Government of the 20th Dáil

The 14th government of Ireland (14 March 1973 – 5 July 1977) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1973 general election to the 20th Dáil held on 28 February 1973. It was a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party, known as the National Coalition, led by Liam Cosgrave as Taoiseach with Brendan Corish as Tánaiste. It was the first time either of the parties had been in government since the second inter-party government (1954–1957), when they were in coalition with Clann na Talmhan. It lasted for days. The government was widely referred to as the "cabinet of all the talents".

Nomination of Taoiseach
The 20th Dáil first met on 14 March 1973. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Jack Lynch, and Fine Gael leader Liam Cosgrave were both proposed. The nomination of Lynch was defeated with 69 votes in favour to 73 against, while the nomination of Cosgrave was carried with 72 in favour and 70 against. Cosgrave was appointed as Taoiseach by President Éamon de Valera.

Members of the government
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Liam Cosgrave proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.

{| class="wikitable" !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Taoiseach
 * Liam Cosgrave
 * 1973–1977
 * Tánaiste
 * rowspan=3|Brendan Corish
 * rowspan=3|1973–1977
 * rowspan=3 style="background-color: " |
 * rowspan=3|Labour Party
 * Minister for Health
 * Minister for Social Welfare
 * Minister for Agriculture
 * Mark Clinton
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Defence
 * Paddy Donegan
 * 1973–1976
 * Minister for Education
 * Richard Burke
 * 1973–1976
 * Minister for Finance
 * Richie Ryan
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs
 * Garret FitzGerald
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for the Gaeltacht
 * Tom O'Donnell
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * Justin Keating
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Justice
 * Patrick Cooney
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Labour
 * Michael O'Leary
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Lands
 * Tom Fitzpatrick
 * 1973–1976
 * Minister for Local Government
 * James Tully
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
 * Conor Cruise O'Brien
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Transport and Power
 * Peter Barry
 * 1973–1976
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for Justice
 * Patrick Cooney
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Labour
 * Michael O'Leary
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Lands
 * Tom Fitzpatrick
 * 1973–1976
 * Minister for Local Government
 * James Tully
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
 * Conor Cruise O'Brien
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Transport and Power
 * Peter Barry
 * 1973–1976
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
 * Conor Cruise O'Brien
 * 1973–1977
 * Minister for Transport and Power
 * Peter Barry
 * 1973–1976
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for Transport and Power
 * Peter Barry
 * 1973–1976
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Change 1 November 1973
Assignment of new department to Minister for Finance Richie Ryan. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Minister for the Public Service
 * Richie Ryan
 * 1973–1977
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 2 December 1976
On the nomination of Richard Burke as European Commissioner. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Minister for Education
 * Peter Barry
 * 1976–1977
 * Minister for Transport and Power
 * Tom Fitzpatrick
 * 1976–1977
 * Minister for Lands
 * Paddy Donegan
 * 1976–1977
 * Minister for Defence
 * Liam Cosgrave
 * (acting)
 * colspan="5"|
 * 1976–1977
 * Minister for Defence
 * Liam Cosgrave
 * (acting)
 * colspan="5"|
 * (acting)
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 16 December 1976
Reassignment of the Department of Defence. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Minister for Defence
 * Oliver J. Flanagan
 * 1976–1977
 * }
 * Changes to departments
 * }
 * Changes to departments

Attorney General
On 14 March 1973, Declan Costello SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach. On 19 May 1977, Costello resigned as Attorney General on his nomination by the government for appointment as a judge of the High Court and John M. Kelly SC was appointed as Attorney General.

Parliamentary Secretaries
On 14 March 1973, the government appointed parliamentary secretaries on the nomination of the Taoiseach. {| class="wikitable" !Name !Office !colspan="2"|Party
 * rowspan=2|John M. Kelly
 * Government Chief Whip
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence
 * Michael Pat Murphy
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries
 * Richard Barry
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health
 * Henry Kenny
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
 * Frank Cluskey
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare
 * Michael Begley
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
 * rowspan=2|John Bruton
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * colspan="4"|
 * Frank Cluskey
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Social Welfare
 * Michael Begley
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
 * rowspan=2|John Bruton
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * colspan="4"|
 * rowspan=2|John Bruton
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * colspan="4"|
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * colspan="4"|
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
 * colspan="4"|
 * colspan="4"|

Changes 30 September 1975
Following the death of Henry Kenny. !Name !Office !colspan="2"|Party
 * Michael Begley
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
 * Oliver J. Flanagan
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
 * colspan="4"|
 * Oliver J. Flanagan
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
 * colspan="4"|
 * colspan="4"|
 * colspan="4"|

Changes 17 December 1976
Following the appointment of Oliver J. Flanagan as Minister for Defence. !Name !Office !colspan=2|Party
 * rowspan=2|Patrick J. Reynolds
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Local Government
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Public Service
 * colspan="4"|
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Public Service
 * colspan="4"|
 * colspan="4"|
 * colspan="4"|

Change 9 February 1977
Transfer of functions between departments.
 * Michael Pat Murphy
 * Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Fisheries
 * }
 * }
 * }

Actions of the government
The National Coalition restricted the power of the National Council for Educational Awards. This forced the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and Thomond College of Education, Limerick to apply to the National University of Ireland for the conferring of degrees and diplomas. It removed the requirement that Irish be passed to obtain a Leaving Certificate; it also reformed the civil service by removing the requirement of knowledge in Irish and the mandatory retirement on marriage that many women faced during their civil service careers.

A free travel scheme was also introduced covering bus and rail services for all blind persons over the age of 21.

In response to the assassination of the British Ambassador to Ireland Christopher Ewart-Biggs by the Provisional IRA on 21 July, Cosgrave introduced a motion to declare a national emergency under Article 28.3.3° of the Constitution of Ireland created by an armed conflict. This was approved by the Dáil on 1 September by a vote of 70 to 65. This was followed by the introduction of the Emergency Powers Bill 1976.

President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh referred the Emergency Powers Bill to the Supreme Court. Minister of Defence Paddy Donegan described the president as a "thundering disgrace" for this decision. The Minister apologised and privately offered to resign. Cosgrave refused to accept his resignation. On 21 October, Fianna Fáil proposed a motion in the Dáil calling on the minister to resign, which was defeated. Ó Dálaigh viewed the refusal to remove the minister as an affront to his office by the government and resigned on 22 October 1976. The following week, Fianna Fáil proposed a motion of no confidence in the government. This was countered by a motion of confidence in the government proposed by Cosgrave, which was carried on a vote of 73 to 67. The controversy caused severe damage to the image of the government.