A short history of Ireland’s Parliament

Introduction

Oireachtas Éireann is Irish for the Irish Parliament.

The Oireachtas has two main chambers of people who work on making new laws for Ireland. These chambers are called the Houses of the Oireachtas.

One House is named the Dáil, and one is the Seanad.

The workers are called elected representatives, with Senators in the Seanad and TDs (Teachta Dála) in the Dáil.

The two Houses get their powers and functions from a book called the Constitution of Ireland - Bunreacht na hÉireann.

Each House sets their own rules for the day-to-day work and these books are called Standing Orders.

The First Dáil

The first Dáil met in Dublin’s Mansion House in 1919. It gave its workers – the elected representatives of the Irish people – the right to make laws for Ireland.

The Second Dáil

During this time, Ireland was being ruled from Britain. The British Parliament brought in a law partitioning Ireland and creating separate parliaments, one for the six counties of Northern Ireland and one for the rest of the country. In response to this, the Second Dáil met in 1921 in the Mansion House.

The Third Dáil

The war of independence between Ireland and Britain ended in 1921 and a provisional government was set up. The third Dáil held its first meeting in Leinster House in 1922.

The Irish Free State (1922 - 1937)

On 6 December 1922, the Irish Free State or Saorstát Éireann came into existence. From then until 1937 the government or cabinet of the Irish Free State was known as the Executive Council, and the head of government was known as the President of the Executive Council. Head of Government today is called the Taoiseach.

William T Cosgrave - 1st Taoiseach

The Irish Free State Constitution created the Oireachtas. This was to be our parliament – made up of the King and two Houses (Dáil) and the Senate (Seanad).

The First Seanad (1922)

The Senate or Seanad of the Irish Free State contained 60 Senators and met for the first time on 11 December 1922. It was abolished in 1936.

The Second Seanad (1938)

The first sitting of the Second Seanad was held on 27 April 1938.

President of Ireland (1938)

Dubhghlas de hÍde (Douglas Hyde, also called "An Craoibhín Aoibhinn") became the first President of Ireland on 25 June, 1938.

Douglas Hyde