Government of the 10th Dáil

Government of Ireland 1938 to 1943

2nd government of Ireland

Government of Ireland
Date formed| 30 June 1938
Date dissolved| 1 July 1943
People and organisations
President| Douglas Hyde
Taoiseach| Éamon de Valera
Tánaiste| Seán T. O'Kelly
Total no. of members|

* 10 (1938–1939)
* 12 (1939–1943)

Member party|  Fianna Fáil
Status in legislature| Majority government
77 / 138 (56%)

Opposition party|  Fine Gael
Opposition leader| W. T. Cosgrave
History
Election| 1938 general election
Legislature terms|

* 10th Dáil
* 3rd Seanad

Predecessor| 1st government
Successor| 3rd 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 5 years, 1 day.

## 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
Y 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.

* v
* t
* e

De Valera cabinet (1938–1943)

* Taoiseach: Éamon de Valera

* Frank Aiken
* Gerald Boland
* Thomas Derrig
* Seán Lemass
* Patrick Little
* Seán MacEntee
* Seán T. O'Kelly
* P. J. Ruttledge
* James Ryan
* Oscar Traynor

* v
* t
* e

Governments of Ireland

Ministry of Dáil Éireann (1919–1922)|

* Brugha
* De Valera
* 1
* 2
* Griffith
* W. T. Cosgrave 1

Provisional Government of Ireland (1922)|

* Collins
* W. T. Cosgrave 1

Executive Council of the Irish Free State (1922–1937)|

* W. T. Cosgrave
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 6
* De Valera
* 3
* 4
* 5

Government of Ireland (1937–present)|

* De Valera
* 6
* 7
* 8
* 9
* Costello 1
* De Valera 10
* Costello 2
* De Valera 11
* Lemass
* 1
* 2
* 3
* Lynch
* 1
* 2
* L. Cosgrave
* Lynch 3
* Haughey 1
* FitzGerald 1
* Haughey 2
* FitzGerald 2
* Haughey
* 3
* 4
* Reynolds
* 1
* 2
* Bruton
* Ahern
* 1
* 2
* 3
* Cowen
* Kenny
* 1
* 2
* Varadkar 1
* Martin 1
* Varadkar 2
* Harris
* Martin 2

Formation, confidence and resignations|

* Dáil vote for Taoiseach
* Dáil Éireann confidence motions
* Resignation and sackings of ministers

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