President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State

The president of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State (Uachtarán ar Ard-Chomhairle Shaorstát Éireann) was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937. He was the chairman of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State, the Free State's cabinet. The president was appointed by the governor-general, upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of parliament) and had to enjoy the confidence of the Dáil to remain in office. The office was succeeded by that of taoiseach, though subsequent Taoisigh are numbered from the first president of the Executive. The president of the Executive Council was nominated by the Dáil and then formally appointed by the governor-general, though the governor-general was bound by constitutional convention to honour the Dáil's choice. On paper, executive power was vested in the governor-general, with the Executive Council empowered to "aide and advise" him. However, it also stipulated that the governor-general could only exercise his powers in accordance with constitutional practice established in Canada. Thus, the governor-general was required to exercise his powers on the advice of the Executive Council, making the president of the council the Free State's de facto political leader. Once he had appointed the president, the governor-general appointed the remaining members of the Executive Council on the president's nomination. The president had the freedom to choose any vice-president (deputy prime minister) he wished from among the members of the Dáil, but the remainder of the cabinet had to be approved by a vote of consent in the Dáil before they could assume office. If he ceased to "retain the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann," the president, along with his cabinet, was obliged to resign, but could continue to serve as acting president until the appointment of a successor.

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Related concepts (7)

Constitution of Ireland

The Constitution of Ireland (Bunreacht na hÉireann, ˈbɣʊn̪ɣɾjəxt̪ɣ n̪ɣə ˈheːɾjən̪ɣ) is the fundamental law of Ireland. It asserts the national sovereignty of the Irish people. The constitution, based on a system of representative democracy, is broadly within the tradition of liberal democracy. It guarantees certain fundamental rights, along with a popularly elected non-executive president, a bicameral parliament, a separation of powers and judicial review.

Constitution of the Irish Free State

The Constitution of the Irish Free State (Bunreacht Shaorstát Éireann) was adopted by Act of Dáil Éireann sitting as a constituent assembly on 25 October 1922. In accordance with Article 83 of the Constitution, the Irish Free State Constitution Act 1922 of the British Parliament, which came into effect upon receiving the royal assent on 5 December 1922, provided that the Constitution would come into effect upon the issue of a Royal Proclamation, which was done on 6 December 1922.

Irish War of Independence

The Irish War of Independence (Cogadh na Saoirse) or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-military Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) and its paramilitary forces the Auxiliaries and Ulster Special Constabulary (USC). It was part of the Irish revolutionary period. In April 1916, Irish republicans launched the Easter Rising against British rule and proclaimed an Irish Republic.