View source for Government of the 9th Dáil

{{Short description|Government of Ireland from 1937 to 1938}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
The government of the 9th Dáil was successively the '''8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State''' (21 July – 29 December 1937) and the '''1st government of Ireland''' (29 December 1937 – 30 June 1938). They were led by [[Éamon de Valera]], first as [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]] and then as [[Taoiseach]]. It was formed after the [[1937 Irish general election|1937 general election]] held on 1 July, the same day the new [[Constitution of Ireland]] was [[Adoption of the Constitution of Ireland|approved in a plebiscite]]. [[Fianna Fáil]] were continuing in office as a single-party government as they had since the [[1932 Irish general election|1932 general election]]. The 8th Executive Council lasted for {{age in years and days|21 July 1937|29 Dec 1937}} until the coming into operation of the new constitution and the 1st Government lasted for {{age in years and days|29 Dec 1937|30 Jun 1938}}.

==8th executive council of the Irish Free State==<!-- This section is linked from [[Éamon de Valera]] -->
{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name       = 8th executive council of the Irish Free State
|cabinet_number     = 
|cabinet_type       = Executive Council
|jurisdiction       = the Irish Free State
|incumbent          =
|image              = Éamon de Valera 03.jpg
|image_size         = 100
|date_formed        = 21 July 1937
|date_dissolved     = 29 December 1937
|government_head    = [[Éamon de Valera]]
|government_head_title = [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]
|deputy_government_head = [[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|deputy_government_head_title = [[Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Vice-President of the Executive Council]]
|total_number       = 10
|political_party    = {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=darkgray}} 
 [[Fianna Fáil]]
|legislature_status = [[Minority government|Minority]] with [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour]] [[Confidence and supply|support]]<br/> 69 / 138 (50%){{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname=
|total        = 138
|boxwidth     = 123
|party1       = 69
|partycolor1  = {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}
}}
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party   = {{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=darkgray}} [[Fine Gael]]
|opposition_leader  = [[W. T. Cosgrave]]
|election           = [[1937 Irish general election|1937 general election]]
|last_election      =
|legislature_term   = [[9th Dáil]]
|previous           = [[Government of the 8th Dáil|7th Executive Council]]
|successor          = [[#1st government of Ireland|1st government]]
}}
{{Wikisource|Constitution of the Irish Free State (consolidated text)}}

===Election of President of the Executive Council===
The [[9th Dáil]] first met on 21 July 1937. In the debate on the [[Dáil vote for Taoiseach|election of the President of the Executive Council]], [[Fianna Fáil leader]] and outgoing President Éamon de Valera was proposed, and the motion was approved by 82 votes to 52.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1937-07-21/3/|title=Election of President of the Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (9th Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 July 1937|access-date=21 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>

The election took place under Article 53 of the [[Constitution of the Irish Free State]], as amended by the [[Constitution (Amendment No. 27) Act 1936]], which had removed the constitutional role of the [[Governor-General of the Irish Free State|Governor-General]]. It was the only time from December 1922 that the head of government was directly elected by the Dáil only; from December 1922 to December 1936, the nomination of the president of the Executive Council was approved by Dáil for appointment by the Governor-General, and since December 1937, the nomination of the Taoiseach has similarly been approved by the Dáil for appointment by the [[president of Ireland]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align=center | '''21 July 1937<br/>Election of [[Éamon de Valera]] ([[Fianna Fáil|FF]]) as President of the Executive Council'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/vote/dail/9/1937-07-21/1/|title=Election of President of the Executive Council – Votes – Dáil Éireann (9th Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 July 1937|access-date=29 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref><br/>Motion proposed by [[Richard Walsh (Irish politician)|Richard Walsh]] and seconded by [[Tom McEllistrim (1894–1973)|Tom McEllistrim]]<br/>Absolute majority: 70/138
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
! width=80px | Vote
! width=425px | Parties
! width=80px align="center" | Votes
|-
| {{tick}} '''Yes''' || [[Fianna Fáil]] (67), [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] (13), [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (2) || {{Composition bar|82|138|hex=green}}
|-
| No || [[Fine Gael]] (48), [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (4) || {{Composition bar|52|138|hex=red}}
|-
| Absent or<br />Not voting || [[Independent politician (Ireland)|Independents]] (2), [[Dan Breen|Fianna Fáil]] (1), [[Ceann Comhairle]] (1) || {{Composition bar|4|138|hex=gray}}
|-
|}

===Members of the Executive Council===
The members of the Executive Council were proposed by the President after his election and approved by the Dáil for their appointment by him.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1937-07-21/7/|title=Nomination of Executive Council – Dáil Éireann (9th Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 July 1937|access-date=21 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office || colspan="2"| Name
|-
|[[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Éamon de Valera]]
|-
|[[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for External Affairs]]
|-
|[[Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Vice-President of the Executive Council]]
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government and Public Health]]
|-
|[[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[P. J. Ruttledge]]
|-
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Lemass]]
|-
|[[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán MacEntee]]
|-
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Minister for Agriculture]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[James Ryan (Irish politician)|James Ryan]]
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Frank Aiken]]
|-
|[[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Thomas Derrig]]
|-
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Lands]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Gerald Boland]]
|-
|[[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Oscar Traynor]]
|}

===Parliamentary secretaries===
On 21 July, the Executive Council appointed [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Parliamentary secretaries]] on the nomination of the President.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d4407e-ninth-dail/|title=History of Government – Ninth Dáil – Parliamentary Secretaries|work=Government of Ireland|access-date=7 January 2021|date=27 November 2018}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Office
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan="2"|[[Patrick Little]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]]
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Hugo Flinn]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Conn Ward]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health]]
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan="2"|[[Seán O'Grady (politician)|Seán O'Grady]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands]]
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Defence|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Moylan]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|}

==1st government of Ireland==<!-- This section is linked from [[Éamon de Valera]] -->
{{Infobox government cabinet
|cabinet_name       = 1st government of Ireland
|cabinet_number     = 
|cabinet_type       = Government
|jurisdiction       = Ireland
|incumbent          =
|image              = Éamon de Valera 03.jpg
|image_size         = 100
|date_formed        = 29 December 1937
|date_dissolved     = 30 June 1938
|government_head    = [[Éamon de Valera]]
|government_head_title = [[Taoiseach]]
|deputy_government_head = [[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|deputy_government_head_title = [[Tánaiste]]
|state_head         = {{ubl|[[Presidential Commission (Ireland)|Presidential Commission]]<br/>{{small|(Dec. 1937 – June 1938)}}|[[Douglas Hyde]] {{small|(June 1938)}} }}
|state_head_title  = [[President of Ireland|President]]
|current_number     =
|former_members_number =
|total_number       = 10
|political_party    = {{Color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=darkgray}} [[Fianna Fáil]]
|legislature_status = [[Minority government|Minority]] with [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour]] [[Confidence and supply|support]]<br/> 69 / 138 (50%){{Composition_bar/advanced
|divisionname=
|total        = 138
|boxwidth     = 123
|party1       = 69
|partycolor1  = {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}
}}
|opposition_cabinet =
|opposition_party   = {{Color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=darkgray}} [[Fine Gael]]
|opposition_leader  = [[W. T. Cosgrave]]
|election           = 
|last_election      =
|legislature_term   = {{ubl|[[9th Dáil]]|[[2nd Seanad]]}}
|previous           = [[#8th executive council of the Irish Free State|8th executive council]]
|successor          = [[Government of the 10th Dáil|2nd government]]
}}
{{Wikisource|Constitution of Ireland (original text)}}
Under Article 56 of the [[Constitution of Ireland]], the 8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State led by Éamon de Valera of [[Fianna Fáil]] became the 1st [[Government of Ireland]] (29 December 1937 – 30 June 1938). The offices of President of the Executive Council and Vice-President of the Executive Council were abolished, and replaced by the offices of [[Taoiseach]] and [[Tánaiste]] respectively. There was no fresh approval or appointment of the government and no change in the personnel of the Government.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office || colspan="2"| Name
|-
|[[Taoiseach]]
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Éamon de Valera]]
|-
|[[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for External Affairs]]
|-
|[[Tánaiste]]
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|-
|[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Minister for Local Government and Public Health]]
|-
|[[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[P. J. Ruttledge]]
|-
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Lemass]]
|-
|[[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán MacEntee]]
|-
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine|Minister for Agriculture]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[James Ryan (Irish politician)|James Ryan]]
|-
|[[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Frank Aiken]]
|-
|[[Minister for Education and Youth|Minister for Education]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Thomas Derrig]]
|-
|[[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Lands]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Gerald Boland]]
|-
|[[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Oscar Traynor]]
|}

===Parliamentary secretaries===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Office
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan="2"|[[Patrick Little]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Government Chief Whip]]
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Hugo Flinn]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Conn Ward]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health]]
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan="2"|[[Seán O'Grady (politician)|Seán O'Grady]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands]]
|-
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Defence|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence]]
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Moylan]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment|Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce]]
|}

===Foreign relations===
The government signed the [[Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement]] with the United Kingdom on 25 April 1938, which brought the [[Anglo-Irish trade war]] to a close and transferred the [[Treaty Ports (Ireland)|Treaty Ports]] to Ireland. These were the ports of [[Castletownbere|Berehaven]], [[Cóbh]] and [[Lough Swilly]] which had stayed under the control of the United Kingdom after the establishment of the [[Irish Free State]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.difp.ie/docs/1938/British-Irish-tripartite-agreement-on-trade-finance-and-defence/2321.htm|title=British-Irish tripartite agreement on trade, finance and defence from Text of British-Agreements|access-date=19 April 2020|website=Documents on Irish Foreign Policy|date=25 April 1938}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State}}
{{1st Government of Ireland}}
{{Governments of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Government of the 9th Dail}}
[[Category:Governments of Ireland|Government 09]]
[[Category:1937 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:1938 disestablishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Cabinets established in 1937]]
[[Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1938]]
[[Category:Minority governments]]
[[Category:9th Dáil]]