Orange Lodge of ...

and other

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

groups to go where they wanted, while restricting

nationalist Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation,Anthony D. Smith, Smith, A ...

parades to

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

areas and banning republican or anti-partitionist parades. Communist and other far-left parades were also sometimes banned. From time to time ministers, for example

Brian Maginess William Brian Maginess, QC (10 July 1901 – 16 April 1967), was a member of the Government of Northern Ireland, who was widely seen as a possible successor to The 1st Viscount Brookeborough as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. Life He was ...

, attempted to administer the parading issue more fairly, but usually suffered career damage as a result. The parading issue may be the reason why the Home Affairs portfolio changed hands more often than most other Ministerial positions. In 1970, the office was combined with that of

Prime Minister of Northern Ireland The prime minister of Northern Ireland was the head of the Government of Northern Ireland (1921–1972), Government of Northern Ireland between 1921 and 1972. No such office was provided for in the Government of Ireland Act 1920; however, the L ...

with

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar is the name of: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 * John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) ...

serving as a cabinet rank junior minister, and then abolished along with the rest of the Northern Irish government in 1973.

Ministers of State

*1970–1972

Senior Parliamentary Secretaries

*1971–1972 Albert Anderson

Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs

*1921 – 1925

Robert Dick Megaw Robert Dick Megaw (26 October 1867 – 2 May 1947) was an Irish barrister and a Unionist politician. Megaw was born in Ballymoney, Antrim, on 26 October 1867, the son of farmer John Megaw and Ellen Dick. He was educated at Ballymoney Intermedia ...

*1925 – 1937

George Boyle Hanna George Boyle Hanna, KC (17 December 1877 – 30 October 1938) was a Northern Irish barrister, unionist politician and county court judge. He was born at Linen Hall Street in Ballymena, County Antrim, the son of auctioneer Robert Hanna and M ...

*1937 – 1938

John Clarke Davison John Clarke Davison (19 April 1875 – 19 February 1946) was a barrister and Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. Davison was educated at Coleraine Academical Institution and Trinity College, Dublin and was called to the Irish Bar in 1898. He ...

*1938 – 1940

Edmond Warnock John Edmond Warnock PC(NI) KC (1887–19 December 1971Ian McAllister and Richard Rose, ''United Kingdom Facts'', p.60) was an Irish barrister and politician. Born in Belfast, he was educated at Methodist College Belfast and Trinity College, Du ...

*1940 – 1943

William Lowry William Lowry, PC (NI), KC (19 March 1884 – 14 December 1949), was a Northern Irish barrister, judge, Ulster Unionist Party Member of Parliament, and Attorney General for Northern Ireland. Career Born in Limavady, he was educated at Foyle C ...

*1943 – 1944

Wilson Hungerford Sir Alexander Wilson Hungerford (1884 – 19 January 1969), known as Wilson Hungerford, was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. Biography Born in Belfast, Hungerford was employed by the Irish Unionist Party from 1912. In 1921, he becam ...

*1944 – 1955 vacant *1955 – 1956

Terence O'Neill Terence Marne O'Neill, Baron O'Neill of the Maine, Privy Council of Northern Ireland, PC (NI) (10 September 1914 – 12 June 1990), was the fourth Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and leader (1963–1969) of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). ...

*1956 – 1963 vacant *1963 – 1964

William Kennedy Fitzsimmons William Kennedy Fitzsimmons (31 January 1909 – 21 February 1992) was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland. Biography Born in Belfast, Fitzsimmons studied at Skegoneill National School and Belfast Technical College. He became a domes ...

*1964 – 1969 vacant *1969 Robert Porter *1969 – 1970

*1970 office abolished

References

{{Northern Ireland ministerial positions 1921-72 Executive Committee of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland Law of Northern Ireland 1921 establishments in Northern Ireland 1972 disestablishments in Northern Ireland