Under the Irish Free State Constitution Act, 1922 executive authority was vested in the King and exercised by the Governor-General, who was provided with an Executive Council to 'aid and advise' him. The head of the Executive Council was to be known as the President of the Executive Council.
In reality, the Irish Governor-General as with other Commonwealth governors-general did not have a central role in government, with the dominant figure being the President of the Executive Council. Reflecting the pre-1918 form of the Westminster Model1 the Irish Prime Minister in practice had limited powers and functions.
Table of contents |
2 Presidents of the Executive Council 3 Notes |
Key facts about the Office
Under Professor Brian Farrell's analysis of Irish prime ministers, published under the title Chairman or Chief?, the President of the Executive Council had little option but to be a chairman, with the principal power possessed by the Executive Council collectively. However a strong leader could exercise authority beyond the limits laid down in the 1922 Constitution.
Presidents of the Executive Council
Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party
| |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | W.T. Cosgrave | December 6, 1922 | March 9, 1932 | Cumann na nGaedhael
|
2. | Eamon de Valera | March 9, 1932 | December 29, 1937 | Fianna Fáil
|
The Office of President of the Executive Council was replaced by that of Taoiseach under Ireland's 1937 Constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann
Preceded by: President of the Republic 2 (1921-22) answerable to Dáil Éireann |
Irish Prime Ministerial Offices Irish Constitutional Theory |
Succeeded by: Taoiseach (1937 - present) |
Preceded by: Chairman of the Provisional Government (1922) answerable to the House of Commons of Southern Ireland |
Irish Prime Ministerial Offices British Constitutional Theory |
Succeeded by: Taoiseach (1937 - present) |
Notes
1 Up to 1918 the British Prime Minister's powers within the Westminster Model of government were theoretically quite limited. Under David Lloyd George, however from 1918 the Prime Minister's role within the Westminster Model increased, as Lloyd George unilaterally claimed additional powers for himself that had previously belonged to the cabinet, most dramatically, the power to seek a dissolution. The Free State constitution reflected pre-Lloyd George constitutional theory on the powers of a prime minister. In contrast the later Irish constitution, Bunreacht na hÉireann, reflected post Lloyd George concepts of prime ministerial power.
2Arthur Griffith (Jan-Aug 1922) opted not to call himself President of the Republic but President of Dáil Éireann