| 9th Dáil | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Dáil Éireann | ||||
| Jurisdiction | |||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||
| Term | 21 July 1937 – 27 May 1938 | ||||
| Election | 1937 general election | ||||
| Government |
| ||||
| Members | 138 | ||||
| Ceann Comhairle | Frank Fahy | ||||
| President of the Executive Council | Éamon de Valera until 29 December 1937 | ||||
| Vice-President of the Executive Council | Seán T. O'Kelly until 29 December 1937 | ||||
| Taoiseach | Éamon de Valera from 29 December 1937 | ||||
| Tánaiste | Seán T. O'Kelly from 29 December 1937 | ||||
| Chief Whip | Patrick Little | ||||
| Leader of the Opposition | W. T. Cosgrave | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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The 9th Dáil was elected at the 1937 general election on 1 July 1937 and met on 21 July 1937. The members of Dáil Éireann, the Chamber of Deputies of the Oireachtas (legislature) of the Irish Free State, are known as TDs. Seanad Éireann, a second chamber in the Irish Free State, had been abolished in May 1936.
On 29 December 1937, the Constitution of Ireland came into effect, with the state being renamed as Ireland. Under Article 54 of the Constitution, the Dáil established by the Constitution of the Irish Free State became Dáil Éireann of the new bicameral Oireachtas, being described in Article 15 of the Constitution as a House of Representatives. Under Article 55, the Oireachtas consisted of a single chamber only, pending the first assembly of the new Seanad Éireann on 27 April 1938. This took place following an indirect election forming the 2nd Seanad.
The 9th Dáil was dissolved on 27 May 1938 by the Presidential Commission, as constituted under Article 57 of the Constitution prior to the coming into office of the first president of Ireland. The 9th Dáil lasted 310 days. There were no by-elections during the 9th Dáil.
Composition of the 9th Dáil
| Party | July 1937 | May 1938 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fianna Fáil | 69 | 67 |  2 | |
| Fine Gael | 48 | 48 |  | |
| Labour | 13 | 13 | | |
| Independent | 8 | 8 | | |
| Ceann Comhairle | —N/a | 1 |  1 | |
| Vacant | —N/a | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 138 | |||
Fianna Fáil formed the 8th executive council of the Irish Free State, a minority government dependent on the support of the Labour Party. Under Article 56 of the Constitution, this became the 1st government of Ireland on the coming into operation of the Constitution on 29 December 1937.
Graphical representation
This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 9th Dáil from July 1937. This was not the official seating plan.
Ceann Comhairle
On 21 July 1937, Frank Fahy (FF), who had served as Ceann Comhairle since 1932, was proposed by Éamon de Valera and seconded by William Norton for the position, and was elected without a vote.[1]
TDs by constituency
The 138 TDs elected at the 1937 general election is given by Dáil constituency.[2]
Changes
| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 July 1937 | Galway East | Fianna Fáil | Ceann Comhairle | Frank Fahy takes office as Ceann Comhairle[1] | ||
| 7 November 1937 | Cork West | Fianna Fáil | Death of Eamon Rice[3] | |||
References
- "Election of Ceann Comhairle". Dáil Debates. 69 (1). Houses of the Oireachtas. 21 July 1937. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2022.
- Oireachtas Database.
- "Death of Deputy Eamonn Rice". Dáil Debates. 69 (6). Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 November 1937. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
External links
- "Debates: 9th Dáil". Houses of the Oireachtas.
- "TDs & Senators: 9th Dáil". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2022.