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The Political Career of Erskine Hamilton Childers, 1905-74

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The Political Career of Erskine Hamilton Childers, 1905-74 THE POLITICAL CAREER OF ERSKINE HAMILTON CHILDERS, 1905-74 by MICHAEL GERALD MARIAN HYNES THESIS FOR THE DEGREE OF PHD DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND MAYNOOTH Supervisor of Research: Dr Denise Dunne Head of department: Professor R.V. Comerford June 2008 Table of contents Page Acknowledgements iii Abbreviations iv Introduction 1 Chapter 1 The early political career of Erskine Hamilton Childers, 7 1931-51 Chapter 2 First ministerial challenge, Department of Posts and 50 Telegraphs, 1951-4 Chapter 3 Minister for Lands, Forestry and Fisheries, 1957-9 80 Chapter 4 What price solvency? Minister for Transport and Power, 114 1959-69 Chapter 5 Tánaiste and Minister for Health, 1963-73; forerunner of 154 the modern presidency, 1973-4 Conclusion 198 Bibliography 206 ii Acknowledgements I would particularly like to thank my supervisor, Dr Denise Dunne. From the initial guidance in choosing my research topic, Dr Dunne’s patience, encouragement and guidance have been fundamental to the completion of my thesis. My thanks also to all those in the History Department, who gave generously of their time and assistance. Thanks also to the staff in the libraries at NUI Maynooth for their help and advice. My thanks also to the staff of the National Archives of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, the library staff in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the record management unit of the Department of Health and Children for providing documentation and answering my many queries. Thank you to the staff of the Aidan Heavey Library, Athlone for their courtesy and assistance during my many visits while researching my thesis. To the staff of Trinity College Manuscripts Department and University College Dublin Archives Department, thank you for your efforts and assistance. Thanks to all those who granted me interviews and who wrote to me with comments and suggestions. Special thanks to my sisters, Teresa and Elizabeth for their interest and encouragement throughout my period of study. To my parents, now deceased, thank you. Finally, to my son, Daniel, whose encouragement, interest, and understanding provided a constant driving force during my period of study and was paramount in the successful completion of my thesis. iii Abbreviations BBC British Broadcasting Corporation CIE Coras Iompair Éireann EEC European Economic Community LC Land Commission NAI National Archives of Ireland NE Fianna Fáil National Executive NFA National Farmers’ Association NHC National Health Council NLI National Library of Ireland PSC Publicity Sub-Committee RE Radio Éireann RTE Radio Telefís Éireann TCD Trinity College Dublin UCDA University College Dublin Archives iv Abstract Erskine Hamilton Childers, hereafter cited as Childers, was born on the 11 December 1905 and died during his term as President of Ireland on 17 November 1974. First elected to Dáil Éireann in 1938, Childers successfully contested all subsequent general elections until he resigned his Dáil seat to successfully contest the presidential election in 1973. Childers held the ministerial portfolios of Posts and Telegraphs, Lands Forestry and Fisheries, Transport and Power and Health. He also served as Tánaiste while Minister for Health. Childers represented the constituency of Athlone-Longford, later reconstituted as Longford-Westmeath, from 1938 until 1961 at which time he transferred to Monaghan where he remained until his resignation in 1973. Childers was educated in England but he developed a love for Ireland from a very young age. He was greatly influenced by both his parents, particularly his father, Robert Erskine Childers, who was executed by the Irish Free State in 1922. Childers was totally dedicated to all his portfolios, he was named Minister of the Year in 1970 by Newsweek magazine. This thesis explores Childers political contribution and examines a number of key issues and themes throughout his political career. Such themes include the development and subsequent management of the Irish broadcasting service; the development of natural resources such as land, fisheries and tourism; the evolution of infrastructural services including train services and the Irish post and telecommunications system, and the development of the health system. Childers held responsibilities in all of these areas at different stages in his political career. Other more controversial issues which are examined include Childers decision to return to Ireland in 1931, his place within the Fianna Fáil party, the extent to which Childers ever understood the Irish political system, and the influence of the Catholic Church on his political career. Introduction The aim of this thesis is to examine the political and presidential career of Erskine Hamilton Childers, hereafter cited as Childers, and thereby contribute significantly to the scant body of knowledge currently available on Childers. First elected to Dáil Éireann in 1938, Childers successfully contested all subsequent general elections until he resigned his Dáil seat to contest the presidential election in 1973. During his term in Dáil Éireann he held the ministerial portfolios of Posts and Telegraphs, Lands Forestry and Fisheries, Transport and Power, and Health. He also served as Tánaiste while Minister for Health. Childers represented the constituency of Athlone-Longford, later reconstituted as Longford-Westmeath, from 1938 until 1961 at which time he transferred to Monaghan where he remained until his resignation in 1973. He was named Minister of the Year in 1970 by Newsweek magazine. 1 The focus of the thesis is primarily on the political life of Childers and the contributions that he made to Irish political and social life in his various portfolios. It is not biographical in approach and the thesis does not encapsulate Childers personal life. This approach is justified due to a lack of primary sources coupled with John N. Young’s biographical work on Childers. 2 The only emphasis given to his personal life is in his early years only to demonstrate how this impacted on his entry into political life in Ireland. Chiders’s development as a politician is explored by way of his attitude to the electorate, his understanding of the political process in Ireland and his handling of his various portfolios. During his career Childers emerged as an effective administrator and one who fully immersed himself in whatever portfolio was assigned to him. Childers had few friends within the political circle and remained aloof from his political colleagues. When presented with the opportunity Childers displayed leadership qualities and an ability to remain in control under pressure. Childers political background was unique. Arguably, he lived in the shadow of his father, Robert Erskine Childers, and he devoted his life trying to fulfil the aspirations of both his parents. The influence of his parents, particularly his father, had a profound effect on Childers political career. His decision to return to Ireland in 1931 is explored in some detail. Having no connections in the 1 John N. Young, Erskine H. Childers: President of Ireland, a biography (Buckinghamshire, 1985), p.155. 2 John N. Young, Erskine H. Childers: President of Ireland, a biography (Buckinghamshire, 1985). 1 Athlone-Longford constituency, his successful entry into Irish politics via this constituency in 1938 is considered. When judging his political career it is important to keep in mind the personalities and qualities of the leadership of Fianna Fáil during this period. Such distinguished national personalities as de Valera, Lemass, Aiken and MacEntee were to the front of Irish politics during most of Childers’s political career. Standing before a predominately Catholic electorate, Childers, a Protestant, had to overcome the disadvantages that this caused him. While his success at the polling stations speaks of his success with the public, he did have reservations concerning the promotion of his political career due to his religious beliefs. This issue is considered in the light of the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland during the period of his political career, particularly the period from 1938 to 1965. Childers was remarkably honest and principled which on occasions led him to be politically naïve. Throughout his political career and into his short term as president, Childers constantly encouraged the development of community associations and local responsibility. Some of the decisions he took during his political career raise the question of whether he ever fully understood the Irish political class and the Irish political system. He knew what was required to be elected and continually voiced Fianna Fáil policies to aid party victories. However, in relation to his personal career he did not adjust or amend those practices which impacted negatively on his own political progress. There were many contradictions in Childers’s political life and some of these are addressed in the thesis. He was somewhat of a visionary in forecasting future developments in the areas of infrastructure and services. However, this sense of vision was hampered by economic considerations in his management of the Irish rail infrastructure. Existing secondary source material on Childers is sparse with only one exclusive contribution devoted to the life of Childers by John N. Young. 3 This important contribution to the Childers story concentrates on the Childers family background and the young Childers growing up in London. Young traces Childers’s progression from his early school days right through
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