# Government of the 16th Dáil

There were two governments of the 16th Dáil, which was elected at the 1957 general election held on 5 March. The outgoing minority coalition government of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Clann na Talmhan had failed to be returned. The 8th government of Ireland (20 March 1957 – 23 June 1959) was led by Éamon de Valera as Taoiseach, until his election as president of Ireland at the 1959 election. It lasted for 2 years, 89 days from its appointment until de Valera's resignation on 17 June 1959, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 6 days until the appointment of its successor, giving a total of 2 years, 95 days. The 9th government of Ireland (23 June 1959 – 11 November 1961) was led by Seán Lemass as Taoiseach and lasted for 2 years, 141 days. Both were single-party Fianna Fáil governments.

## 8th government of Ireland
### Nomination of Taoiseach

The 16th Dáil first met on 20 March 1957. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Éamon de Valera was proposed and this motion was carried with 78 votes in favour and 53 votes against. De Valera was appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly.
20 March 1957 Nomination of Éamon de Valera (FF) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by Seán Lemass and seconded by Seán MacEntee Absolute majority: 74/147 :
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
| Y Yes | Fianna Fáil (76), Independent (2) | 78 / 147 |
| No | Fine Gael (39), Labour Party (10), Clann na Talmhan (3), Independent (1) | 53 / 147 |
| Absent or Not voting | Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (2), Fine Gael (1), Labour Party (1), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (6) | 12 / 147 |
| Abstentionist | Sinn Féin (4) | 4 / 147 |

### Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Éamon de Valera proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Taoiseach | | Éamon de Valera | 1957–1959 |
| Tánaiste | | Seán Lemass | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | | Seán Lemass | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Health | | Seán MacEntee | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Finance | | James Ryan | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for External Affairs | | Frank Aiken | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Justice | | Oscar Traynor | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Local Government | | Paddy Smith | 1957 |
| Minister for Social Welfare | | Paddy Smith | 1957 |
| Minister for Lands | | Erskine H. Childers | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Education | | Jack Lynch | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for the Gaeltacht | | Jack Lynch | (Acting) |
| Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | | Neil Blaney | 1957 |
| Minister for Defence | | Kevin Boland | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Agriculture | | Frank Aiken | (Acting) |
| Changes 16 May 1957 Appointment of Seán Moylan as minister on his nomination to the Seanad. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for Agriculture | | Seán Moylan | 1957 |
| Changes 26 June 1957 Further appointment. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for the Gaeltacht | | Mícheál Ó Móráin | 1957–1959 |
| Changes 16 November 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for Agriculture | | Frank Aiken | (acting) |
| Changes 27 November 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for Agriculture | | Paddy Smith | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Local Government | | Neil Blaney | 1957–1959 |
| Minister for Social Welfare | | Seán MacEntee | 1957–1959 |
| Changes 4 December 1957 Following the death of Seán Moylan. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | | John Ormonde | 1957–1959 |

### Parliamentary Secretaries

On 21 March 1957, the Government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
| Name | Name | Office | Term |
| | Donnchadh Ó Briain | Government Chief Whip | 1957–1959 |
| | Donnchadh Ó Briain | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence | 1957–1959 |
| | Michael Kennedy | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare | 1957–1959 |
| | Patrick Beegan | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance | 1957–Feb. 1958 |
| | Gerald Bartley | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce | 1957–Feb. 1958 |
| Change 24 February 1958 Death of Beegan on 2 February 1958. ||||
| | Gerald Bartley | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance | Feb. 1958–1959 |
| | Michael Hilliard | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce | Feb. 1958–1959 |

### Confidence in the government

On 29 October 1958, William Norton, leader of the Labour Party, tabled a vote of no confidence in the government. James Dillon and Liam Cosgrave of Fine Gael proposed an amendment to the motion. Both the amendment and the motion were defeated the following day on a vote of 54 to 71.

### Constitutional referendum

The government proposed the Third Amendment of the Constitution Bill 1958, which would have altered the electoral system from proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote to first past the post. It was put to a referendum on 17 June 1959, the same date as the presidential election. It was defeated by a margin of 48.2% to 51.8% of votes cast.

### Resignation

On 17 June 1959, Éamon de Valera was elected as president of Ireland and he resigned as Taoiseach on that day. Under Article 28.11 of the Constitution, all members of the government are deemed to have resigned on the resignation of the Taoiseach, but they continued to carry on their duties until the appointment of their successors.

## 9th government of Ireland

Éamon de Valera resigned as leader of Fianna Fáil after his election as president of Ireland and Seán Lemass was elected unopposed to succeed him on 22 June 1959.

### Nomination of Taoiseach

On 23 June 1959, in the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Seán Lemass was proposed. This motion was carried with 75 votes in favour to 51 votes against. Lemass was appointed as Taoiseach by President Seán T. O'Kelly. It was the first time there was a change of Taoiseach within a Dáil term.
23 June 1959 Nomination of Seán Lemass (FF) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by Seán MacEntee and seconded by James Ryan Absolute majority: 74/147 :
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
| Y Yes | Fianna Fáil (72), Independent (3) | 75 / 147 |
| No | Fine Gael (37), Labour Party (9), Clann na Talmhan (3), Clann na Poblachta (1), Independent (1) | 51 / 147 |
| Absent or Not voting | Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (3), Fine Gael (3), Labour Party (2), Independent (5) | 14 / 147 |
| Abstentionist | Sinn Féin (4) | 4 / 147 |
| Vacancies | 3 | 3 / 147 |

### Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Seán Lemass proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on 24 June 1959.
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Taoiseach | | Seán Lemass | 1959–1961 |
| Tánaiste | | Seán MacEntee | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Health | | Seán MacEntee | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Social Welfare | | Seán MacEntee | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Finance | | James Ryan | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for External Affairs | | Frank Aiken | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Justice | | Oscar Traynor | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Agriculture | | Paddy Smith | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Lands | | Erskine H. Childers | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | | Jack Lynch | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Local Government | | Neil Blaney | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Defence | | Kevin Boland | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for the Gaeltacht | | Mícheál Ó Móráin | 1959 |
| Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | | Michael Hilliard | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Education | | Patrick Hillery | 1959–1961 |
| Changes 27 July 1959 Gerard Bartley was appointed to government on 23 July and the changes took effect when the Department of Transport and Power was established. ||||
| Office | Name | Name | Term |
| Minister for the Gaeltacht | | Gerald Bartley | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Lands | | Mícheál Ó Móráin | 1959–1961 |
| Minister for Transport and Power | | Erskine H. Childers | 1959–1961 |

### Parliamentary Secretaries

On 24 June 1959, the government appointed the Parliamentary Secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
| Name | Name | Office | Term |
| | Donnchadh Ó Briain | Government Chief Whip | 1959–1961 |
| | Donnchadh Ó Briain | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence | 1959–1961 |
| | Michael Kennedy | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare | 1959–1961 |
| | Gerald Bartley | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance | June–July 1959 |
| Change 24 July 1959 Following the appointment of Gerard Bartley to government. ||||
| | Joseph Brennan | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance | July 1959 – 1961 |
| Change 9 May 1960 Additional appointment ||||
| | Charles Haughey | Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Justice | 1960–1961 |