Government of the 16th Dáil

There were two Governments of the 16th Dáil, which was elected at the general election held on 5 March 1957. The outgoing minority coalition government of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Clann na Talmhan had failed to be returned. The 8th Government of Ireland (20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959) was led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach, and the 9th Government of Ireland (23 June 1959 – 11 November 1961) was led by Seán Lemass as Taoiseach. Both were single-party Fianna Fáil governments.

The 8th Government lasted for 819 days from its appointment until de Valera's resignation, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 6 days until the appointment of its successor. The 9th Government lasted for 872 days.

8th Government of Ireland
Government of the 16th Dáil
8th Government of Ireland
Date formed20 March 1957
Date dissolved23 June 1959
People and organisations
PresidentSeán T. O'Kelly
TaoiseachÉamon de Valera
TánaisteSeán Lemass
Total no. of members13
Member partyFianna Fáil
Status in legislatureMajority Government
Opposition partyFine Gael
Opposition leaderJohn A. Costello
History
Election(s)1957 general election
Legislature term(s)16th Dáil
9th Seanad
Predecessor7th Government
Successor9th Government

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 16th Dáil first met on 20 March 1957. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Éamon de Valera was proposed and this motion was carried with 78 votes in favour and 53 votes against.[1] De Valera was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly.[2]

20 March 1957
Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as Taoiseach[3]
Motion proposed by Seán Lemass and seconded by Seán McEntee
Absolute majority: 74/147
Vote Parties Votes
Y YesFianna Fáil (76), Independent (2)
78 / 147
NoFine Gael (39), Labour Party (10), Clann na Talmhan (3), Independent (1)
53 / 147
Absent or
Not voting		Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Labour Party (1), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (6)
12 / 147
AbstentionistSinn Féin (4)
4 / 147

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 Term
Taoiseach Éamon de Valera 1957–59
Tánaiste Seán Lemass 1957–59
Minister for Industry and Commerce
Minister for Health Seán MacEntee 1957–59
Minister for Finance James Ryan 1957–59
Minister for External Affairs Frank Aiken 1957–59
Minister for Justice Oscar Traynor 1957–59
Minister for Local Government Paddy Smith 1957
Minister for Social Welfare 1957
Minister for Lands Erskine H. Childers 1957–59
Minister for Education Jack Lynch 1957–59
Minister for the Gaeltacht (Acting)
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Neil Blaney 1957
Minister for Defence Kevin Boland 1957–59
Minister for Agriculture Frank Aiken (Acting)

Changes 16 May 1957

Nomination of Seán Moylan on his nomination to the Seanad.[6][7]

Office Name Term
Minister for Agriculture Seán Moylan 1957

Changes 26 June 1957

Office Name Term
Minister for the Gaeltacht Mícheál Ó Móráin 1957–59

Changes 16 November 1957

Following the death of Seán Moylan.

Office Name Term
Minister for Agriculture Frank Aiken (acting)

Changes 27 November 1957

Following the death of Seán Moylan.

Office Name Term
Minister for Agriculture Paddy Smith 1957–59
Minister for Local Government Neil Blaney 1957–59
Minister for Social Welfare Seán MacEntee 1957–59

Changes 4 December 1957

Following the death of Seán Moylan.[8][9]

Office Name Term
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs John Ormonde 1957–59

Parliamentary Secretaries

On 21 March 1957, the Government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[5]

Name Office Term
Donnchadh Ó Briain Government Chief Whip 1957–1959
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence 1957–1959
Michael Kennedy Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare 1957–1959
Patrick Beegan Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance 1957–Feb. 1958
Gerald Bartley Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce 1957–Feb. 1958

Change 24 February 1958

Death of Beegan.[10]

Gerald Bartley Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance Feb. 1958–1959
Michael Hilliard Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce Feb. 1958–1959

Constitutional referendum

The government proposed the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1958, which would have altered the electoral system from proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote to first past the post. It was put to a referendum on 17 June 1959, the same date as the presidential election. It was defeated by a margin of 48.2% to 51.8% of votes cast.

Resignation

On 17 June 1959, Éamon de Valera was elected as president of Ireland and he resigned as Taoiseach on that day.[11][12] Under Article 28.11 of the Constitution, all members of the government are deemed to have resigned on the resignation of the Taoiseach, but they continued to carry on their duties until the appointment of their successors.[13]

9th Government of Ireland
Government of the 16th Dáil
9th Government of Ireland
Date formed23 June 1959
Date dissolved11 November 1961
People and organisations
PresidentÉamon de Valera
TaoiseachSeán Lemass
TánaisteSeán MacEntee
Total no. of members14
Member partyFianna Fáil
Status in legislatureMajority Government
Opposition partyFine Gael
Opposition leaderJames Dillon
History
Legislature term(s)16th Dáil
9th Seanad
Predecessor8th Government
Successor10th Government

Éamon de Valera resigned as leader of Fianna Fáil after his election as president of Ireland and Seán Lemass was elected unopposed to succeed him on 22 June 1959.

Nomination of Taoiseach

On 23 June 1959, in the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Seán Lemass was proposed. This motion was carried with 75 votes in favour to 51 votes against.[14] Lemass was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly.[15] It was the first time there was a change of Taoiseach within a Dáil term.

23 June 1959
Nomination of Seán Lemass (FF) as Taoiseach[16]
Motion proposed by Seán McEntee and seconded by James Ryan
Absolute majority: 74/147
Vote Parties Votes
Y YesFianna Fáil (72), Independent (3)
75 / 147
NoFine Gael (37), Labour Party (9), Clann na Talmhan (3), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (1)
51 / 147
Absent or
Not voting		Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (3), Fine Gael (3), Labour Party (2), Independent (5)
14 / 147
AbstentionistSinn Féin (4)
4 / 147
Vacancies3[17][12]
3 / 147

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Seán Lemass proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[18] They were appointed by the president on 24 June 1959.[19]

Office Name Term
Taoiseach Seán Lemass 1959–61
Tánaiste Seán MacEntee 1959–61
Minister for Health
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Finance James Ryan 1959–61
Minister for External Affairs Frank Aiken 1959–61
Minister for Justice Oscar Traynor 1959–61
Minister for Agriculture Paddy Smith 1959–61
Minister for Lands Erskine H. Childers 1959–61
Minister for Industry and Commerce Jack Lynch 1959–61
Minister for Local Government Neil Blaney 1959–61
Minister for Defence Kevin Boland 1959–61
Minister for the Gaeltacht Mícheál Ó Móráin 1959
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Michael Hilliard 1959–61
Minister for Education Patrick Hillery 1959–61

Changes 27 July 1959

Gerard Bartley was appointed to government on 23 July and the changes
took effect when the new Department of Transport and Power was established.[20][21][22]

Office Name Term
Minister for the Gaeltacht Gerald Bartley 1959–61
Minister for Lands Mícheál Ó Móráin 1959–61
Minister for Transport and Power Erskine H. Childers 1959–61

Parliamentary Secretaries

On 24 June 1959, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[19]

Name Office Term
Donnchadh Ó Briain Government Chief Whip 1959–1961
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence 1959–1961
Michael Kennedy Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare 1959–1961
Gerald Bartley Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance Jun. 1959–Jul. 1959
Charles Haughey Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Justice 1959–1961

Change 24 July 1959

Reshuffle following creation of position of Minister for Transport and Power.[21]

Joseph Brennan Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance Jul. 1959–1961
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See also

Footnotes
  1. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 March 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  2. "Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 March 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  3. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 March 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  4. "Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 20 March 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  5. "Airi agus Rúnaithe Parlaiminte – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 26 March 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 16 May 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  7. "Ceapuchán Aire Talmhaíochta – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 16 May 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. "Ainmniú Comhalta Den Rialtas: Tairiscint Chomhaontuithe – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 4 December 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  9. "Ceapachán Aire Poist agus Telegrafa – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Thursday, 5 December 1957". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  10. "Rúnaithe Parlaiminte a Cheapadh – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 26 February 1958". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  11. "Resignation of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  12. "Election of President of Ireland – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  13. "Constitution of Ireland". Irish Statute Book. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  14. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  15. "Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  16. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  17. "Bás Teachtaí: Rún Cómhbhróin – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 8 April 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas (in Irish). Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  18. "Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  19. "Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Tuesday, 30 June 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  20. "Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Thursday, 23 July 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
  21. "Members of Government—Statement by the Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (16th Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 October 1959". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  22. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1959 (Appointed Day) Order 1959". Irish Statute Book. 27 July 1959. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
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