Government of the 19th Dáil

The Government of the 19th Dáil or the 13th Government of Ireland (2 July 1969 – 14 March 1973) was the government of Ireland formed after the general election held on 18 June 1969. It was formed by Fianna Fáil, which had been in office since the 1957 election. This was the first election it won with Jack Lynch as its leader.

Government of the 19th Dáil
13th Government of Ireland
Date formed	2 July 1969
Date dissolved	14 March 1973
People and organisations
President	Éamon de Valera
Taoiseach	Jack Lynch
Tánaiste	Erskine H. Childers
Total no. of members	14
Member party	Fianna Fáil
Status in legislature	Majority Government
Opposition party	Fine Gael
Opposition leader	Liam Cosgrave
History
Election(s)	1969 general election
Legislature term(s)	19th Dáil 12th Seanad
Predecessor	12th Government
Successor	14th Government

The 13th Government lasted for 1,351 days.

13th Government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 19th Dáil first met on 2 July 1969. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Jack Lynch, the Fine Gael leader Liam Cosgrave, and the Labour Party leader Brendan Corish were each proposed.[1] The nomination of Lynch was carried with 74 votes in favour to 66 against. Lynch was then re-appointed as Taoiseach by President Éamon de Valera.[2]

2 July 1969 Nomination of Jack Lynch (FF) for Taoiseach[3] Motion proposed by Frank Aiken and seconded by Johnny Geoghegan Absolute majority: 73/144
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fianna Fáil (73), Independent (1)	74 / 144
No	Fine Gael (49), Labour Party (17)	66 / 144
Absent or Not voting	Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (1), Fine Gael (1)	3 / 144
Vacancy	1[4]	1 / 144

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Jack Lynch proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[5] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]

Office	Name		Term
Taoiseach		Jack Lynch	1969–73
Tánaiste		Erskine H. Childers	1969–73
Minister for Health
Minister for Agriculture		Neil Blaney	1969–70
Minister for Defence		Jim Gibbons	1969–70
Minister for Education		Pádraig Faulkner	1969–73
Minister for Finance		Charles Haughey	1969–70
Minister for External Affairs[lower-alpha 1]		Patrick Hillery	1969–73
Minister for the Gaeltacht		George Colley	1969–73
Minister for Industry and Commerce			1969–70
Minister for Justice		Mícheál Ó Móráin	1969–70
Minister for Labour		Joseph Brennan	1969–73
Minister for Lands		Seán Flanagan	1969–73
Minister for Local Government		Kevin Boland	1969–70
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs		Patrick Lalor	1969–73
Minister for Transport and Power		Brian Lenihan	1969–73
Change 8 May 1970 Mícheál Ó Móráin was in hospital and was asked to resign on 4 May 1970.[8][9][10]
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Justice		Desmond O'Malley	1970–73
Changes 9 May 1970 Due to the Arms Crisis, Charles Haughey and Neil Blaney were dismissed on 6 May 1970 when they refused to resign. Kevin Boland resigned from the government in protest at the dismissals.[11][12]
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Agriculture		Jim Gibbons	1970–73
Minister for Defence		Jerry Cronin	1970–73
Minister for Finance		George Colley	1970–73
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Patrick Lalor	1970–73
Minister for Local Government		Bobby Molloy	1970–73
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs		Gerry Collins	1970–73
Minister for Social Welfare		Joseph Brennan	1970–73
Changes 3 January 1973 Michael O'Kennedy was appointed to government on 14 December 1972.[13] In January 1973 Patrick Hillery was appointed the Irelands's first European Commissioner.
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Foreign Affairs		Brian Lenihan	1973
Minister for Transport and Power		Michael O'Kennedy	1973

Note

1. On 3 March 1971 the Department of External Affairs was renamed as the Department of Foreign Affairs.[7]

Parliamentary Secretaries

On 9 July 1969, the Taoiseach announced the appointment by the Government of the Parliamentary Secretaries on his nomination.[14]

Name		Office
	Desmond O'Malley	Government Chief Whip
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence
	Paudge Brennan	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
	Noel Lemass	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
	Jerry Cronin	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
	Bobby Molloy	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
	Gerry Collins	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Gaeltacht
Changes 8 May 1970 Following the appointment of Desmond O'Malley to the cabinet.[12]
Name		Office
	David Andrews	Government Chief Whip
		Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence
Changes 9 May 1970 Changes following the outbreak of the Arms Crisis.[12]
Name		Office
	Liam Cunningham	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
	Johnny Geoghegan	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare
	Jackie Fahey	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
	Michael F. Kitt	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Gaeltacht
	Michael O'Kennedy	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
Changes 3 January 1973 Change following the appointment of Michael O'Kennedy to the cabinet.
Name		Office
	Jim Tunney	Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education

Foreign Affairs

The government signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Economic Community on 22 January 1973. After a referendum held on 10 May, a constitutional amendment allowing Ireland to become a member of the European Communities was approved with the support of 83.1% of votes case. Ireland became a member on 1 January 1973, with the United Kingdom and Denmark.

See also

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

References

1. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
2. "Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
3. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
4. "Death of Member: Expression of Sympathy – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
5. "Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.; "Nomination of Members of the Government (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
6. "Appointment of Ministers – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Tuesday, 8 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
7. "External Affairs (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1971". Irish Statute Book. 2 March 1971. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
8. "Resignation of Minister – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Tuesday, 5 May 1970". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
9. "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Thursday, 7 May 1970". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.; "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Thursday, 7 May 1970". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
10. "Statement by the Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Friday, 8 March 1972". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
11. "Nomination of Members of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Friday, 8 May 1970". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
12. "Appointment of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 13 May 1970". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
13. "Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Thursday, 14 December 1972". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
14. "Appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries – Dáil Éireann (19th Dáil) – Wednesday, 9 July 1969". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 November 2019.