Government of the 12th Dáil

The Government of the 12th Dáil or the 4th Government of Ireland (9 June 1944 – 18 February 1948) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1944 general election held on 30 May. 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.

Government of the 12th Dáil
4th Government of Ireland
Date formed	9 June 1944
Date dissolved	18 February 1948
People and organisations
President	Douglas Hyde (1944–45) Seán T. O'Kelly (1945–48)
Taoiseach	Éamon de Valera
Tánaiste	Seán T. O'Kelly (1944–45) Seán Lemass (1945–48)
Total no. of members	12 (1944–47) 14 (1947–48)
Member party	Fianna Fáil
Status in legislature	Majority Government
Opposition party	Fine Gael
Opposition leader	Richard Mulcahy
History
Election(s)	1944 general election
Legislature term(s)	12th Dáil 5th Seanad
Predecessor	3rd Government
Successor	5th Government

The 4th Government lasted for 1,349 days.

4th Government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 12th Dáil first met on 9 June 1944. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Éamon de Valera was proposed. This motion was approved by 81 to 37.[1] De Valera was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Douglas Hyde.[2]

9 June 1944 Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as Taoiseach[3] Motion proposed by Michael Kennedy and seconded by Timothy O'Sullivan Absolute majority: 70/138
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fianna Fáil (75), National Labour Party (3), Independents (3)	81 / 138
No	Fine Gael (29), Labour Party (7), Independent (1)	37 / 138
Absent of Not voting	Clann na Talmhan (9), Independents (7), Fine Gael (1), Labour Party (1), National Labour Party (1), Ceann Comhairle (1)	20 / 138

Members of the Government

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 by the president on the same day.[5]

Office	Name
Taoiseach		Éamon de Valera
Minister for External Affairs
Tánaiste		Seán T. O'Kelly
Minister for Finance
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Seán Lemass
Minister for Supplies[lower-alpha 1]
Minister for Local Government and Public Health		Seán MacEntee
Minister for Agriculture		James Ryan
Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures		Frank Aiken
Minister for Education		Thomas Derrig
Minister for Justice		Gerald Boland
Minister for Defence		Oscar Traynor
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs		Patrick Little
Minister for Lands		Seán Moylan
Changes 19 June 1945 On the election of Seán T. O'Kelly as president of Ireland.[7]
Office	Name
Tánaiste		Seán Lemass
Minister for Finance		Frank Aiken
Changes 22 January 1947 On the creation of the Department of Health[8] and the Department of Social Welfare.[9][10]
Office	Name
Minister for Local Government		Seán MacEntee
Minister for Health		James Ryan
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Agriculture		Paddy Smith

Note

1. The functions of the Minister for Supplies were transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce on 1 August 1945.[6]

Parliamentary Secretaries

Parliamentary Secretaries were appointed by the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[11]

Name		Office	Term
	Eamonn Kissane	Government Chief Whip	1944–1948
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence	1944–1948
	Paddy Smith	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance	1944–1946
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture	Jan. 1947
	Conn Ward	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health	1944–1946
	Seán O'Grady	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce	1944–1946
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance	1947–1948
	Erskine H. Childers	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health	1944–1947
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government	1947–1948

See also

• Dáil Éireann
• Constitution of Ireland
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland

References

1. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Friday, 9 June 1944". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
2. "Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Friday, 9 June 1944". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
3. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Friday, 9 June 1944". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
4. "Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Friday, 9 June 1944". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
5. "Appointment of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Friday, 9 June 1944". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
6. "Minister for Supplies (Transfer of Functions) Act 1945 (Appointed Day) Order 1945". Irish Statute Book. 20 July 1945. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
7. "Election of President of Ireland – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 June 1945". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
8. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946 (Section 2) (Commencement) Order 1947". Irish Statute Book. 21 January 1947. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
9. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1946 (Section 3) (Commencement) Order 1947". Irish Statute Book. 21 January 1947. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
10. "Nomination of Deputy Patrick Smith as a Member of the Government—Motion – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Wednesday, 22 January 1947". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
11. "History of Government – Twelfth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries". Department of the Taoiseach. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.