Dáil Éireann

Dáil Éireann, the Irish parliament. Members are teachtaí dála, abbreviated as TD. The term Dáil (plural Dála), derived from the name of a council of elders in Gaelic Ireland, has been applied to three separate assemblies.

1919–1922

The first Dáil (Jan. 1919–May 1921) consisted of 73 Sinn Féin candidates elected in 1918. They abstained from Westminster and set up their own assembly in Dublin. No Unionist or Nationalist members attended and the Dáil was proscribed in 1919.

The first Dáil constitution provided for a unicameral assembly and a ministry (cabinet) headed by a prime minister or president. De Valera was elected president in April 1919; when he went to America, Arthur Griffith became acting president. As the Anglo‐Irish War intensified, the work of the ministry became increasingly difficult although some departments, notably finance, local government, and agriculture, were successful. (See dáil courts.)

In May 1921 Sinn Féin took part in the elections held under the Government of Ireland Act and a larger assembly of 125 (including one representative from Northern Ireland) was returned. This became the second Dáil and sat from August 1921 to June 1922.

1922

The Anglo‐Irish treaty created a system of dual government between the Dáil (where Griffith succeeded de Valera as president) and the Provisional Government. Elections for an assembly to ratify the draft constitution took place on 16 June but the assembly was prorogued until September because of the Civil War. This assembly (sometimes called the third Dáil) became the parliament of the Provisional Government and was boycotted by republicans. Cosgrave, now president, abolished dual government. The parliament ratified the constitution and dissolved in December 1922.

1922–

The constitution of the Irish Free State laid down the main features of parliamentary government in Ireland which were subsequently adapted by the 1937 constitution of Ireland. Voting was by proportional representation; constituencies were to be determined by law and revised by the Oireachtas every twelve years; there was to be not more than one TD per 30,000 population and not less than one per 20,000. The maximum Dáil term was seven years; in 1963 this was reduced to five years. Estimates of government receipts and expenditures had to be submitted annually to the Dáil. The taoiseach, tánaiste, and minister for finance had to be members of the Dáil and ministers could attend either house. The Dáil had no power to initiate money votes, bills, or resolutions without a message from the government signed by the taoiseach. However, the consent of the Dáil was needed for a declaration of war. The main differences introduced by the 1937 constitution were the abolition of the oath of allegiance and university representation, and changes to the dissolution procedure. Before 1937 the Dáil was dissolved by the governor‐general on the advice of the executive council. After 1937 the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the taoiseach.

Although the executive is in theory responsible to the Dáil, it in practice almost completely controls legislation. The use of committees, limited until 1983, has however since then become more important in the legislative process.

Bibliography

Chubb, Basil , The Government and Politics of Ireland (3rd edn., 1992)
Farrell, Brian , The Founding of Dáil Eireann (1971)
Mansergh, P. N. S. , The Irish Free State: Its Government and Politics (1934)

Deirdre McMahon