Taoiseach of Caldia: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 15:47, 7 February 2020
Taoiseach of Caldia | |
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Style | Your Excellency (A Shoilse) |
Residence | Loveland House |
Nominator | Comhthionól Náisiúnta |
Appointer | Monarch of the Caldia by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the Comhthionól Náisiúnta. |
Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure, so long as elections are held no more than five years apart. |
Inaugural holder | Dónall Ó Conaill |
Formation | 1857 |
Deputy | Tánaiste |
Salary | €185,350 |
Website | taoiseach.gl |
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Caldia |
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The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Caldia. The taoiseach is appointed by the monarch upon the nomination of Comhthionól Náisiúnta, the lower house of the Tionól, and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Comhthionól. The current taoiseach is Stiofán Mac Suibhne, TC, who was appointed on 27 February 2019.
The word means "chief" in the Ghaillish language. The earliest known use of the term is from a 5th- or 6th-century ogham inscription in both the Tenic languages.
Overview
Under the Constitution of Caldia, the taoiseach is nominated by a simple majority of Comhthionól Náisiúnta from among its members. He or she is then formally appointed to office by the Monarch, who is required to appoint whomever the Comhthionól designates without the option of declining appointment.
If the taoiseach loses the support of a majority in Comhthionól Náisiúnta, he is not automatically removed from office but, rather, is compelled to either resign or persuade the Monarch to dissolve the Comhthionól. The Monarch may refuse to grant a dissolution and, in effect, force the taoiseach to resign, but, to date, no Monarch has exercised this prerogative, though the option has arisen. The taoiseach may lose the support of Comhthionól Náisiúnta by the passage of a vote of no confidence, the failure of a vote of confidence or, alternatively, the Comhthionól may refuse supply. In the event of the taoiseach's resignation, he or she continues to exercise the duties and functions of his or her office until the appointment of a successor.
The taoiseach nominates the remaining members of the Government, who are then, with the consent of the Comhthionól, appointed by the monarch. The taoiseach also has authority to advise the monarch to dismiss cabinet ministers from office, advice the Monarch is required to follow by convention. The taoiseach is further responsible for appointing eleven members of the Seanad.
The Executive Bureau is the government department which supports and advises the taoiseach in carrying out his or her various duties through the Taoiseach's Office.
Taoiseachs are also members of the Council of State, where they serve from their ascension to the office until their death.
History
The position of taoiseach was created in 1857 under the Instrument for Governance Act of 1857. Following the Silent Revolution and the demand for greater political representation, the creation of the Comhthionól Náisiúnta would result in the demand for the post. King Elton I and the Seanad both approved of its creation.
The creation of the office would remove considerable authority from the Seanad, and as such made the principal house of the Tionól.
The office was predeceased by the Laird Chancellor. Under the Constitution of Caldia, executive authority was held by the monarch, who would often delegate such authority to the Laird Chancellor. The position of Laird Chancellor has its earliest roots in the thirteenth century during the reforms of King Alastar. However, both the monarch and the Laird Chancellor retained significant authority. The Laird Chancellorship was almost always held by peer or bishop. The only taoiseach who was a peer during their tenure was the Duke of Holyhead.
The first taoiseach was Dónall Ó Conaill, a former Laird Chancellor, former senator and prominent reformer. He was a principal leader of the Silent Revolution. Ó Conaill was a member of and the leader of the Caldish Democrats, the party which heavily campaigned for the creation of a more democratized house. Ó Conaill would serve two terms as taoiseach, with the first lasting from 1857-1862 and the second from 1867-1872.
Since the office's creation, there have been twenty-seven taoiseachs from four political parties. All but four taoiseachs have served for the full duration of their five-year terms. Conán Ó Faoláin is the only taoiseach to have died while in office while Liam Mahoney failed to defeat a motion of no confidence. Taoiseachs Brigid O'Reilly and Rory McAllan are the only taoiseachs who have both been in power during snap election and to have had their parties defeated in a snap election.
The Instrument for Governance Act of 1965 removed virtually all powers from the Seanad. As a result, the power of the Taoiseach increased significantly as they no longer had to cooperate with the Cathaoirleach to ensure their legislation would pass the Seanad. The need for reform arose following the Government Crisis of 1965 in which the majority of elected Seanad seats were held by the Liberty Party. As a result the Cathaoirleach, Dónal Ó Loingsigh, was a member of the Liberty Party. He used his seat to delay major reforms pursued by Taoiseach Mary O'Neill by refusing to put them up for a vote. Instead of calling for a snap election or waiting for the 1966 Seanad election, O'Neill instead pushed to strip the upper house of the bulk of its powers. The Instrument for Governance Act of 1965 was passed with a two-thirds super majority after negotiations between the parties sitting in the Comhthionól. After her reforms were implemented, the Taoiseach was granted the power to appoint eleven senators, an increase from the five previously permitted. This is done in order to ensure the government has a majority in the Seanad, which now only has the powers to review and delay legislation.
Family
The family of the taoiseach has no official title or role. However, family members are often identified as members of the Dara Teaghlaigh (Second Family) in the Caldish press. This is due to their secondary status to the Royal Family. It is in reference to the tradition of calling members of the presidential family of the Federation the First Family. The phrase Dara Teaghlaigh first became popular in the 1970s and has since remained.
Residence
The official residence of the taoiseach, the Loveland House. The residence is located on the Royal Mile in Spálgleann.
List of office holders
Parties
Living former Taoiseachs
As of 2018 there are eight living former Taoiseachs. The last Taoiseach to die was Michael Moss in 2003, who served as Taoiseach from 1977-1982.
Patricia Flowers
served 1982-1992
born 1929 (age 95)Niamh Nic Uilliam
served 1992-2002
born 1949 (age 75)Séamus Ó Faoláin
served 2002-2002
born 1948 (age 75)Énna Ó Ceallaigh
served 2002-2007
born 1948 (age 76)Alexis Walker
served 2007-2017
born 1950 (age 73)Jimmy O'Reilly
served 2017-2018
born 1976 (age 47)Frank Casarnach
served 2018-2019
born 1976 (age 74)Humphrey Dumfries
served 2019
born 1976 (age 71)