View source for Government of the 13th Dáil

{{Short description|Government of Ireland 1948 to 1951}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name       = 5th government of Ireland<br/>(First inter-party government)
|cabinet_number     = 
|cabinet_type       = Government
|jurisdiction       = Ireland
|incumbent          =
|image              =
|image_size         = 300
|date_formed        = 18 February 1948
|date_dissolved     = 13 June 1951
|government_head_title = [[Taoiseach]]
|government_head    = [[John A. Costello]]
|government_head_history =
|deputy_government_head_title = [[Tánaiste]]
|deputy_government_head = [[William Norton]]
|state_head_title   = [[President of Ireland|President]]
|state_head         = [[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|current_number     =
|former_members_number =
|total_number       = 12
|political_parties  = {{ubl|{{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=darkgray}} [[Fine Gael]]|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]|{{Color box|{{party color|Clann na Poblachta}}|border=darkgray}} [[Clann na Poblachta]]|{{Color box|{{party color|Clann na Talmhan}}|border=darkgray}} 
 [[Clann na Talmhan]]|{{Color box|{{party color|National Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=darkgray}} [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour Party]]|{{Color box|{{party color|Irish Monetary Reform Association}}|border=darkgray}} [[Irish Monetary Reform Association|Monetary Reform]]|{{Color box|{{party color|Independent}}|border=darkgray}} [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independent]]}}
|legislature_status = [[Majority government|Majority]] [[big-tent]] [[Coalition government|coalition]] <br/> 75 / 147 (51%){{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname=
|total        = 147
|boxwidth     = 123
|party1       = 31
|partycolor1  = {{party color|Fine Gael}}
|party2       = 14
|partycolor2  = {{party color| Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|party3       = 10
|partycolor3  = {{party color|Clann na Poblachta}}
|party4       = 7
|partycolor4  = {{party color|Clann na Talmhan}}
|party5       = 5
|partycolor5  = {{party color|National Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|party6       = 1
|partycolor6  = {{party color|Irish Monetary Reform Association}}
|party7       = 7
|partycolor7  = {{party color|Independent}}
}} 
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party   = {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=darkgray}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|opposition_leader  = [[Éamon de Valera]]
|election           = [[1948 Irish general election|1948 general election]]
|last_election      =
|legislature_term   = {{ubl|[[13th Dáil]]|[[6th Seanad]]}}
|budget             =
|incoming_formation =
|outgoing_formation =
|previous           = [[Government of the 12th Dáil|4th government]]
|successor          = [[Government of the 14th Dáil|6th government]]
|caption=The cabinet with Taoiseach Costello seated 4th from left.}}

The '''5th government of Ireland''' (18 February 1948 – 13 June 1951), commonly known as the '''First inter-party government''', was formed after the [[1948 Irish general election|1948 general election]] held to the [[13th Dáil]] on 4 February. It was an [[government of Ireland|Irish government]] of [[Fine Gael]], the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]], [[Clann na Poblachta]], [[Clann na Talmhan]] and the [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour Party]]—and one [[Teachta Dála|TD]] who was an [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]], [[James Dillon (Fine Gael politician)|James Dillon]] (who had resigned from Fine Gael after opposing Ireland's [[Neutral country|neutrality]] in [[World War II]]). The parties had many different aims and viewpoints, but opposition to [[Fianna Fáil]] overcame difficulties in forming a government; [[Éamon de Valera]] had led a series of single-party Fianna Fáil governments since 1932. The cabinet was made up of representatives of all parties, and ministers were given a great degree of independence. Some key events during the lifetime of the government include the [[The Republic of Ireland Act 1948|declaration of the Republic of Ireland]] in 1948 and the crisis surrounding the [[Mother and Child Scheme]] in 1951. It lasted for {{age in years and days|18 Feb 1948|13 Jun 1951}}.

== Formation ==
[[Fianna Fáil]] had been in office continuously since 1932, with [[Éamon de Valera]] as head of government (titled as [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State]] until 1937, and from then as [[Taoiseach]]). However, after the [[1948 Irish general election|1948 general election]], the party was six seats short of a majority.

At first, it seemed that de Valera would attempt to form a [[minority government]]. Negotiations for [[confidence and supply]] with the [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour Party]] failed when National Labour insisted on a formal coalition; at that time, Fianna Fáil would not enter coalitions with other parties.

Nevertheless, it initially appeared that Fianna Fáil was the only party that could realistically form a government. Despite losing its majority, Fianna Fáil was by far the largest party in the Dáil, with 37 more seats than the next-largest party, [[Fine Gael]]. However, the other parties realised that if they banded together, they would only have only one seat fewer than Fianna Fáil, and could form a government with the support of at least seven independents.

It was a foregone conclusion that Fine Gael would head such a coalition, as Fine Gael was the second-largest party in the Dáil by some margin (no other party in the prospective coalition had more than 30 TDs). In the normal course of events, Fine Gael leader [[Richard Mulcahy]] would have been the prospective coalition's nominee for Taoiseach. However, Clann na Poblachta leader [[Seán MacBride]] refused to serve under Mulcahy because of his role in [[Executions during the Irish Civil War|carrying out 77 executions]] under the government of the [[Irish Free State]] in the early 1920s during the [[Irish Civil War]]. Accordingly, Mulcahy bowed out in favour of former [[Attorney General of Ireland|Attorney General]] [[John A. Costello]].

Costello found himself as leader of a disparate group of young and old politicians, republicans and Free Staters, conservatives and socialists. The government survived for three years, however, through the skill of Costello as Taoiseach and the independence of various ministers.

==Nomination of Taoiseach==
The [[13th Dáil]] first met on 18 February 1948. In the debate on the [[Dáil vote for Taoiseach|nomination of Taoiseach]], [[Fianna Fáil leader]] and outgoing Taoiseach [[Éamon de Valera]] and [[John A. Costello]] of [[Fine Gael]] were both proposed. The nomination of de Valera was defeated by 70 to 75, while the nomination of Costello was approved by 75 to 68.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1948-02-18/5/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 18 February 1948|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref> Costello was appointed as Taoiseach by [[President of Ireland|President]] [[Seán T. O'Kelly]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1948-02-18/12/|title=Appointment of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 18 February 1948|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align=center | '''18 February 1948<br/>Nomination of [[John A. Costello]] ([[Fine Gael|FG]]) as Taoiseach'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/vote/dail/13/1948-02-18/2/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 18 February 1948|access-date=22 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref><br/>Motion proposed by [[Richard Mulcahy]] and seconded by [[William Norton]]<br/>Absolute majority: 74/147
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
! width=80px | Vote
! width=425px | Parties
! width=80px align="center" | Votes
|-
| {{tick}} '''Yes''' || [[Fine Gael]] (31), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (14), [[Clann na Poblachta]] (10), [[Clann na Talmhan]] (7), [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour Party]] (5), [[Irish Monetary Reform Association|Monetary Reform]] (1), [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (7) || {{Composition bar|75|147|hex=green}}
|-
| No || [[Fianna Fáil]] (66), [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (2) || {{Composition bar|68|147|hex=red}}
|-
| Absent or<br />Not voting || [[Ceann Comhairle]] (1), [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (2), [[Thomas Brennan (Fianna Fáil politician)|Fianna Fáil]] (1) || {{Composition bar|4|147|hex=gray}}
|}

==Members of the Government==
The Ministers of the Government were proposed by the Taoiseach and approved by the Dáil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1948-02-18/13/|title=Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 18 February 1948|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref> They were appointed by the president on the same day.<ref name=mapp>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1948-02-25/13/|title=Appointment of Members of Government and Parliamentary Secretaries – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 25 February 1948|access-date=22 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Taoiseach]]
|[[John A. Costello]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Tánaiste]]
|rowspan=2|[[William Norton]]
|rowspan=2|1948–1951
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|-
|[[Minister for Social Protection|Minister for Social Welfare]]
|-
|[[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education]]
|[[Richard Mulcahy]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for External Affairs]]
|[[Seán MacBride]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Poblachta}}
|-
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Lands]]
|[[Joseph Blowick]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]]
|rowspan=2|[[James Everett (politician)|James Everett]]
|rowspan=2|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|National Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Minister for Agriculture]]
|[[James Dillon (Fine Gael politician)|James Dillon]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]]
|[[Patrick McGilligan (Fine Gael politician)|Patrick McGilligan]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]]
|[[Seán Mac Eoin]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|[[Thomas F. O'Higgins]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|[[Daniel Morrissey]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government]]
|[[Timothy J. Murphy]]
|1948–1949
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]]
|[[Noël Browne]]
|1948–1951
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Poblachta}}
|-
|colspan=5|

===Change 3 May 1949===
Following the death of [[Timothy J. Murphy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1949-05-03/17/|title=Assignment of Local Government Department – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Tuesday, 3 May 19459|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government]]
|[[William Norton]]
|''(acting)''
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|colspan=5|

===Change 11 May 1949===
Following the death of Timothy J. Murphy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1949-05-11/11/|title=Nomination of Member of the Government – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 11 May 1949|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1949-05-11/16/|title=Appointment of Member of the Government – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 11 May 1949|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government]]
|[[Michael Keyes]]
|1949–1951
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|colspan=5|

===Changes 7 March 1951===
Cabinet reshuffle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1951-03-07/51/|title=Assignment of Departments— Statement by the Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil) – Wednesday, 7 March 1951|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]]
|[[Daniel Morrissey]]
|1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|[[Thomas F. O'Higgins]]
|1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|[[Seán Mac Eoin]]
|1951
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|colspan=5|

===Changes 12 April 1951===
Following the resignation of [[Noël Browne]] on 11 April 1951<br />due to controversy surrounding the [[Mother and Child Scheme]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1951-04-12/41/|title=Personal Statement by a Deputy – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil)|date=12 April 1951|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1951-04-12/43/|title=Adjournment Debate—Resignation of Minister – Dáil Éireann (13th Dáil)|date=12 April 1951|access-date=27 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]]
|[[John A. Costello]]
|''(acting)''
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|}

==Parliamentary Secretaries==
On 24 February 1948, the Government appointed the [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Parliamentary Secretaries]] on the nomination of the Taoiseach.<ref name=mapp />
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Office
!colspan=2|Party
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Liam Cosgrave]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]]
| {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|-
|[[Michael Donnellan (politician)|Michael Donnellan]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance]]
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Brendan Corish]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government]]
| {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Defence|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence]]
|}

==Republic of Ireland==
[[The Republic of Ireland Act 1948]] was enacted on 21 December 1948. It repealed the [[Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936]], removing any remaining external function of the British monarchy in Ireland. It also declared that the description of the state was the [[Republic of Ireland]]. The Act came into operation on [[Easter Monday]], 18 April 1949.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1949/si/27/|title=The Republic of Ireland Act 1948 (Commencement) Order 1949|date=4 February 1949|access-date=16 March 2020|website=[[Irish Statute Book]]}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=McCullagh|first=David|date=1998|title=A Makeshift Majority: The First Inter-Party Government, 1948-51|location=Dublin|publisher=Institute of Public Administration|isbn=978-1872002699}}

{{5th Government of Ireland}}
{{Governments of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Government Of The 13th Dail}}
[[Category:Coalition governments of Ireland]]
[[Category:Governments of Ireland]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:1951 disestablishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1948]]
[[Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1951]]
[[Category:13th Dáil]]
[[Category:Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations]]