Fianna Fail Government

Fianna Fail Government

1932 – 1948

‘Dismantling the Treaty’
Anglo-Irish Economic War 1932- 1938
Fianna Fail Economic Policy 1932 – 1948
Neutrality 1939-1945

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‘Dismantling the Treaty’ 1932 – 1938

Fianna Fáil formed in 1926 from Anti-Treaty Sinn Féin.
Forced to take their seats by the Electoral Amendment Act (1927)
DeValera & Fianna Fáil now had to take the ‘Oath of Allegiance’. DeValera referred to the oath as an “empty formula”

Why did Fianna Fáil win the General Election of 1932?

Cumann na nGaedhael
became unpopular because
a) cuts to civil servants salaries
b) general worldwide economic downturn
c) lack of political skill to offset
DeValera’s criticisms of Government
d) Fianna Fáil’s populist electioneering

DeValera used the Statute of Westminster to Dismantle the Treaty. How did the Statute of Westminster help him to do this?

Governor-General ignored by DeValera Government.
Position left untenable
DeValera systematically ignored and undermined the position of the Governor-General in the Irish Free State. By doing so, he was undermining the King of England as Head of State of the Irish Free State.

Abdication of King Edward VIII:
The Executive Authority (External Relations’ Act)(1936)
When King Edward VIII of Britain abdicated to marry Wallis Simpson, DeValera used the opportunity of the constitutional crisis in Britain to completely undermine and delete all reference to the King of England as head of state in the Irish Free State. This was a major step towards full independence for the Irish Free State, as direct conflict between the British & Irish Governments over the issue of head of state was avoided in the ensuing crisis.

Bunreacht na hEireann(1937)
In a major step towards an eventual republic, DeValera introduced a new constitution in 1937. This Constitution changed the Irish Free State radically, both in perception & characteristics. The state was now to be known as ‘Eire’, the Tricolour was the national flag & Irish was recognised as the first language of the state.

Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement (1938): Return of Treaty Ports
As part of the final agreement to end the ‘tariff war’ between Ireland & the UK (1932 – 1938), DeValera went to London to agree a formal end to the tension between the two states.
- Ireland would pay £10 million in return for an end to the Land Annuities Payments
- Britain would return the ‘3 Treaty Ports’ of Cobh, Berehaven & Lough Swilly to Ireland.

Anglo-Irish Economic War (1932 – 1938)

Q. Why was there an Anglo-Irish Economic War between the Irish Free State & Britain between 1932 & 1938?

Anglo-Irish Trade Agreement (1938)

Bunreacht na hEireann (1937)

New constitution written by DeValera in 1936 & 1937.

Replaced the old Irish Free State Constitution

Bunreacht na hEireann:

Articles 2 & 3:Laid claim to the whole island of Ireland as part of the ‘national territory’ and
claimed the allegiance of all people on the island of Ireland. Controversial
considering that Northern Ireland was an integral part of Great Britain.

Article 4: The name of the state was changed from the ‘Irish Free State’ to ‘Éire’ (Ireland in English)

Article 7: The flag of the state was declared as the ‘Tricolour of Green, White & Orange’

Articles 12 – 14:The President of Ireland (Úachtarán na hEireann) was to be elected as the
the Head of State, in an election to be held by universal suffrage every
7 years. Douglas Hyde, the Presbyterian co-founder of the Gaelic League
became the first President of Ireland.

Article 15 – 17: The national parliament was renamed in Irish with Dáil Éireann & Seanad Éireann
making up the Houses of Oireachtas.

Neutrality 1939 – 1945

Q. Why did Ireland declare itself neutral in 1939?

- to underline Irish independence, particularly from Britain

- to safeguard the State & the people, as Ireland had a very limited ability to protect itself militarily

Characteristics of Neutrality:

Censorship

Rationing

Strict Diplomatic Protocol