Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures explained
Post: | Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures |
Department: | Minister without portfolio |
Reports To: | Taoiseach |
Nominator: | Taoiseach |
Formation: | 8 September 1939 |
Abolished: | 16 August 1945 |
First: | Frank Aiken |
Last: | Frank Aiken |
The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures was the title of Frank Aiken as a member of the Government of Ireland from 8 September 1939 to 18 June 1945 during The Emergency[1] [2] — the state of emergency in operation in Ireland during World War II. The Minister was intended to handle Civil Defence and related measures, allowing the Minister for Defence to concentrate on matters relating to the regular Army. The office was also responsible for handling wartime censorship.
Aiken was a minister without portfolio, as there was no Department of State corresponding to his brief,[3] although there was an Office of the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures.[4] The Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, which allows for ministers without portfolio, also allows such a minister to have a specific style or title.[5] In fact, Aiken had been appointed on 8 September 1939, and the Act was passed on 21 December 1939, backdated to 8 September.[6] The Minister for Supplies, who did have a corresponding Department of State, was established on the same dates.[7] The section in the Act on ministers without portfolio was seen by Richard Mulcahy as designed to safeguard the legality of Aiken's office.[8]
Taoiseach Éamon de Valera explained the reasoning behind the ministry:[9]
The Minister received functions delegated by other ministers, as provided for by section 6 of the Emergency Powers Act 1939.[10] [11] Aiken enforced stringent censorship of news, and of material potentially sympathetic to the Allies, in accordance with Ireland's neutrality.[12] He was also responsible for air raid precautions, delegated by the Minister for Defence.[11] [13] Seán Moylan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence,[14] [15] served also as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures.[16] [17]
In April 1941, Aiken went to the United States to ask President Franklin D. Roosevelt for military aid. Roosevelt told Aiken that Ireland should be supporting Britain, prompting Aiken to ask Roosevelt to seek guarantees from the British Government that the UK would not invade Ireland.[18]
In 1943, Labour Party TDs William Davin and Timothy J. Murphy questioned the need for such a minister, and the vagueness of its responsibilities.[19]
The ministry was abolished on 18 June 1945.[2] The following day, Aiken was appointed Minister for Finance.
Notes and References
- Web site: Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Changes in the Ministry – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 September 1939. Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 August 2020. 28 August 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190828104334/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1939-09-27/2/. live.
- Web site: Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Ministries and Parliamentary Secretaryships – Dáil Éireann (12th Dáil) – Thursday, 9 October 1947. Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 August 2020. 16 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201216050558/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1947-10-09/3/. live.
- Book: Chubb, Basil . Basil Chubb
. Basil Chubb . Government & Politics of Ireland . . 1982 . 2nd . 170 . 0-8047-1115-1.
- Web site: Committee on Finance. - Vote 63—Army – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Thursday, 19 February 1942. Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 August 2020. 2 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102153005/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1942-02-19/15/. live.
- Web site: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, Section 4: Minister without portfolio. 21 December 1939. 14 August 2020. Irish Statute Book. 22 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210122060647/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1939/act/36/section/4/enacted/en/html. live.
- Web site: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, Section 12: Commencement. 21 December 1939. 13 September 2019. Irish Statute Book. 26 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226125541/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1939/act/36/section/12/enacted/en/html. live.
- Web site: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, Section 2: The Department of Supplies. 21 December 1939. 14 August 2020. Irish Statute Book. 26 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210226115627/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1939/act/36/section/2/enacted/en/html. live.
- Web site: In Committee on Finance. - Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 1939—Committee Stage – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Thursday, 7 December 1939. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. The only possible reason for this section is that it is intended to cover the present Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures.. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912131603/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1939-12-07/10/. live.
- Web site: Adjournment of the Dáil (Motion). - Position of Éire – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 September 1939. Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 August 2020. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912131603/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1939-09-27/38/. live.
- Web site: Emergency Powers Act 1939; §6 Delegation of statutory powers and duties. Irish Statute Book. 3 September 1939. 16 August 2020. 19 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919003203/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1939/act/28/section/6/enacted/en/html. live.
- Web site: Air-Raid Precautions (Approval of Expenditure by Essential Undertakers) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1944. Irish Statute Book. 30 September 1943. 16 August 2020. 28 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201028194908/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1943/sro/326/made/en/print. live.
- Book: Keogh, Dermot . Dermot Keogh
. Dermot Keogh . Andrew McCarthy . Twentieth-century Ireland: revolution and state building . . 2005 . revised . 112, 126, 161 . 0-7171-3297-8 .
- Web site: Members of Government and Parliamentary Secretaries – Seanad Éireann (4th Seanad) – Tuesday, 20 June 1944. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 21 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201221115001/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1944-06-20/2/. live.
- Web site: Matter Raised on Motion for Adjournment. - Air—Raid Precautions – Seanad Éireann (3rd Seanad) – Wednesday, 28 August 1940. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912131601/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/seanad/1940-08-28/9/. live.
- Web site: Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Death of Longford Soldier – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday,26 May 1943. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 26 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126132857/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1943-05-26/15/. live.
- Web site: Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Black-out Regulations – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 September 1939. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912131601/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1939-09-27/26/. live.
- Web site: Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Training of Roof-Watchers – Dáil Éireann (10th Dáil) – Wednesday, 2 October 1940. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 12 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210912131602/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1940-10-02/33/. live.
- Book: Breuer, William B. . The spy who spent the war in bed: and other bizarre tales from World War II . John Wiley and Sons . 2003 . 51–2 . Roosevelt in a shouting match . 0-471-26739-2 . registration . https://archive.org/details/spywhospentwarin0000breu/page/51 .
- Web site: Nomination of Members of Government—Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (11th Dáil) –Thursday, 1 July 1943. Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 August 2020. 2 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191102183400/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1943-07-01/10/. live.