Government of the 1st Dáil

The First Dáil was elected on 18 December 1918 and first met on 21 January 1919, on which date the First Ministry assumed office, and lasted for 892 days.

In 1919 Sinn Féin candidates who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to recognise the Parliament of the United Kingdom and instead assembled as a unicameral, revolutionary parliament called Dáil Éireann. The first meeting of Dáil Éireann occurred on 21 January 1919 in the Round Room of the Mansion House in Dublin.

1st Ministry

Government of the 1st Dáil
1st Ministry
Date formed 21 January 1919
Date dissolved 1 April 1919
People and organizations
Head of government Cathal Brugha
Head of state None
Total number of ministers 4
Member party Sinn Féin
Status in legislature Government
History
Election(s) 1918 general election
Legislature term(s) 1st Dáil
Successor 2nd Ministry

The term of office for the 1st Ministry was from 21 January – 1 April 1919.[1] The 1st Ministry was a temporary cabinet headed by Cathal Brugha, because Éamon de Valera, the leader of Sinn Féin, was in prison at the time.

Office Name
President of Dáil Éireann Cathal Brugha
Minister for Finance Eoin MacNeill
Minister for Home Affairs Michael Collins
Minister for Foreign Affairs Count Plunkett
Minister for National Defence Richard Mulcahy

2nd Ministry

Government of the 1st Dáil
2nd Ministry
Date formed 1 April 1919
Date dissolved 26 August 1921
People and organizations
Head of government Éamon de Valera
Head of state None
Total number of ministers 12 (inc. 4 non-members of the cabinet)
Member party Sinn Féin
Status in legislature Government
History
Legislature term(s) 1st Dáil
Previous 1st Ministry
Successor 3rd Ministry

The term of office for the 2nd Ministry was from 1 April 1919 – 26 August 1921.[1] In April 1919 de Valera became President of Dáil Éireann (Príomh Aire) and headed the 2nd Ministry. Countess Markievicz became the first Irish female Cabinet minister.

Office Name
President of Dáil Éireann Éamon de Valera
Minister for Finance Michael Collins
Minister for Home Affairs Arthur Griffith
Minister for Foreign Affairs Count Plunkett
Minister for Defence Cathal Brugha
Minister for Labour Constance Markievicz
Minister for Industries Eoin MacNeill
Minister for Local Government W. T. Cosgrave
Minister for Irish Seán T. O'Kelly
Office Name
Director of Agriculture Robert Barton
Director of Fisheries Seán Etchingham
Director of Propaganda Laurence Ginnell
Director of Trade and Commerce Ernest Blythe

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "History of Government – First Dáil". Department of the Taoiseach. Retrieved 20 October 2013.