Minister for Publicity
The Minister for Publicity was a position in the Government of the Irish Republic, the self-declared state which was established in 1919 by Dáil Éireann, the parliamentary assembly made up of the majority of Irish MPs elected in the 1918 general election.
History
In April 1918, a Sinn Féin Department of Propaganda was established at No. 6 Harcourt Street in charge of Robert Brennan.[1] The portfolio was created to promote the new government of Ireland throughout the country. After the First Dáil came into being a similar department was set up under the new Dáil, concentrating more on overseas publicity. Both Departments co-operated in issuing publicity material.[1] The first Director of Publicity under Dáil Éireann was Laurence Ginnell.[2]
In the First Dáil, the post was called Director of Propaganda.[3] The post was abolished at the end of the Second Dáil.
List of office-holders
| No. | Name | Term of office | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Laurence Ginnell | 1 April 1919 | 17 June 1919 | Sinn Féin | |
| 2. | Desmond FitzGerald[4] | 17 June 1919 | 11 February 1921 | Sinn Féin | |
| 3. | Robert Erskine Childers[5] | 12 February 1921 | 8 March 1921 | Sinn Féin | |
| No. | Name | Term of office | Party | ||
| 1. | Desmond FitzGerald | 26 August 1921 | 9 September 1922 | Sinn Féin | |
References
- 1 2 Dáil Éireann Department of Publicity: History and Progress
- ↑ Laurence Ginnell
- ↑ "History of Government – First Dáil". Department of the Taoiseach. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
- ↑ Desmond FitzGerald acted as substitute Director of Propaganda while Laurence Ginnell was imprisoned.
- ↑ Robert Erskine Childers acted as substitute Director of Propaganda while Desmond FitzGerald was imprisoned.