Government of WT Cosgrave 3

The WT Cosgrave 3 government was the second Executive Council of the Irish Free State , serving from September 20, 1923 to June 23, 1927.

In the general election on August 27, 1923 , the first election in the Free State of Ireland, Cumann na nGaedheal (CG) was the strongest party with 63 out of 153 seats.

William Thomas Cosgrave was re-elected President of the Executive Council on September 19, 1923 by the Dáil Éireann (Parliament). The ministers were elected by the Dáil the following day. Another four ministers were not on the executive council. All members of the government belonged to Cumann na nGaedheal (CG).

In the parliamentary elections on June 9, 1927 Cumann na nGaedheal lost 16 seats, but remained the strongest party and continued to provide the government.

composition

minister
Office	Surname	Political party	Term of office
President of the Executive Board	William Thomas Cosgrave	CG	September 20, 1923	-	June 23, 1927
Vice-President of the Executive Board	Kevin O'Higgins	CG	September 21, 1923	-	June 23, 1927
Foreign minister	Desmond FitzGerald	CG	September 21, 1923	-	June 23, 1927
Minister of Education	Eoin MacNeill	CG	September 21, 1923	-	November 24, 1925
	John O'Sullivan	CG	January 28, 1926	-	June 23, 1927
Finance minister	Ernest Blythe	CG	July 14, 1927	-	June 23, 1927
Minister for Industry and Trade	Joseph McGrath	CG	June 23, 1927	-	0March 7, 1924
	Patrick McGilligan	CG	April 4, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Interior minister	Kevin O'Higgins	CG	September 21, 1923	-	0June 2, 1924
Minister of Justice	Kevin O'Higgins	CG	June 2, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Defense Minister	Richard Mulcahy	CG	June 23, 1927	-	March 19, 1924
	William Thomas Cosgrave	CG	March 20, 1924	-	November 21, 1924
	Peter Hughes	CG	November 21, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Ministers who are not on the Executive Council
Office	Surname	Political party	Term of office
Minister for Fisheries	Fionán Lynch	CG	October 15, 1923	-	June 23, 1927
Minister of Agriculture	Patrick Hogan	CG	October 15, 1923	-	0June 2, 1924
Minister for Land and Agriculture			June 2, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Minister for Local Administration	James Burke	CG	October 15, 1923	-	0June 2, 1924
Minister for Local Administration and Health			June 2, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Postmaster General	James J. Walsh	CG	October 15, 1923	-	0June 2, 1924
Minister for Post and Telegraphy			June 2, 1924	-	June 23, 1927
Parliamentary Secretaries
Office	Surname	Political party	Term of office
Parliamentary Secretary to the Executive Council	Eamonn Duggan	CG	April 21, 1924	-	0May 9, 1926
Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Executive Council	Daniel McCarthy	CG	December 6, 1922	-	March 31, 1924
	James Dolan	CG	June 19, 1924	-	May 23, 1927
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance	John O'Sullivan	CG	February 1, 1924	-	January 27, 1926
	Eamonn Duggan	CG	May 10, 1926	-	May 23, 1927
Parliamentary Secretary to the Defense Minister	George Nicolls	CG	January 15, 1925	-	May 23, 1927

Reshuffles

Joseph McGrath , Minister for Industry and Commerce, resigned March 7, 1924. He was succeeded by Patrick McGilligan .

Defense Secretary Richard Mulcahy resigned on March 19, and President Cosgrave took over responsibility for the Department of Defense. On November 21, 1924, Peter Hughes became the new Secretary of Defense.

Education Minister Eoin MacNeill resigned on November 24, 1924. He was succeeded on January 28, 1926 by John O'Sullivan , previously Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Secretary.

Renaming

With the Ministers and Secretaries Act on June 2, the following ministries were renamed:

• the Ministry of Interior in Ministry of Justice
• the Ministry of Agriculture in Ministry of Land and Agriculture
• the Ministry of Local Administration in Ministry of Local Administration and Health
• the Postmaster General became Minister of Post and Telegraphy

Web links

• History of Government. Seventh Dáil. Department of the Taoiseach, November 27, 2018, accessed June 14, 2020 . 

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 19 Sep 1923. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on 14 June 2020 (English).  
2. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 20 Sep 1923. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on June 14, 2020 (English).  
3. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Friday, Nov 2, 1923. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on June 14, 2020 .  
4. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 19 Mar 1924. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on 14 June 2020 (English).  
5. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 4 Apr 1924. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on June 14, 2020 .  
6. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, Mar 20, 1924. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on June 14, 2020 .  
7. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Friday, 21 Nov 1924. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on 14 June 2020 .  
8. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Tuesday, 24 Nov 1924. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed on 14 June 2020 .  
9. ↑ Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, February 3, 1926. Houses of the Oireachtas, accessed June 14, 2020 .  
10. ^ Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924. Irish Statute Book, accessed June 14, 2020 . SI No. 4/1924 - Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 (Commencement) Order, 1924. Irish Statute Book, accessed June 14, 2020 .  
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