Developments in Sovereignty and Democracy 1922-37
Constitution
of 1922
Irish
Free State established
Dominion
status within British Commonwealth
DUBLIN
– Oireachtas – DAIL and SEANAD
EXECUTIVE
COUNCIL - Government
Oath
of Allegiance to be taken by each TD
Governor-General
to represent Monarch
Constitution
could only be changed by a REFERENDUM
Machinery
of Government and Civil service put in place
Civil
service re-organised
Key
people remained in place
Government
want continuity and stability
Civil
service Commission created to fill jobs
Establishing
law and order became a priority
LEGAL
SYSTEM re-organised - Circuit Court/District Court/High Court/Supreme
Court
All
very surface change
Irish
in British Commonwealth- had right to appeal to PRIVY COUNCIL in London
Kevin
O Higgins a key figure as Minister for Home Affairs
New
police force set up- replaced the RIC
Garda
Siochana were unarmed and widely accepted immediately
Emergency
laws enacted at various times by Government
The
main political Parties
Cumann
na Gaedheal
63
TD’s elected in 1923 Election
Formed
Govt
Leader
– William Cosgrave
O'Higgins
Mulcahy
Blythe
Mac
Neill
Fitzgerald
Hogan
Labour
Party
Main opposition
in Dail – 14 TD’s
Leader was
Johnson
Many internal
problems
Often disunited
Difficulty
winning support
Anti-Treaty
Sinn Fein
Did NOT
recognise new Free State
Had 44 TD’s
Leader – De
Valera
Policy of
ABSTENTION
Some began to
feel POWERLESS
De Valera
resigned from Party
Created FIANNA
FAIL
A new
“Republican Party”
Most Sinn Fein
TD’s joined
Most Sinn Fein
Branches became Fianna Fail Branches
Fianna Fail
grew rapidly
FIRST
major threat
to democracy:
Army
“mutiny” of 1924
Government
had made plans to demobilise soldiers
Discontent
grew among old IRA soldiers
Sent
Ultimatum to the Government
O’Higgins
responded immediately
Men
who signed Ultimatum arrested
Government
agreed to address grievances
Key
result - Government authority over army firmly established
Threat
#2
The
Boundary Commission of 1925
Had
been part of 1921 Treaty settlement
3
man Commission established
Work
kept secret
1925
- leak to newspaper
Proved
embarrassment for Irish Government
No
major changes to come in the border
Minister
Eoin McNeill forced to resign
1927
Election and aftermath
Government
LOST seats
Had
become very unpopular
Fianna
Fail won 44
Try
to hold Referendum to get rid of OATH
Kevin
O Higgins is assassinated
Hard
line Republicans blamed
Government
introduce EMERGENCY LAWS
ELECTORAL
AMENDMENT ACT introduced
Forced
Fianna Fail – take OATH – enter Dail
The
1932 Election
One
of MOST IMPORTANT in history of State
Main
battle – Fianna Fail V Cumann Na Gaedhael
VICTORY
for Fianna Fail
Many
reasons for popularity of FF
Becomes
real TEST OF DEMOCRACY
Many
people anxious – Civil War memories still fresh
Amazing
result – totally PEACEFUL transition of power
De
Valera new leader of Govt
Cosgrave
played VITAL ROLE in this
Threat
#1 to new De Valera Govt - BLUESHIRTS
IRA
began attacking Cumann na Gaedhael meetings
C
na G felt under threat
ARMY
COMRADES ASSOCIATION began to defend their meetings
ACA
leader was T.F. O’ Higgins
Violence
grew between ACA and IRA
Garda
Commissioner (Eoin O Duffy) forced to resign
O’Duffy
new leader ACA
Changed
name of ACA to NATIONAL GUARD – Blueshirts
Planned
big March in Dublin 1933
De
Valera feared seizure of power
All
politicians ordered to hand over guns
March
banned – National Guard made illegal
Decision
made to merge Can G and National Guard into FINE GAEL
O’DUFFY
made leader
Forced
to resign one year later
Ended
leading followers to help FRANCO in Spanish Civil War
Threat
#2 to De Valera - the IRA
De
Valera tried to get IRA to accept Irish State
Various
attempts made to “win over” IRA
Hard
line Republicans refused to accept State
IRA
actions began to annoy De Valera
IRA banned
Chief
of Staff – Military Court – 3 years hard labour
Very
decisive action taken by govt.
Saw
IRA as threat to democracy
End
1930’s – majority accepted that De Valera was guardian of democracy
New
Constitution 1937
A
fully Irish-made Constitution
Eire
– official name
Irish
language
Office
of President – 7 years – ceremonial
Dail
and Seanad
Taoiseach
--- Cabinet
Civil
rights guaranteed
Place
of religion
Ban
on divorce
Role
of women defined – “second-class citizens”?
“A
Republic in everything but name”
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