{{Short description|Irish Government from 1954 to 1957}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox government cabinet |cabinet_name = 7th government of Ireland<br/>(Second interparty government) |cabinet_number = |cabinet_type = Government |jurisdiction = Ireland |incumbent = |image = |image_size = |caption = |date_formed = 2 June 1954 |date_dissolved = 20 March 1957 |government_head_title = Taoiseach |government_head = John A. Costello |government_head_history = |deputy_government_head_title = Tánaiste |deputy_government_head = William Norton |state_head_title = President |state_head = Seán T. O'Kelly |current_number = |former_members_number = |total_number = 13 (14 from 1956) |political_parties = {{ubl|{{color box|{{party color|Fine Gael}}|border=darkgray}} Fine Gael|{{color box|{{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}|border=darkgray}} Labour Party|{{color box|{{party color|Clann na Talmhan}}|border=darkgray}} Clann na Talmhan}} |legislature_status = Minority coalition <br/> 73 / 147 (50%){{Composition_bar/advanced |divisionname= |total = 147 |boxwidth = 123 |party1 = 50 |partycolor1 = {{party color|Fine Gael}} |party2 = 19 |partycolor2 = {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |party3 = 5 |partycolor3 = {{party color|Clann na Talmhan}} }} |opposition_cabinet = |opposition_party = {{color box|{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}|border=darkgray}} Fianna Fáil |opposition_leader = Éamon de Valera |election = 1954 general election |last_election = |legislature_term = {{ubl|15th Dáil|8th Seanad}} |incoming_formation = |outgoing_formation = |previous = 6th government |successor = 8th government }} The '''7th government of Ireland''' (2 June 1954 – 20 March 1957), commonly known as the '''second inter-party government''', was the government of Ireland formed after the 1954 general election to the 15th Dáil held on 18 May. It was a minority government of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Clann na Talmhan. Clann na Poblachta, which had been in the First inter-party government (1948–1951) with these parties, supported the government but did not form part of it. It lasted for {{age in years and days|2 Jun 1954|20 Mar 1957}}.
==Nomination of Taoiseach== The 15th Dáil first met on 2 June 1954. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Éamon de Valera and former Taoiseach John A. Costello of Fine Gael were both proposed. The nomination of de Valera was defeated with 66 votes cast in favour and 78 against, while the nomination of Costello was approved by 79 to 66.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-02/4/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach|date=2 June 1954|access-date=25 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 146 No. 1}}</ref> Costello was appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-02/11/|title=Appointment of Taoiseach|date=2 June 1954|access-date=23 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 146 No. 1|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825084044/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-02/11/|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" |- | colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align=center | '''2 June 1954<br/>Nomination of John A. Costello (FG) as Taoiseach'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/vote/dail/15/1954-06-02/2/|title=Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – 2 June 1954|access-date=15 February 2020|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=15 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200215164305/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/vote/dail/15/1954-06-02/2/|url-status=live}}</ref><br/>Motion proposed by Richard Mulcahy and seconded by William Norton<br/>Absolute majority: 74/147 |- bgcolor="#D8D8D8" ! width=80px | Vote ! width=610px | Parties ! width=80px align="center" | Votes |- | {{tick}} '''Yes''' || Fine Gael (50), Labour Party (18), Clann na Talmhan (5), Clann na Poblachta (3), Independents (3) || {{Composition bar|79|147|hex=green}} |- | No || Fianna Fáil (65), Independent (1) || {{Composition bar|66|147|hex=red}} |- | Not voting || Ceann Comhairle (1), Independent (1) || {{Composition bar|2|147|hex=gray}} |}
==Members of the Government== The Ministers of the Government were proposed by the Taoiseach and approved by the Dáil.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-02/12/|title=Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval|date=2 June 1954|access-date=25 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 146 No. 1|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825084044/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-02/12/|url-status=live}}</ref> They were appointed by the president on the same day.<ref name=mapp>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-15/27/|title=Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries|date=25 June 1954|access-date=30 November 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 149 No. 1|archive-date=9 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109053210/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1954-06-15/27/|url-status=live}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" |- !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party |- |Taoiseach |John A. Costello |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Tánaiste |rowspan=2|William Norton |rowspan=2|1954–1957 |rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" | |rowspan=2|Labour Party |- |Minister for Industry and Commerce |- |Minister for Education |Richard Mulcahy |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Lands |Joseph Blowick |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}} |- |Minister for Justice |James Everett |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |- |Minister for Agriculture |James Dillon |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Defence |Seán Mac Eoin |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Posts and Telegraphs |Michael Keyes |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |- |Minister for External Affairs |Liam Cosgrave |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Social Welfare |Brendan Corish |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |- |Minister for Finance |Gerard Sweetman |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Local Government |Patrick O'Donnell |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Minister for Health |Tom O'Higgins |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |colspan="5"|
===Change 2 July 1956=== Establishment of the Department of the Gaeltacht.<ref name=RnaG>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-07-03/23/|title=Aireacht na Gaeltachta - Aire agus Rúnaí Parlaiminte a Cheapadh|date=3 July 1956|language=Irish|access-date=25 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 159 No. 1|archive-date=22 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922213849/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-07-03/23/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=1956|type=si|number=152|name=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1956 (Appointed Day) Order 1956|date=28 June 1956|access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> |- !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party |- |Minister for the Gaeltacht |Richard Mulcahy |1956 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |colspan="5"|
===Changes 24 October 1956=== Assignment of separate Minister for the Gaeltacht.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-10-24/50/|title=Nomination of Members of Government: Motion of Approval|date=24 October 1956|access-date=25 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 160 No. 1|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825084045/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-10-24/50/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-10-24/62/|title=Minister for Gaeltacht—Statement by Taoiseach|date=24 October 1956|access-date=25 August 2019|work=Dáil Debates – Vol. 160 No. 1|archive-date=25 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825084043/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-10-24/62/|url-status=live}}</ref> |- !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party |- |Minister for the Gaeltacht |Patrick Lindsay |1956–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |}
==Parliamentary Secretaries== On 3 June 1954, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.<ref name=mapp /> {| class="wikitable" |- !Name !Office !Term !colspan=2|Party |- |rowspan=2|Denis J. O'Sullivan |Government Chief Whip |rowspan=2|1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |- |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence |- |John O'Donovan |Parliamentary Secretary to the Government |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Michael Donnellan |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}} |- |William Davin |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government |1954–1956 | {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |- |Oliver J. Flanagan |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |Patrick Crotty |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce |1954–1957 | {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}} |- |colspan=5|
===Change 16 March 1956=== Following the death of William Davin on 1 March 1956.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-03-01/13/|title=Death of Parliamentary Secretary|date=1 March 1956|access-date=19 January 2021|work=Dáil Debates – 154 No. 8|archive-date=3 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191103101707/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1956-03-01/13/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1956-03-21/2/|title=Announcement of Appointment of Parliamentary Secretary|date=21 March 1956|work=Seanad Debates – Vol. 45 No. 17}}</ref> |- !Name !Office !Term !colspan=2|Party |- |Dan Spring |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government |1956–1957 | {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}} |- |colspan=5|
===Changes 3 July 1956=== Following the establishment of the Department of the Gaeltacht<ref name=RnaG/> |- !Name !Office !Term !colspan=2|Party |- |rowspan=2|Patrick Lindsay |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Gaeltacht |rowspan=2|Jul.–Oct. 1956 | {{party name with colour|rowspan=2|Fine Gael}} |- |Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education |}
==Foreign Policy== Ireland joined the United Nations in 1955.
==Dissolution of the Dáil== The government ended when the Clann na Poblachta withdrew its support in 1957. Fine Gael and Labour had also both lost seats in by-elections to Fianna Fáil the previous year. Costello sought a dissolution of the Dáil on 4 February 1957 which was granted by the president, leading to a general election on 9 March 1957.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/436dab-fifteenth-dail/|title=History of Government – Fifteenth Dáil|date=28 November 2018|access-date=19 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407203036/https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/436dab-fifteenth-dail/|archive-date=7 April 2023|website=Government of Ireland |url-status=live}}
{{7th Government of Ireland}} {{Governments of Ireland}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Government Of The 15th Dail}} Category:Coalition governments of Ireland Category:Governments of Ireland Category:1954 establishments in Ireland Category:1957 disestablishments in Ireland Category:Cabinets established in 1954 Category:Cabinets disestablished in 1957 Category:15th Dáil