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| 5th Dáil | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
 | |||||
| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Dáil Éireann | ||||
| Jurisdiction | Irish Free State | ||||
| Meeting place | Leinster House | ||||
| Term | 23 June 1927 – 25 August 1927 | ||||
| Election | June 1927 general election | ||||
| Government | 3rd executive council | ||||
| Members | 153 | ||||
| Ceann Comhairle | Michael Hayes | ||||
| President of the Executive Council | W. T. Cosgrave | ||||
| Vice-President of the Executive Council | Ernest Blythe —Kevin O'Higgins until 10 July 1927 | ||||
| Chief Whip | Eamonn Duggan —James Dolan until 24 June 1927 | ||||
| Leader of the Opposition | Éamon de Valera —Thomas Johnson until 11 August 1927 | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
| |||||
The5th Dáil was elected at theJune 1927 general election on 9 June 1927 and met on 23 June 1927. The members ofDáil Éireann, theHouse of Representatives of theOireachtas (legislature) of theIrish Free State, are known asTDs. It was one of two houses of the Oireachtas, sitting with theFirst Seanad constituted as the1925 Seanad. The 5th Dáil was dissolved on 25 August 1927 byGovernor-GeneralTim Healy, at the advice of thePresident of the Executive CouncilW. T. Cosgrave. The 5th Dáil is the shortest Dáil in the history of the state, lasting only 63 days.[1]
| Party | June 1927 | Aug. 1927 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumann na nGaedheal | 47 | 47 |  | |
| Fianna Fáil | 44 | 43 |  1 | |
| Labour | 22 | 22 | | |
| Farmers' Party | 11 | 11 | | |
| National League | 8 | 6 | 2 | |
| Sinn Féin | 5 | 5 | | |
| Independent | 16 | 18 |  2 | |
| Ceann Comhairle | — | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 153 | |||
In line with its policy ofabstentionism, the Sinn Féin TDs did not take their seats. Fianna Fáil also had a policy of abstentionism and their TDs did not take their seats, but they abandoned their policy in August 1927, causing the government to lose their functional majority.
The 3rd executive was formed by Cumann na nGaedheal with support from the Farmers' Party. Labour was the official opposition until Fianna Fail took their seats.
This is a graphical comparison of party strengths in the 5th Dáil from June 1927. This was not the official seating plan.
On 23 June 1927,Michael Hayes (CnaG), who had beenCeann Comhairle since 1922, was proposed byW. T. Cosgrave and seconded byThomas Johnson for the position, and was approved without a vote.[2] On 1 July 1927,James Dolan (CnaG) was proposed byEamonn Duggan as Leas-Cheann Comhairle. He was approved by a vote of 54 to 20.[3]
The list of the 153TDs elected, is given in alphabetical order byDáil constituency.[4]
| Date | Constituency | Loss | Gain | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 June 1927 | National University | Cumann na nGaedheal | Ceann Comhairle | Michael Hayes takes office as Ceann Comhairle[2] | ||
| 10 July 1927 | Dublin County | Cumann na nGaedheal | Death ofKevin O'Higgins | |||
| 15 July 1927 | Dublin South | Fianna Fáil | Death ofConstance Markievicz | |||
| 26 July 1927 | Dublin County | Fianna Fáil | Independent | Patrick Belton takesOath of Allegiance in contravention of Fianna Fáil policy[5] | ||
| August 1927 | Cork North | Independent | Fianna Fáil | Daniel Corkery joins Fianna Fáil[6] | ||
| 11 August 1927 | Dublin South | National League | Independent | Vincent Rice resigns from the National League after failing to take the party pledge and supporting the government[7] | ||
| 18 August 1927 | Leitrim–Sligo | National League | Independent | John Jinks resigns from the National League after abstaining onvote of no confidence[8] | ||
| 24 August 1927 | Dublin County | Cumann na nGaedheal | Gearóid O'Sullivan holds the seat vacated by the death of O'Higgins | |||
| 24 August 1927 | Dublin South | Cumann na nGaedheal | Thomas Hennessy gains the seat vacated by the death of Markievicz | |||
After the dissolution of the Dáil, Independent TDsBryan Cooper (Dublin County),John Daly (Cork East),Myles Keogh (Dublin South) andVincent Rice (Dublin City South) joined Cumann na nGaedheal, standing for the party in theSeptember general election.[9]