CUMANN NA nGAEDHEAL IN
POWER 1923-1932
3rd Year History
Aims:
Establish
law and order
Rebuild the economy
Manage relations with Britain
Law and Order
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Irish Free State member of Commonwealth
Oireachtas: Dail and Seanad set up.
Oath of Allegiance to King required.
Governor General (Lived in Phoenix Park)
Garda set up (unarmed)
Courts (copied British Model)
Public Safety Act (wide powers of arrest)
The Army Mutiny (dissatisfaction with
redundancy and progress to republic) Richard
Mulcahy (defence) resigned and leaders
arrested. Important to control army
The Economy
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Concentration on agriculture (loans to farmers, better breeding)
Farmers Taxes kept low
The Shannon Scheme (ESB)
Little development of Irish industry.
Poor still lived in slums and extreme poverty.
Relations with Britain
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The Boundary Commission
1931 Statute of Westminster (allowed members to change any laws made for them
by the British parliament)
Reasons Decline of Cumann na
nGaedhael
 Blamed
for the failure of the Boundary
Commission
 Great Depression 1929 destroyed
ecomony.
 Cut in pay for teachers and garda
 Cut old age pension.
 Popularity of Fianna Fail