Category: Early 20th Century

The Constitution was accepted by plebiscite at the end of 1937. It replaced the Free State Constitution, which had been made very heavily amended. Emergency type provisions for non-judicial trial which had in effect been written into the Free State Constitution following continuing IRA activity. Article 2A of the Free State Constitution inserted in 1931 […]

The Agricultural Produce (Cereals) Acts, 1933 to 1956 conferred functions on the Department in relation to cereals.  The initial 1933 legislation sought to secure that wheat and flour consumed in Ireland, should be made in Ireland to arrest the contraction of the milling industry into a number of large units, prevent ownership passing into the […]

There had been significant reforms in local government in the 20 years prior to the Dail declaration of independence.  The Local Government (Ireland)  Act 1898 had effectively removed local government from the Irish autocracy and placed it into the hands of elected councillors.  The franchise was based on adults, male ratepayers  which was substantially representative […]

The social welfare legislation was consolidated and reformed in 1952. There were incremental developments from then onwards.  There was severe immigrant, employment and immigration to the 1950s. 1951 saw the introduction of a contributory old age pension.  Children’s allowance was extended to the first child in 1963. The second Program for Economic Expansion 1963 sought […]

On 6th December 1922, the Irish Free State became a dominion with the same status as Canada and South Africa.  Dominions were self-governing.  Until the Treaty of Locarno, they were bound by international treaties made by the Crown. Initially they sat with Great Britain under League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations. After […]

Emergency Powers Act Following the Anglo-Irish Agreement, 1938, the Irish government obtained access to the British government’s preparatory work for emergency legislation in to control the economy in the looming war. The Emergency Powers Act, 1939 provided that the government could by emergency order do anything necessary to deal with the emergency. This is to […]

Department of Industry and Commerce Irish Department of Industry and Commerce was one of the original government departments created under the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924. It succeeded to most of the functions of the UK Board of Trade. It also succeeded to the equivalent Dáil Eireann department, including the Ministries of Labour, Industry, Trade, […]

Home Rule The Third Home Rule Bill finally became law in 1914.  The Parliament Act 1911 had removed the power of the House of Lords to veto legislation which had been passed by the House of Commons in three successive sessions.  The enactment of legislation which provided for Home Rule on a 32 County basis, […]

Overview The Irish Free State Constitution followed the examples of many international constitution in providing for a declaration of personal constitutional rights.  This included the following liberty of the person inviolable person may not be detained or imprisoned except in accordance with law dwellinghouse inviolable freedom of conscience and free profession or religion subject to […]

First Dail Declaration In January 1919, the Sinn Fein members of parliament elected in the 1918 UK General Election formed an assembly in the Mansion House, Dublin instead of taking their seats in parliament.  It was not immediately apparent, if this was a determined effort to assert independence or whether it was symbolic.  Many of […]

Position on Foundation The United Kingdom had been long  committed to free trade until the first World War.  During the war and thereafter, protective duties were imposed on a range of goods.  After the establishment of the Irish Free State, Irish exports to Britain on certain commodities became subject to import duties. Agriculture remained predominant […]