65-631: The Genealogical Office is an office of the Government of Ireland containing genealogical records. It includes the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland ( Irish : Príomh Aralt na hÉireann ), the authority in Ireland for heraldry . The Chief Herald authorises the granting of arms to Irish bodies and Irish people , including descendants of emigrants . The office was constituted on 1 April 1943 as successor to
130-411: A clan's power or to take some or all of its lands. That was a major cause of the ultimate failure in many cases of the policy of surrender and regrant. The tensions within clans and the new religious division between Catholics and Protestants from 1570, intrusions by grasping royal officials and the lack of royal protection from continuing raids by other clans that had not accepted the new system all made
195-488: A department of state will cease to exist, its functions being transferred to another department. Such defunct ministerial positions include the Ministers for Labour , Posts and Telegraphs , Public Service and Supplies . Non-members have no voting rights at Cabinet but may otherwise participate fully, and normally receive circulated Cabinet papers on the same basis as a full member of Government. Votes are rare, however, with
260-557: A group of male cousins of a chief were eligible to succeed by election. This was accepted by the new title-holders, but not by some of their cousins. Thereafter the chiefs of the name succeeded by primogeniture for several centuries, in a similar way to the clan chiefs in Scotland . Many other clan chiefs were never given formal titles or knighthoods from the Kingdom of Ireland, but were issued with arms and usually registered their genealogies with
325-498: A majority in the Dáil in order to ensure support and confidence for budgets and government bills to pass. The current government entered office on 9 April 2024 with Simon Harris , leader of Fine Gael , as Taoiseach . The Tánaiste is Micheál Martin , leader of Fianna Fáil . It is a majority coalition government of Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and the Green Party . It
390-767: A member of the Free State Seanad , had served in the Executive Council of the Irish Free State from 1932 to 1933 as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs , and from 1933 to 1936 as Minister for Lands and Fisheries . A member of the government in charge of a Department of State is designated a minister of the Government (before 1977 this position was termed Minister of State ). For distinction, Ministers of State (known before 1977 as Parliamentary Secretaries ) – informally called junior ministers – are not Ministers of
455-539: A number of occasions, and these may be cited together as the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 2017 and are construed together as one Act. All governments from 1989 to 2016 were coalitions of two or more parties. The first coalition government was formed in 1948. The Taoiseach has almost always been the leader of the largest party in the coalition, with the exceptions of John A. Costello , Taoiseach from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957 (a member of Fine Gael but not
520-530: A phrase in correspondence by government departments, "the Minister has directed me to write", on letters or documents that the minister in question may never have seen. If the Government, or any member of the government, should fail to fulfil its constitutional duties, it may be ordered to do so by a court of law, by a writ of mandamus . Ministers who fail to comply may, ultimately, be found to be in contempt of court , and even imprisoned. Prior to independence,
585-472: Is expected to maintain political impartiality in its work, and some parts of it are entirely independent of Government decision making. Simon Harris was nominated as Taoiseach by Dáil Éireann on 9 April 2024 and appointed by the president . Harris proposed the nomination of the members of government, and after their approval by the Dáil, they were appointed by the president. Surrender and regrant During
650-519: Is informally known as a "super junior minister". Currently Jack Chambers , Hildegarde Naughton and Pippa Hackett are Ministers of State who attend cabinet. Trinity College Dublin law professor Oran Doyle has argued that this practice breaches cabinet confidentiality as required by the Constitution . A new government is formed by the Taoiseach appointed after each general election after receiving
715-403: Is responsible for the actions of his or her department. Departments of State do not have legal personalities. Actions of departments are carried out under the title of ministers even, as is commonly the case when the minister has little knowledge of the details of these actions. This contradicts the rule in common law that a person given a statutory power cannot delegate that power. This leads to
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#1732852380795780-591: Is the health sector with over 105,000 employees (largely in the Health Service Executive ), followed by the education sector with approximately 98,450. The civil service of Ireland consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State . While this partition is largely theoretical, the two parts do have some fundamental operational differences. The civil service
845-440: The 12th Government of Ireland in 1966, all Irish cabinets have been formed with the constitutional maximum of fifteen ministers. The total sometimes falls below this number for brief periods following the resignation of individual ministers or the withdrawal of a party from a coalition. No more than two members of the cabinet may be members of Seanad Éireann . All other members of the cabinet must be members of Dáil Éireann ,
910-629: The Irish Free State on 6 December 1922, both executives were succeeded by the Executive Council of the Irish Free State . On 29 December 1937, on the coming into force of the Constitution of Ireland, the Eighth Executive Council of the Irish Free State became the First Government of Ireland . The detail and structure of the Government of Ireland has its legislative basis in the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924; it has been amended on
975-547: The Irish clans remained autonomous and outside the control of his administration in Dublin . Gaelic chiefs and some autonomous Norman-Irish lords were actively encouraged to surrender their lands to the king, and then have them regranted (returned) as freeholds paying a chief rent under a royal charter if they swore loyalty to him. Those who surrendered were also expected to speak English , wear English-style dress, remain loyal to
1040-544: The Irish surname coats of arms were granted in or after 1552, and are supervised now by the Chief Herald of Ireland . The Gaelic derbfine elective kingship method in Gaelic law clashed with surrender and regrant, as male relations as distantly related as great-grandsons of a former chief or king were eligible to vote and to be elected to succeed as chief. Often, that meant that several dozen men were eligible to be elected clan chief. This inevitably led to problems since under
1105-702: The Kingdom of Ireland was created in 1541, the Dublin administration wanted to involve the Gaelic chiefs in the new entity, creating new titles for them such as the Baron Upper Ossory , Earl of Tyrone , or the Barons Inchiquin . In the process, they were granted new coats of arms from 1552. The associated policy of surrender and regrant involved a change to succession to a title by primogeniture , and not by tanistry where
1170-606: The Tudor conquest of Ireland (c.1540–1603), " surrender and regrant " was the legal mechanism by which Irish clans were to be converted from a power structure rooted in clan and kin loyalties, to a late- feudal system under the English legal system . The policy was an attempt to incorporate the clan chiefs into the English-controlled Kingdom of Ireland , and to guarantee their property under English common law , as distinct from
1235-619: The Ulster King of Arms , established during the Tudor period of the Kingdom of Ireland in 1552. The Ulster King of Arms' duties in relation to Northern Ireland were taken over by the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms . The Genealogical Office was based in Dublin Castle until 1981. It was made part of the Department of Education in 1943. In 1987 it relocated to Kildare Street , occupying part of
1300-457: The cabinet – is composed of ministers , each of whom must be a member of the Oireachtas , which consists of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann . Most ministers have a portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, although ministers without portfolio can be appointed. The Taoiseach must be nominated by the Dáil , the house of representatives. Following
1365-417: The nomination of the Dáil . All members of the government are deemed to have resigned on the resignation of the Taoiseach. Therefore, a new government is appointed where there is a new Taoiseach within a single Dáil term. The Constitution allows a Dáil term of no more than seven years, but a shorter period may be specified by law; this has been set as a maximum of five years. The Taoiseach may at any time advise
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#17328523807951430-570: The Crown, follow English laws and customs, abjure the Roman Catholic Church , and convert to Henry's new Anglican Church . In return they would be protected from attack and could organise local courts and enter the Parliament of Ireland . The initiative of "surrender and regrant" was launched in the 1540s under the new English Governor of Ireland, Anthony St. Leger . Essentially St. Leger's idea
1495-495: The Government in the office at the date of a dissolution of Dáil Éireann shall continue to hold office until their successors shall have been appointed". Where the resignation of the Taoiseach and government is not immediately followed by the appointment by the president of a new Taoiseach on the nomination of the Dáil, the outgoing government continues as a caretaker government to "carry out their duties until their successors have been appointed". This has happened when no candidate
1560-657: The Government, but assist those Ministers in their Departments. A minister without portfolio may be appointed to the Government who is not the head of a Department of State; this occurred during the period known in Ireland as the Emergency when Frank Aiken served as Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures from 1939 until 1945. The functions of government ministers are frequently transferred between departments during cabinet reshuffles or after elections. On occasion,
1625-685: The Irish Free State in April 1922, the pre-existing office of the Ulster King of Arms continued unchanged until 1943. In May 2005 the government enacted section 13 of the National Cultural Institutions Act 1997 . This enables the Board of the National Library to "designate a member of its staff to perform the duty of researching, granting and confirming coats of arms and such member shall use
1690-507: The Irish, and these debts had social and political consequences. The policy of surrender and regrant was led by King Henry VIII of England (r. 1509–1547) in a bid to extend and secure his control over the island of Ireland . This policy started in the years between the Geraldine rebellion (1534–39) and his subsequent creation of the Kingdom of Ireland in 1541–42. Henry's problem was that many of
1755-484: The O'Byrnes of Wicklow , the Kavanaghs of Wicklow, Cahir, Baron of Ballyane Lords of Ballyane, the O'Donnells of Donegal were others who accepted the system. The O'Donnell chief was created an earl briefly by James I of England in 1603–07. The Clanricarde Burke took the title of earl in 1543. The O'Shaughnessys of Gort and the O'Driscolls of Corcu Loígde also became knights. Ruairí Caoch Ó Mórdha (Rory O'More;
1820-454: The President to dissolve the Dáil, prompting a new general election. The President retains absolute discretion to refuse to grant a dissolution to a Taoiseach who has lost the confidence of the Dáil. To date, no President has refused the request of a Taoiseach to dissolve the Dáil. The Taoiseach must retain the confidence of Dáil Éireann to remain in office. If the Taoiseach ceases "to retain
1885-497: The Taoiseach resigns, the entire Government is deemed to have resigned as a collective. However, in such a scenario, according to the Constitution, "the Taoiseach and the other members of the Government shall continue to carry on their duties until their successors shall have been appointed". On the dissolution of Dáil Éireann, ministers are no longer members of the Oireachtas. However, the Constitution also provides that "the members of
1950-467: The appellation Chief Herald of Ireland or, in the Irish language, Príomh-Aralt na hÉireann, while performing such duties". While this was intended to legitimise the granting of arms in Ireland, it actually initiated a debate as to whether any grants made since 1943 were valid. These would include the 1945 grant of the coat of arms of Ireland to the state itself. In May 2006 the Genealogy & Heraldry Bill
2015-528: The applicant about possible designs. A preliminary painting is then made for the approval of the applicant who will also be shown a draft of the letters patent. The final document is issued on vellum and includes a hand-painted exemplification of the arms. The grant of arms is recorded in the Register of Arms and is a matter of public record. In November 1945 the Chief Herald granted the coat of arms of Ireland to
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2080-592: The application; half of the remaining fee is payable when work on the design begins, and the balance must be paid before work on the actual grant of arms is put in hand by the Herald Painter. Government of Ireland The Government of Ireland ( Irish : Rialtas na hÉireann ) is the executive authority of the Republic of Ireland , headed by the Taoiseach , the head of government . The government – also known as
2145-631: The cabinet usually following the Taoiseach or working by consensus. The Government is advised by the Attorney General , who is not formally a member of the Government, but who participates in cabinet meetings as part of their role as legal advisor to the Government. The Chief Whip may attend meetings of the cabinet, but is not a member of the Government. In addition, the Government can select other Ministers of State who may attend cabinet meetings. Up to three Ministers of State who regularly attend cabinet meetings may receive an allowance. This person
2210-414: The current copyright law of Ireland . An applicant will be expected to provide genealogical information including birth, marriage and death certificates back to an ancestor that bore arms . Alternatively, an entirely new grant of arms can be discussed and designed. Since 7 October 2013 the basic cost of a Grant of Arms (or confirmation of a prior grant) has been: The sum of €400 is payable when lodging
2275-427: The death of Queen Mary in 1558, which, after the final split between England and Rome in 1570, meant that their new legal status was still rather tangential in the eyes of conformist officials. In 1543 the O'Briens of Thomond were created lords Inchiquin . His neighbour Donogh O'Grady was knighted and had his lands regranted in the same year. The Mac Aonghusa / Magennis clan in county Down became knights, and
2340-446: The establishment of the Board" and that "with minor amendment, the wording of the Act could be made more succinct". While the issue of the legality of grants of arms by the Chief Herald has been resolved, no penalties or jurisdiction have yet been legislated for to discourage anyone from designing and using a new coat of arms. The specific emblazonments of self-designed arms may be protected by
2405-692: The executive of the unilaterally declared Irish Republic was the Ministry of Dáil Éireann . This was in operation from 1919 to 1922. After the approval of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in January 1922, a Provisional Government of Ireland was established as the executive. The personnel of the Provisional Government overlapped with the Ministry of Dáil Éireann, but they were not identical. On the independence of
2470-522: The father of Rory O'More ) of Laois surrendered and was regranted in 1542–43 but died in 1545. His clan was out of favour by 1550; in 1556 Laois was shired as the "Queen's County". Other clans such as the MacMahons of County Monaghan did not take part in the new system. Tibbot ne Long Bourke , the heir of "Lower MacWilliam Burke" lands in County Mayo , and a son of Gráinne O'Malley , remained outside
2535-589: The former Kildare Street Club premises beside the National Library of Ireland (NLI). It was formally recognised as part of the NLI in 1997. In 2002, it was transferred from Education to the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism . The State Heraldic Museum was housed in the Genealogical Office until its closure in 2007. The tradition of the Irish abroad seeking grants of arms from the Chief Herald continues to
2600-466: The granting of honours, other than titles of nobility, by the State. The Constitution is also silent as to untitled nobility. The Government acknowledges titles of nobility that have in the past derived from the British Crown as the fount of honour then exercising sovereignty over Ireland, and in fact, such titles continue to be mentioned in confirmations of arms by the Chief Herald of Ireland. When
2665-421: The head of state is the nominal chief executive, though bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet. In Ireland, however, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Government, not the President. The executive authority of the Government is subject to certain limitations. In particular: Government ministers are collectively responsible for the actions of the government. Each minister
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2730-561: The heralds in Dublin, and became a significant part of the landed gentry . After the Battle of Kinsale in 1601 and the subsequent Flight of the Earls , some dozens of the old Gaelic aristocracy scattered throughout Catholic Europe. Some of their descendants were granted courtesy recognition in 1943 by the Chief Herald as Chiefs of the Name , signifying that they were the senior male line descendant from
2795-525: The house of representatives. The Taoiseach , Tánaiste and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. In practice, however, the members of the cabinet are invariably members of the Dáil. Since the adoption of the 1937 constitution, only two ministers have been appointed from the Seanad: Seán Moylan who served in 1957 as Minister for Agriculture and James Dooge who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1981 to 1982. Joseph Connolly ,
2860-558: The last recognised chief of the name. The issue of the chiefs' succession arose again after the creation of the Chief Herald of Ireland in 1943. Some Chiefs of the Name favoured tanistry, while others saw primogeniture as a more practical system. In an address to the Irish Senate in December 2006, John O'Donoghue then Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism , expressed the opinion that it was a matter for those who bore these titles to decide on
2925-428: The legal status (if any) of the organisation, its structure, its activities and business, the length of time during which it has operated and, if relevant, information about membership. Where appropriate, a certified copy of the resolution of the council, board, or other controlling body should be submitted. If an application appears to be in order the matter is considered in detail by a herald of arms who will consult with
2990-459: The legal validity of grants of arms in Ireland, the post of Chief Herald remained vacant from September 2003 until August 2005. It had been assumed that the prerogatives of the British Crown, including the power to grant arms, had been inherited after Irish independence in 1922. While many functions had passed under the Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 to the then Provisional Government of
3055-408: The new policy, it was possible for those individuals to become tenants of their chiefly cousin who had adopted surrender and regrant. Often the latter had an elected tánaiste , or deputy chief, who was pushed aside as the next chief by the son of the chief under the system of primogeniture . That caused internal feuding, which was often exploited by English officials based in Dublin , seeking to limit
3120-558: The nomination of the Dáil , the President of Ireland appoints the Taoiseach to their role. The President also appoints members of the government, including the Tánaiste , the deputy head of government, on the nomination of the Taoiseach and their approval by the Dáil . The government is dependent on the Oireachtas to pass primary legislation and as such, the government needs to command
3185-425: The party leader) and Leo Varadkar , since 2022 (leader of Fine Gael, in a three-party coalition where Fianna Fáil is the largest party). The public service in Ireland refers to the totality of public administration in Ireland. As of Q3, 2016 the total number of employees in the Irish public service stands at 304,472 people. The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform defines
3250-543: The political value of accepting this new Tudor policy. In 1541, Brían Óg Mac Giolla Phádraig became the first Irish lord to take his seat in the Dublin Parliament as Baron Upper Ossory . Other clans who partook in the process included the O'Neills of Tir Eoghain who were created the earls of Tyrone and as such sat in the Irish House of Lords from 1542. Many of the regranted clan chiefs remained Roman Catholic after
3315-437: The present. The office accepts petitions for grants of arms from the following: An application for a grant of arms should be made to the Chief Herald, on a prescribed form, setting out, in the case of a personal application, basic personal information and accompanied by supporting certificates or other appropriate documents. For a grant of arms to a corporate body or other entity, the application should include information about
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#17328523807953380-480: The public service as comprising seven sectors: the Civil Service , Defence Sector , Education Sector , Health Sector , Justice Sector , Local Authorities and Non-Commercial State Agencies ; such as Bord Bia , IDA Ireland and the Commission for Energy Regulation . Commercial state-owned bodies such as RTÉ , ESB Group and An Post are not considered part of the public service in Ireland. The largest sector
3445-521: The sept lands by patent. The surrender to Queen Elizabeth was not effected until 1608, to James I; Donnel O'Donovan received the sept lands as his personal estate in 1615, but did not receive an English title. The overlord in the Barony of Carbery to Donovan of Clan Cathail, the MacCarthy Reagh , who surrendered his sept lands in 1606, also never received any titles under this system. Donal McCarthy Mór
3510-449: The state itself. At the request of the Irish government grants of arms were made to US presidents John F. Kennedy in 1963 and Bill Clinton in 1995. Article 40.2.1 of the Constitution of Ireland prohibits the conferral of a new title of nobility by the State, and Article 40.2.2 prohibits acceptance by any citizen of any title of nobility or of honour "without the prior approval of the Government." The Constitution does not prohibit
3575-435: The support of a majority in Dáil Éireann", the Taoiseach must resign unless they seek a dissolution of the Dáil which is granted by the President. This applies only in cases of a motion of no confidence or loss of supply (rejection of a budget), rather than the defeat of the government in other legislation or Dáil votes. The Taoiseach can direct the President to dismiss or accept the resignation of individual ministers . When
3640-399: The suspension of grants of arms until the legal situation was clarified. Following the receipt of legal advice, the Board of the National Library was "satisfied that it can exercise the heraldic powers conferred on it by the 1997 Act", and grants are again being made. The Board did, however, note that "doubts exist regarding the legal basis of heraldic functions exercised in the State prior to
3705-507: The system they used for succession, but that he found it strange that an English system had been used for the succession of titles originally created under a native Irish system. Following advice from the Attorney General that the recognition of Chiefs of the Name was without basis in law, the practice of courtesy recognition was abandoned in July 2003. Due reportedly to uncertainty concerning
3770-507: The system until 1593; he was knighted in 1604 and was created the first Viscount Mayo in 1627. Gráinne herself accepted the system in 1576, in respect of her own lands, though she managed her lands with a high degree of autonomy over the next two decades. Donnel O'Donovan, chief of the largest sept of the O'Donovans of County Cork offered a surrender of their sept lands in 1592 (with similar offers by Conoghor O’Kallaghane, Conoghor O’Mahoney and Teig M’Owen Carty), to personally receive back
3835-410: The traditional Irish Brehon law system. This strategy was the primary non-violent method for Crown officials in the Dublin Castle administration to subjugate Irish clan leaders during the conquest. It was an unanticipated consequence to be required to pay fealty in currency instead of trade labor or commodities. The process of "surrender and regrant" thus created new, unfamiliar debt structures among
3900-521: Was formed after protracted government negotiations following a general election on 8 February 2020. Membership of the cabinet is regulated by Article 28 of the Constitution of Ireland and by the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 2017 . The Constitution requires the government to consist of between seven and fifteen members, all of whom must be a member of the Oireachtas . Since the formation of
3965-433: Was introduced into Seanad Éireann to reform the Office and provide a firm legal basis for grants and confirmations of arms. The Bill was withdrawn on 12 December 2006 with the consent of the sponsoring senator and was referred to the board of the National Library for consideration by John O'Donoghue, the then Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. In September 2007 a notice was added to the National Library website noting
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#17328523807954030-519: Was knighted in 1558 and created Earl of Clancare in 1565, but resigned his titles in 1597. The prominent MacCarthys of Muskerry , a separate dynasty, were later created the Viscounts Muskerry in 1628 and Earls of Clancarty in 1658. The chief of the Maguire clan of Fermanagh was created Baron Maguire in 1628. In 1631 Sir Terence Dempsey was created Viscount Clanmalier . Randal MacDonnell
4095-560: Was knighted in 1602, was granted estates in 1603 and was created Earl of Antrim in 1620. Because of the number of new lords in the Irish House of Lords and the demise of the former Ireland King of Arms , the office of the Ulster King of Arms was founded in 1552, based at Dublin Castle . Consequently, a large number of ancient Irish family trees were recorded and stored at the castle and later held at Trinity College Dublin . Almost all of
4160-416: Was nominated for Taoiseach when the Dáil first assembled after a general election, or, on one occasion, where a Taoiseach had lost the confidence of the Dáil, but there was not a dissolution of the Dáil followed by a general election. Unlike the cabinets in other parliamentary systems, the Government is both the de jure and de facto executive authority in Ireland. In some other parliamentary regimes,
4225-448: Was to transform and assimilate the more autonomous leaders of Gaelic Ireland into something akin to the political and constitutional system of England , where everyone was theoretically equal at law under the monarch. It had begun successfully in the late 1530s, according to the Rev. James MacCaffrey, writing in 1914: In the late 1530s and early 1540s, a number of leading Gaelic families saw
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