Government of the 5th Dáil

Governments of the Irish Free State June to October 1927

3rd executive council of the Irish Free State

Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Date formed| 23 June 1927
Date dissolved| 11 October 1927
People and organisations
King| George V
Governor-General| Tim Healy
President of the Executive Council| W. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive Council|

* Kevin O'Higgins
(Jun.–Jul. 1927)
* Ernest Blythe
(Jul.–Oct. 1927)

Total no. of members| 10
Member party| Cumann na nGaedheal
Status in legislature| Minority government
Opposition parties|

* Labour Party
* Fianna Fáil

Opposition leaders|

* Thomas Johnson
(Jun.–Aug. 1927) (Lab)
* Éamon de Valera
(Aug.–Oct. 1927) (FF)

History
Election| June 1927 general election
Legislature terms|

* 5th Dáil
* 1st Seanad (1925–1928)

Predecessor| 2nd executive council
Successor| 4th executive council

The 3rd executive council of the Irish Free State (23 June 1927 – 11 October 1927) was formed after the June 1927 general election to the 5th Dáil held on 9 June 1927. It was led by W. T. Cosgrave, leader of Cumann na nGaedheal, as President of the Executive Council, who had led the government since August 1922. It lasted 110 days.

## Nomination of President of the Executive Council

[edit]

The 5th Dáil first met on 23 June 1927. In the debate on the nomination of the President of the Executive Council, Cumann na nGaedheal leader and outgoing President W. T. Cosgrave was proposed, and this resolution was carried with 68 votes in favour and 22 against.[1] Cosgrave was then appointed as President of the Executive Council by Governor-General Tim Healy.[2]

23 June 1927
Nomination of W. T. Cosgrave (CnaG) as President of the Executive Council[3]
Motion proposed by James Murphy and seconded by Peadar Doyle
Absolute majority: 77/153

Vote  | Parties  | Votes
Y Yes | Cumann na nGaedheal (44), Farmers' Party (11), Independents (13) |

68 / 153

No | Labour Party (22) |

22 / 153

Absent or
Not voting | National League (8), Cumann na nGaedheal (2), Independents (1), Ceann Comhairle (1) |

12 / 153

Abstentionist | Fianna Fáil (44), Sinn Féin (5), Independent (2) |

51 / 153

## Members of the Executive Council

[edit]

The members of the Executive Council were nominated by the president and approved by the Dáil by a vote of 66 to 31.[2] They were then appointed by the Governor General.[4]

Office  | Name

|

President of the Executive Council |  | W. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive Council |  | Kevin O'Higgins
Minister for External Affairs
Minister for Justice
Minister for Finance |  | Ernest Blythe
Minister for Defence |  | Desmond FitzGerald
Minister for Industry and Commerce |  | Patrick McGilligan
Minister for Education |  | John M. O'Sullivan
Minister for Agriculture and Lands |  | Patrick Hogan
Minister for Fisheries |  | Fionán Lynch
Minister for Local Government and Public Health |  | Richard Mulcahy
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs |  | J. J. Walsh

### Changes 14 July 1927

[edit]

Following the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins.[5][6][7]

Office  | Name
Vice-President of the Executive Council |  | Ernest Blythe
Minister for External Affairs |  | W. T. Cosgrave (acting)
Minister for Justice

## Parliamentary secretaries

[edit]

The Executive Council appointed Parliamentary secretaries on the nomination of the President. The first three were appointed on 24 June 1927.[8]

Name  | Office

|

| Eamonn Duggan | Government Chief Whip
Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence
| Séamus Burke | Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance
| Martin Roddy | Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Fisheries

### Appointment 18 August 1927

[edit]

Name  | Office
| James FitzGerald-Kenney | Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Justice

## Actions of the government

[edit]

After the assassination of Kevin O'Higgins on 10 July 1927, the Executive Council proposed the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill.[9] This legislation provided for the disqualification for five years of any member of the Oireachtas who did not take the Oath of Allegiance prescribed in Article 17 of the Constitution of the Irish Free State. After this legislation had passed both houses, the TDs elected for Fianna Fáil led by Éamon de Valera took the oath and entered the Dáil for the first time since the 1922 general election.[10]

## Confidence in the government

[edit]

On 16 August, Labour Party leader Thomas Johnson proposed a motion of no confidence in the Executive Council, which was defeated.[11]

16 August 1927
Motion of no confidence in the Executive Council[12]
Motion proposed by Thomas Johnson (Lab) and seconded by Hugh Colohan (Lab)
Absolute majority: 77/153

Vote  | Parties  | Votes
Yes | Fianna Fáil (43), Labour Party (21), National League (6), Independent (1) |

71 / 153

N No | Cumann na nGaedheal (45), Farmers' Party (11), Independents (15) |

71 / 153

Absent | Labour Party (1), National League (1) |

2 / 153

Vacant | 2 |

2 / 153

Abstentionist | Sinn Féin (5), Independent (1) |

6 / 153

Ceann Comhairle Michael Hayes exercised his casting vote against the motion.

## Dissolution

[edit]

On 24 August, Cumann na nGaedheal won two by-elections, and sought to capitalise on this success by calling a new general election seeking an increased mandated. The president sought a dissolution of the Dáil and a new election was held in September 1927.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Nomination Of President Of The Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 June 1927. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
2. ^ a b "Nomination of Ministers, Members of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 June 1927. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
3. ^ "Nomination of President of the Executive Council – Votes – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 June 1927. Archived from the original on 13 September 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
4. ^ "Appointment of Members of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1927. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
5. ^ "Nomination of Minister for Justice and Minister for External Affairs – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 July 1927. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
6. ^ "Nomination of Vice-President of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 July 1927. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
7. ^ "Minister for Justice and Minister for External Affairs – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 July 1927. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
8. ^ "History of Government – Fifth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
9. ^ "Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1927". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
10. ^ "NEW DEPUTIES TAKE THEIR SEATS – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 August 1927. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
11. ^ "Public Business. - No Confidence Motion – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil) – Vol. 20 No. 21". Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 1927. Archived from the original on 28 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
12. ^ "Public Business. - No Confidence Motion – Votes – Dáil Éireann (5th Dáil)". 16 August 1927. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

* v
* t
* e

W. T. Cosgrave cabinet (1927)

* President of the Executive Council: W. T. Cosgrave

* Ernest Blythe
* Desmond FitzGerald
* Patrick Hogan
* Fionán Lynch
* Patrick McGilligan
* Richard Mulcahy
* Kevin O'Higgins
* John M. O'Sullivan
* J. J. Walsh

* 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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