Government of the 18th Dáil

There were two governments in the 18th Dáil, which was elected at the 1965 general election held on 7 April 1965. Both were single-party Fianna Fáil governments, which had been in government since the 1957 election. The 11th government of Ireland (21 April 1965 – 10 November 1966) was led by Seán Lemass as Taoiseach and lasted for . The 12th government of Ireland (10 November 1966 – 2 July 1969) was led by Jack Lynch as Taoiseach and lasted for .

11th government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach The 18th Dáil first met on 21 April 1965. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Seán Lemass, Fine Gael leader James Dillon, and Labour Party leader Brendan Corish were each proposed. The nomination of Lemass was carried with 72 votes in favour and 67 votes against. Lemass was re-appointed as Taoiseach by President Éamon de Valera.

21 April 1965Nomination of Seán Lemass (FF) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Seán MacEntee and seconded by Johnny GeogheganAbsolute majority: 73/144VotePartiesVotes Yes Fianna Fáil (72) No Fine Gael (47), Labour Party (20) Absent orNot voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Independents (2), Labour Party (1), Clann na Poblachta (1)

Members of the government After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Seán Lemass proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day. Office NameTermTaoiseachSeán Lemass1965–1966TánaisteFrank Aiken1965–1966Minister for External AffairsMinister for Agriculture and FisheriesCharles Haughey1965–1966Minister for DefenceMichael Hilliard1965–1966Minister for EducationGeorge Colley1965–1966Minister for FinanceJack Lynch1965–1966Minister for the GaeltachtMícheál Ó Móráin1965–1966Minister for LandsMinister for HealthDonogh O'Malley1965–1966Minister for Industry and CommercePatrick Hillery1965–1966Minister for JusticeBrian Lenihan1965–1966Minister for Local GovernmentNeil Blaney1965–1966Minister for Posts and TelegraphsJoseph Brennan1965–1966Minister for Social WelfareKevin Boland1965–1966Minister for Transport and PowerErskine H. Childers1965–1966Changes 13 July 1966 Seán Flanagan was appointed to government on 6 July 1966.A reshuffle took place after the establishment of the Department of Labourunder the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1966 on 13 July 1966.Office NameTermMinister for EducationDonogh O'Malley1966Minister for HealthSeán Flanagan1966Minister for Industry and CommerceGeorge Colley1966Minister for LabourPatrick Hillery1966 Change to department

Parliamentary Secretaries On 21 April 1965, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

NameOfficeMichael CartyGovernment Chief WhipParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for DefencePatrick LalorParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for AgricultureJim GibbonsParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FinancePádraig FaulknerParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the GaeltachtSeán FlanaganParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and CommercePaudge BrennanParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government

Confidence in the government On 8 July 1966, Labour leader Brendan Corish and Fine Gael leader Liam Cosgrave placed separate motions of no confidence in the government. They were debated as part of the debate on the summer adjournment. The motions were defeated, on votes of 50 to 66 and 54 to 66 respectively.

Resignation Seán Lemass resigned as Fianna Fáil leader and Jack Lynch won the leadership election to succeed him on 9 November 1966. On the following day, Lemass resigned as Taoiseach.

12th government of Ireland The 12th government was formed by Jack Lynch after the resignation of Seán Lemass.

Nomination of Taoiseach On 10 November 1966, in the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch, Fine Gael leader Liam Cosgrave, and Labour Party leader Brendan Corish were each proposed. The nomination of Lynch was carried with 71 votes in favour and 64 votes against. Lynch was appointed as Taoiseach by President Éamon de Valera.

10 November 1966Nomination of Jack Lynch (FF) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Seán Lemass and seconded by Frank AikenAbsolute majority: 73/144VotePartiesVotes Yes Fianna Fáil (71) No Fine Gael (44), Labour Party (20) Absent orNot voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Independents (2), Fine Gael (2), Labour Party (1), Clann na Poblachta (1) Vacancies 2

Members of the government After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Jack Lynch proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil on 16 November 1966.; ; They were appointed by the president on the same day.

OfficeNameTermTaoiseachJack Lynch1966–1969TánaisteFrank Aiken1966–1969Minister for External AffairsMinister for Agriculture and FisheriesNeil Blaney1966–1969Minister for DefenceMichael Hilliard1966–1969Minister for EducationDonogh O'Malley1966–1968Minister for FinanceCharles Haughey1966–1969Minister for the GaeltachtMícheál Ó Móráin1966–1969Minister for Lands1966–1968Minister for HealthSeán Flanagan1966–1969Minister for Industry and CommerceGeorge Colley1966–1969Minister for JusticeBrian Lenihan1966–1968Minister for LabourPatrick Hillery1966–1969Minister for Local GovernmentKevin Boland1966–1969Minister for Posts and TelegraphsErskine H. Childers1966–1969Minister for Transport and PowerMinister for Social WelfareJoseph Brennan1966–1969Changes 26 March 1968 Following the death of Donogh O'Malley on 10 March 1968.Office NameTermMinister for EducationBrian Lenihan1968–1969Minister for JusticeMícheál Ó Móráin1968–1969Minister for LandsPádraig Faulkner1968–1969Minister for the Gaeltacht

Parliamentary Secretaries On 16 November 1966, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

NameOfficeTermMichael CartyGovernment Chief WhipParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence1966–1969Don DavernParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries1966–1968Jim GibbonsParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance1966–1969Pádraig FaulknerParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Gaeltacht1966–1968Paudge BrennanParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government1966–1969Patrick LalorParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Posts and TelegraphsParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Power1966–1969

Constitutional referendums The government proposed the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1968, which would have allowed for divergence in the ratio of population to representation across Dáil constituencies, and the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1968, which would have altered the electoral system from proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (PR-STV) to first past the post (FPTP). They were put to referendums on 16 October 1968, and both were defeated by a margin of 39.2% to 60.8%. It was the second time a Fianna Fáil government had proposed to introduce FPTP, with a previous referendum defeated in 1959.

Confidence in the government On 5 November 1968, Taoiseach Jack Lynch proposed a motion of confidence in the government, which was debated over three days.; ; On 7 November, it was approved on a vote of 68 to 60.

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