View source for Government of the 20th Dáil

{{Short description|Government of Ireland 1973 to 1977}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name       = 14th government of Ireland
|cabinet_type       = Government
|jurisdiction       = Ireland
|incumbent          =
|image              = Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave-Patricks Day 1976.jpg
|image_size         = 100
|date_formed        = 14 March 1973
|date_dissolved     = 5 July 1977
|government_head_title = [[Taoiseach]]
|government_head    = [[Liam Cosgrave]]
|government_head_history =
|deputy_government_head_title = [[Tánaiste]]
|deputy_government_head = [[Brendan Corish]]
|state_head_title   = [[President of Ireland|President]]
|state_head         = {{ubl|[[Éamon de Valera]] {{small|(1973)}}|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]] {{small|(1973–1974)}}|[[Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh]] {{small|(1974–1976)}}|[[Patrick Hillery]] {{small|(1976–1977)}} }}
|current_number     =
|former_members_number =
|total_number       = 15
|political_parties  = {{ubl|[[Fine Gael]]|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]}}
|legislature_status = Coalition
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party   = [[Fianna Fáil]]
|opposition_leader  = [[Jack Lynch]]
|election           = [[1973 Irish general election|1973 general election]]
|last_election      =
|legislature_term   = {{ubl|[[20th Dáil]]|[[13th Seanad]]}}
|budget             =
|incoming_formation =
|outgoing_formation =
|previous           = [[13th government of Ireland|13th government]]
|successor          = [[15th government of Ireland|15th government]]
}}
The '''14th government of Ireland''' (14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977) was the [[government of Ireland]] formed after the [[1973 Irish general election|1973 general election]] to the [[20th Dáil]] held on 28 February 1973. It was a [[coalition government]] of [[Fine Gael]] and the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]], known as the '''National Coalition''', led by [[Liam Cosgrave]] as [[Taoiseach]] with [[Brendan Corish]] as [[Tánaiste]]. It was the first time either of the parties had been in government since the [[second inter-party government]] (1954–1957), when they were in coalition with [[Clann na Talmhan]]. It lasted for {{age in years and days|14 Mar 1973|5 Jul 1977}}. The government was widely referred to as the "cabinet of all the talents".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/40-years-on-three-talents-remain-36201974.html|title=40 years on, three 'talents' remain|website=Irish Independent|date=6 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/ireland-world/article/cosgraves-no-nonsense-farewell-kqv0g8230|title=Cosgrave's 'no nonsense' farewell|first=John|last=Burns|newspaper=[[The Times]]|location=London|date=8 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eolasmagazine.ie/liam-cosgrave-1920-2017/|title=Liam Cosgrave 1920-2017|date=1 December 2017|website=Eolas}}</ref>

==Nomination of Taoiseach==
The [[20th Dáil]] first met on 14 March 1973. In the debate on the [[Dáil vote for Taoiseach|nomination of Taoiseach]], [[Fianna Fáil leader]] and outgoing Taoiseach [[Jack Lynch]], and [[Fine Gael leader]] [[Liam Cosgrave]] were both proposed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1973-03-14/3/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach|date=14 March 1973|access-date=8 February 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 265 No. 1}}</ref> The nomination of Lynch was defeated with 69 votes in favour to 73 against, while the nomination of Cosgrave was carried with 72 in favour and 70 against. Cosgrave was appointed as Taoiseach by [[president of Ireland|President]] [[Éamon de Valera]].<ref name=tapp>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1973-03-14/10/|title=Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government|date=14 March 1973|access-date=8 February 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 265 No. 1}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center"|'''14 March 1973<br/>Nomination of [[Liam Cosgrave]] ([[Fine Gael|FG]]) as Taoiseach'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/vote/dail/20/1973-03-14/2/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (20th Dáil)|date=14 March 1973|access-date=8 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref><br/>Motion proposed by [[Brendan Corish]] and seconded by [[Maurice E. Dockrell]]<br/>Absolute majority: 73/144
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
!width=80px|Vote
!width=425px|Parties
!width=80px|Votes
|-
| {{tick}} '''Yes''' || [[Fine Gael]] (54), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (18) || {{Composition bar|72|144|hex=green}}
|-
| No || [[Fianna Fáil]] (69), [[Independent Fianna Fáil]] (1) || {{Composition bar|70|144|hex=red}}
|-
| Not voting || [[Ceann Comhairle]] (1), [[Joe Sheridan|Independent]] (1) || {{Composition bar|2|144|hex=gray}}
|}

==Members of the government==
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Liam Cosgrave proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.<ref name=tapp /> They were appointed by the president on the same day.<ref name=mapp>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1973-03-28/2/|title=Appointment of Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries|date=28 March 1973|access-date=8 February 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 265 No. 2}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Taoiseach]]
|[[Liam Cosgrave]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Tánaiste]]
|rowspan=3|[[Brendan Corish]]
|rowspan=3|1973–1977
|rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|rowspan=3|[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]]
|-
|[[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]]
|-
|[[Minister for Social Protection|Minister for Social Welfare]]
|-
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Minister for Agriculture]]{{efn|group=15|The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries was renamed as the [[Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine#History|Department of Agriculture]] on 9 February 1977.<ref>{{cite ISB |year=1977 |type=si |number=31 |name=Agriculture and Fisheries (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1977 |date=8 February 1977 |access-date=8 April 2020}}</ref><ref name=transfer>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-02-08/39/|title=Transfer of Departmental Functions: Statement by Taoiseach|date=8 February 1977|access-date=8 April 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 296 No. 7}}</ref>}}
|[[Mark Clinton]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|[[Paddy Donegan]]
|1973–1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education]]
|[[Richard Burke (Irish politician)|Richard Burke]]
|1973–1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]]
|[[Richie Ryan (politician)|Richie Ryan]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for Foreign Affairs]]
|[[Garret FitzGerald]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Children, Disability and Equality|Minister for the Gaeltacht]]
|[[Tom O'Donnell (politician)|Tom O'Donnell]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|[[Justin Keating]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]]
|[[Patrick Cooney]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Labour (Ireland)|Minister for Labour]]
|[[Michael O'Leary (politician)|Michael O'Leary]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Lands]]
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]]
|1973–1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government]]
|[[James Tully (Irish politician)|James Tully]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]]
|[[Conor Cruise O'Brien]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport and Power]]
|[[Peter Barry (politician)|Peter Barry]]
|1973–1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|colspan="5"|

===Change 1 November 1973===
Assignment of new department to Minister for Finance [[Richie Ryan (politician)|Richie Ryan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1973-11-01/4/|title=Department of the Public Service: Statement by the Taoiseach|date=1 November 1973|access-date=23 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 268 No. 8}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for the Public Service]]
|[[Richie Ryan (politician)|Richie Ryan]]
|1973–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|colspan="5"|

===Changes 2 December 1976===
Following the resignation of [[Richard Burke (Irish politician)|Richard Burke]] on his nomination as [[European Commissioner]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-12-02/39/|title=Ministerial Appointments: Statement by the Taoiseach|date=2 December 1976|access-date=12 July 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 294 No. 9}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education]]
|[[Peter Barry (politician)|Peter Barry]]
|1976–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport and Power]]
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]]
|1976–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Lands]]{{efn|group=15|The Department of Lands was renamed as the [[Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment#History|Department of Fisheries]] on 9 February 1977.<ref>{{cite ISB |year=1977 |type=si |number=29 |name=Lands (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1977 |date=8 February 1977 |access-date=8 April 2020 |website=Irish Statute Book}}</ref><ref name=transfer />}}
|[[Paddy Donegan]]
|1976–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|[[Liam Cosgrave]]
|''(acting)''
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|colspan="5"|

===Changes 16 December 1976===
Reassignment of the Department of Defence.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-12-15/3/|title=Nomination of Member of Government: Motion|date=15 December 1976|access-date=19 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 295 No. 5}}; {{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-12-15/18/|title=Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed)|date=15 December 1976|access-date=19 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 295 No. 5}}</ref><ref name=flapp>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-01-25/35/|title=Appointment of Minister and Parliamentary Secretary|date=25 January 1977|access-date=8 February 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 296 No. 1}}</ref>
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|[[Oliver J. Flanagan]]
|1976–1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|}
;Changes to departments
{{notelist}}

==Attorney General==
On 14 March 1973, [[Declan Costello]] [[senior counsel|SC]] was appointed by the president as [[Attorney General of Ireland|Attorney General]] on the nomination of the Taoiseach.<ref name=tapp/><ref name=mapp/> On 19 May 1977, Costello resigned as Attorney General on his nomination by the government for appointment as a judge of the [[High Court (Ireland)|High Court]] and [[John M. Kelly (politician)|John M. Kelly]] SC was appointed as Attorney General.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1977-05-19/24/|title=Appointment of Attorney General|date=19 May 1977|access-date=8 February 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 299 No. 9}}</ref>

==Parliamentary Secretaries==
On 14 March 1973, the government appointed [[Minister of State (Ireland)|parliamentary secretaries]] on the nomination of the Taoiseach.<ref name=mapp/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Name
!Office
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|rowspan=2|[[John M. Kelly (politician)|John M. Kelly]]
|[[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 Defence|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence]]
|-
|[[Michael Pat Murphy]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries]]<ref>{{cite ISB|name=Fisheries (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1973|year=1973|type=si|number=93|date=6 April 1973}}; {{cite ISB|name=Fisheries (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1976|year=1976|type=si|number=263|date=12 November 1976}}</ref>
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Richard Barry (Irish politician)|Richard Barry]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Health|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health]]
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Henry Kenny]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance]]
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Frank Cluskey]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare]]<ref>{{cite ISB|name=Social Welfare (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1975|year=1975|type=si|number=193|date=18 August 1975}}</ref>
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Michael Begley (politician)|Michael Begley]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government]]<ref>{{cite ISB|name=Local Government (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1973|year=1973|type=si|number=84|date=29 March 1973}}</ref>
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[John Bruton]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education]]
| {{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]]
|-
|colspan="4"|

===Changes 30 September 1975===
Following the death of [[Henry Kenny]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1975-10-22/34/|title=Appointment of Parliamentary Secretaries|date=22 October 1975|access-date=31 December 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 285 No. 1}}</ref>
|-
!Name
!Office
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|[[Michael Begley (politician)|Michael Begley]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance]]
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Oliver J. Flanagan]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government]]<ref>{{cite ISB|name=Local Government (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1975|year=1975|type=si|number=236|date=7 October 1975}}</ref>
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|-
|colspan="4"|

===Changes 17 December 1976===
Following the appointment of [[Oliver J. Flanagan]] as Minister for Defence.<ref name=flapp />
|-
!Name
!Office
!colspan=2|Party
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Patrick J. Reynolds (politician)|Patrick J. Reynolds]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government]]<ref>{{cite ISB|name=Local Government (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1976|year=1976|type=si|number=306|date=21 December 1976}}</ref>
| {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}}
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Transport|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Public Service]]
|-
|colspan="4"|

===Change 9 February 1977===
Transfer of functions between departments.<ref name="transfer"/>
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Michael Pat Murphy]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture]]
| {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Fisheries]]
|}

==Actions of the government==
The National Coalition restricted the power of the [[Higher Education and Training Awards Council|National Council for Educational Awards]]. This forced the [[University of Limerick|National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick]] and [[Thomond College of Education, Limerick]] to apply to the [[National University of Ireland]] for the conferring of degrees and diplomas. It removed the requirement that Irish be passed to obtain a [[Irish Leaving Certificate|Leaving Certificate]]; it also reformed the [[Civil service of the Republic of Ireland|civil service]] by removing the requirement of knowledge in Irish and the mandatory retirement on marriage that many women faced during their civil service careers.

A free travel scheme was also introduced covering bus and rail services for all blind persons over the age of 21.<ref>{{cite book|title=A Just Society for Ireland? 1964-1987 |first=Ciara |last=Meehan|year=2013}}</ref>

In response to the assassination of the [[British Ambassador to Ireland]] [[Christopher Ewart-Biggs]] by the [[Provisional IRA]] on 21 July, Cosgrave introduced a motion to declare a [[national emergency]] under Article 28.3.3° of the [[Constitution of Ireland]] created by an armed conflict.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-08-31/3/|title=National Emergency: Motion|date=31 August 1976|access-date=22 April 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 292 No. 1}}</ref> This was approved by the Dáil on 1 September by a vote of 70 to 65.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-09-01/3/|title=National Emergency: Motion (Resumed)|date=1 September 1976|access-date=22 April 2020|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 292 No. 2}}</ref> This was followed by the introduction of the Emergency Powers Bill 1976.

[[President of Ireland|President]] [[Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh]] referred the Emergency Powers Bill to the [[Supreme Court (Ireland)|Supreme Court]]. Minister of Defence [[Paddy Donegan]] described the president as a "thundering disgrace" for this decision. The Minister apologised and privately offered to resign. Cosgrave refused to accept his resignation. On 21 October, Fianna Fáil proposed a motion in the Dáil calling on the minister to resign, which was defeated.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-21/4/|volume=293|title=Call for Resignation of Minister: Motion|date=21 October 1976|access-date=15 September 2021|work=Dáil Debates|issue=2|archive-date=1 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180901182621/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-21/4/|url-status=live}}</ref> Ó Dálaigh viewed the refusal to remove the minister as an affront to his office by the government and resigned on 22 October 1976. The following week, Fianna Fáil proposed a [[confidence motions in Dáil Éireann|motion of no confidence]] in the government. This was countered by a motion of confidence in the government proposed by Cosgrave, which was carried on a vote of 73 to 67.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-28/3/|title=Confidence in the Government: Motion|date=28 October 1976|access-date=13 September 2021|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 293 No. 5|archive-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913150750/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-28/3/|url-status=live}}; {{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-28/18/|volume=293|title=Confidence in the Government: Motion (Resumed)|date=28 October 1976|access-date=13 September 2021|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 293 No. 5|issue=5|archive-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913150801/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1976-10-28/18/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{14th Government of Ireland}}
{{Governments of Ireland|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Government of the 20th Dail}}
[[Category:Coalition governments of Ireland]]
[[Category:Governments of Ireland]]
[[Category:1973 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:1977 disestablishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1973]]
[[Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1977]]
[[Category:20th Dáil]]