Government of the 10th Dáil

The 2nd government of Ireland (30 June 1938 – 1 July 1943) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1938 general election to the 10th Dáil held on 17 June. It was a single-party Fianna Fáil government led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach. Fianna Fáil had been in office since the 1932 general election. It lasted for .

Nomination of Taoiseach The 10th Dáil first met on 30 June 1938. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Éamon de Valera was proposed. The motion was approved by 75 to 45. De Valera was appointed as Taoiseach by President Douglas Hyde. This occurred five days after the inauguration of Hyde as the first President of Ireland on 25 June.

30 June 1938Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Gerald Bartley and seconded by Bernard MaguireAbsolute majority: 70/138 Vote Parties Votes Yes Fianna Fáil (74), Independent (1) No Fine Gael (44), Independent (1) Absent orNot voting Labour Party (9), Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Independents (5), Ceann Comhairle (1)

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 to office by the president. Office NameTermTaoiseachÉamon de Valera1938–1943Minister for External AffairsTánaisteSeán T. O'Kelly1938–1943Minister for Local Government and Public Health1938–1939Minister for JusticeP. J. Ruttledge1938–1939Minister for Industry and CommerceSeán Lemass1938–1939Minister for FinanceSeán MacEntee1938–1939Minister for AgricultureJames Ryan1938–1943Minister for DefenceFrank Aiken1938–1939Minister for EducationThomas Derrig1938–1939Minister for LandsGerald Boland1938–1939Minister for Posts and TelegraphsOscar Traynor1938–1939Changes 8 September 1939 Re-organisation on declaration of The Emergency.Office NameTermMinister for EducationSeán T. O'Kelly(acting)Minister for Local Government and Public HealthP. J. Ruttledge1939–1941Minister for SuppliesSeán Lemass1939–1943Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive MeasuresFrank Aiken1939–1943Minister for LandsThomas Derrig1939–1943Minister for Posts and Telegraphs(acting)Minister for JusticeGerald Boland1939–1943Minister for DefenceOscar Traynor1939–1943Changes 16 September 1939OfficeNameTermMinister for FinanceSeán T. O'Kelly1939–1943Minister for Industry and CommerceSeán MacEntee1939–1941Changes 27 September 1939 Appointment of new member of government.Office NameTermMinister for EducationÉamon de Valera(acting)Minister for Posts and TelegraphsPatrick Little1939–1943Changes 18 June 1940Office NameTermMinister for EducationThomas Derrig1940–1943Changes 15 August 1941Office NameTermMinister for Local Government and Public HealthÉamon de Valera(acting)Changes 18 August 1941Office NameTermMinister for Industry and CommerceSeán Lemass1941–1943Minister for Local Government and Public HealthSeán MacEntee1941–1943

Parliamentary secretaries On 30 June 1938, the Government appointed Parliamentary secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach. Name Office TermPatrick LittleGovernment Chief Whip1938–1939Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs1938–1939Hugo FlinnParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Finance1938–Jan 1943Conn WardParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health1938–1943Seán O'GradyParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence1938–1939Seán MoylanParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce1938–Feb 1943Changes 27 September 1939 Changes following the appointment of Patrick Little as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.Name OfficeTermPaddy SmithGovernment Chief Whip1939–1943Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for External Affairs1939–1943Seán MoylanParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Defence1939–1943Changes 12 September 1941Name OfficeTermSeán O'GradyParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Lands1941–Feb 1943Hugo FlinnParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Local Government and Public Health1941–Jan 1943Changes 9 February 1943 Changes following the death of Hugo Flinn.Name Office TermSeán MoylanParliamentary secretary to the Minister for FinanceFeb–Jun 1943Seán O'GradyParliamentary secretary to the Minister for Industry and CommerceFeb–Jun 1943Eamon KissaneParliamentary secretary to the Minister for LandsFeb–Jun 1943

Constitutional amendments During the first three years of the term of office of the first President of Ireland, the Oireachtas could pass amendments to the Constitution of Ireland without a referendum. This period lasted from 25 June 1938 to 24 June 1941. The First Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was introduced and signed into law on 2 September 1939, allowing the Oireachtas to resolve that a state of emergency exists when an armed conflict exists outside of the state. The Emergency was declared on the same day, and the emergency powers lapsed on 2 September 1946. The Second Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland was signed into law on 30 May 1941 and was an omnibus amendment with 40 separate changes across the text of the Constitution. Both amendments were proposed by the Taoiseach.

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