There were two governments of the 16th Dáil, which was elected at the 1957 general election held on 5 March. The outgoing minority coalition government of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Clann na Talmhan had failed to be returned. The 8th government of Ireland (20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959) was led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach, until his election as president of Ireland at the 1959 election. It lasted for from its appointment until de Valera's resignation on 17 June 1959, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 6 days until the appointment of its successor, giving a total of . The 9th government of Ireland (23 June 1959 – 11 November 1961) was led by Seán Lemass as Taoiseach and lasted for . Both were single-party Fianna Fáil governments.
8th government of Ireland
Nomination of Taoiseach The 16th Dáil first met on 20 March 1957. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Éamon de Valera was proposed and this motion was carried with 78 votes in favour and 53 votes against. De Valera was appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly.
20 March 1957Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Seán Lemass and seconded by Seán MacEnteeAbsolute majority: 74/147 Vote Parties Votes Yes Fianna Fáil (76), Independent (2) No Fine Gael (39), Labour Party (10), Clann na Talmhan (3), Independent (1) Absent orNot voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Labour Party (1), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (6) Abstentionist Sinn Féin (4)
Members of the Government After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Éamon de Valera proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day. Office NameTermTaoiseachÉamon de Valera1957–1959TánaisteSeán Lemass1957–1959Minister for Industry and CommerceMinister for HealthSeán MacEntee1957–1959Minister for FinanceJames Ryan1957–1959Minister for External AffairsFrank Aiken1957–1959Minister for JusticeOscar Traynor1957–1959Minister for Local GovernmentPaddy Smith1957Minister for Social Welfare1957Minister for LandsErskine H. Childers1957–1959Minister for EducationJack Lynch1957–1959Minister for the Gaeltacht(Acting)Minister for Posts and TelegraphsNeil Blaney1957Minister for DefenceKevin Boland1957–1959Minister for AgricultureFrank Aiken(Acting)Changes 16 May 1957 Appointment of Seán Moylan as minister on his nomination to the Seanad.Office NameTermMinister for AgricultureSeán Moylan1957Changes 26 June 1957 Further appointment.Office NameTermMinister for the GaeltachtMícheál Ó Móráin1957–1959Changes 16 November 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan.Office NameTermMinister for AgricultureFrank Aiken(acting)Changes 27 November 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan.Office NameTermMinister for AgriculturePaddy Smith1957–1959Minister for Local GovernmentNeil Blaney1957–1959Minister for Social WelfareSeán MacEntee1957–1959Changes 4 December 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan.Office NameTermMinister for Posts and TelegraphsJohn Ormonde1957–1959
Parliamentary Secretaries On 21 March 1957, the Government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach. Name Office TermDonnchadh Ó BriainGovernment Chief Whip1957–1959Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence1957–1959Michael KennedyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare1957–1959Patrick BeeganParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance1957–Feb. 1958Gerald BartleyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce1957–Feb. 1958Change 24 February 1958 Death of Beegan on 2 February 1958.Gerald BartleyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FinanceFeb. 1958–1959Michael HilliardParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and CommerceFeb. 1958–1959
Confidence in the government On 29 October 1958, William Norton, leader of the Labour Party, tabled a vote of no confidence in the government. James Dillon and Liam Cosgrave of Fine Gael proposed an amendment to the motion.; ; Both the amendment and the motion were defeated the following day on a vote of 54 to 71.;
Constitutional referendum The government proposed the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1958, which would have altered the electoral system from proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote to first past the post. It was put to a referendum on 17 June 1959, the same date as the presidential election. It was defeated by a margin of 48.2% to 51.8% of votes cast.
Resignation On 17 June 1959, Éamon de Valera was elected as president of Ireland and he resigned as Taoiseach on that day. Under Article 28.11 of the Constitution, all members of the government are deemed to have resigned on the resignation of the Taoiseach, but they continued to carry on their duties until the appointment of their successors.
9th government of Ireland
Éamon de Valera resigned as leader of Fianna Fáil after his election as president of Ireland and Seán Lemass was elected unopposed to succeed him on 22 June 1959.
Nomination of Taoiseach On 23 June 1959, in the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Seán Lemass was proposed. This motion was carried with 75 votes in favour to 51 votes against. Lemass was appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly. It was the first time there was a change of Taoiseach within a Dáil term.
23 June 1959Nomination of Seán Lemass (FF) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Seán MacEntee and seconded by James RyanAbsolute majority: 74/147 Vote Parties Votes Yes Fianna Fáil (72), Independent (3) No Fine Gael (37), Labour Party (9), Clann na Talmhan (3), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (1) Absent orNot voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (3), Fine Gael (3), Labour Party (2), Independent (5) Abstentionist Sinn Féin (4) Vacancies 3
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 24 June 1959.
Office NameTermTaoiseachSeán Lemass1959–1961TánaisteSeán MacEntee1959–1961Minister for HealthMinister for Social WelfareMinister for FinanceJames Ryan1959–1961Minister for External AffairsFrank Aiken1959–1961Minister for JusticeOscar Traynor1959–1961Minister for AgriculturePaddy Smith1959–1961Minister for LandsErskine H. Childers1959–1961Minister for Industry and CommerceJack Lynch1959–1961Minister for Local GovernmentNeil Blaney1959–1961Minister for DefenceKevin Boland1959–1961Minister for the GaeltachtMícheál Ó Móráin1959Minister for Posts and TelegraphsMichael Hilliard1959–1961Minister for EducationPatrick Hillery1959–1961Changes 27 July 1959 Gerard Bartley was appointed to government on 23 July and the changestook effect when the Department of Transport and Power was established.Office NameTermMinister for the GaeltachtGerald Bartley1959–1961Minister for LandsMícheál Ó Móráin1959–1961Minister for Transport and PowerErskine H. Childers1959–1961
Parliamentary Secretaries On 24 June 1959, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
Name Office TermDonnchadh Ó BriainGovernment Chief Whip1959–1961Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence1959–1961Michael KennedyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare1959–1961Gerald BartleyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FinanceJune–July 1959Change 24 July 1959 Following the appointment of Gerard Bartley to government.Joseph BrennanParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for FinanceJuly 1959 – 1961Change 9 May 1960 Additional appointmentCharles HaugheyParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Justice1960–1961
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