Government of the 4th Dáil

Government of the 4th Dáil
2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State
Date formed	19 September 1923
Date dissolved	23 June 1927
People and organisations
Head of government	W. T. Cosgrave
Deputy head of government	Kevin O'Higgins
Head of state	George V
Total number of ministers	11 (inc. 4 non-members of the Executive Council)
Member party	Cumann na nGaedheal
Status in legislature	Minority Government
Opposition leader	Thomas Johnson (Labour Party)
History
Election(s)	1923 general election
Legislature term(s)	4th Dáil
Predecessor	1st Executive Council
Successor	3rd Executive Council

The 4th Dáil was elected at the 1923 general election on 27 August 1923 and first met on 19 September when the 2nd Executive Council was appointed. The 4th Dáil lasted 1,382 days.

2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State

The 2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State (19 September 1923 – 23 June 1927) was formed by the Cumann na nGaedheal party.^[1]

Office	Name
President of the Executive Council		W. T. Cosgrave
Vice-President of the Executive Council		Kevin O'Higgins
Minister for Justice[2]
Minister for Defence		Richard Mulcahy[3]
Minister for Education		Eoin MacNeill[4]
Minister for External Affairs		Desmond FitzGerald
Minister for Finance		Ernest Blythe
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Joseph McGrath[5]
Office	Name
Minister for Lands and Agriculture[6]		Patrick Hogan
Minister for Fisheries		Fionán Lynch
Minister for Local Government and Public Health[7]		Séamus Burke
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs[8]		James J. Walsh
Office	Name
Minister for Defence		W. T. Cosgrave (acting)
Office	Name
Minister for Industry and Commerce		Patrick McGilligan
Office	Name
Minister for Defence		Peter Hughes
Office	Name
Minister for Education		John M. O'Sullivan

See also

• Members of the 4th Dáil
• Parliamentary Secretaries of the 4th Dáil
• Dáil Éireann
• Government of Ireland
• Constitution of the Irish Free State
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland

Footnotes

1. "History of Government – Fourth Dáil". Department of the Taoiseach. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
2. On 6 June 1924 the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 came into effect and the title of Minister for Home Affairs was changed to the Minister for Justice
3. Richard Mulcahy was forced to resign after criticism by the Executive Council over his handling of the so-called Army Mutiny.
4. Eoin MacNeill resigned in November 1925 following the report of the Irish Boundary Commission was published in a newspaper. MacNeill had represented the Free State on the commission.
5. Joseph McGrath resigned from office on 7 March 1924 because of dissatisfaction with government attitude to IRAO army officers.
6. On 6 June 1924 the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 came into effect and the title of Minister for Agriculture was changed to the Minister for Lands and Agriculture.
7. On 6 June 1924 the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 came into effect and the title of Minister for Local Government changed to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health.
8. On 6 June 1924 the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 came into effect and title of Postmaster-General was changed to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.