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S.I. No. 11/1923 - Council Of Defence (Constitution) Order, 1923.

SAORSTÁT EIREANN. 1923. No. 11.

COUNCIL OF DEFENCE (CONSTITUTION) ORDER, 1923.

WHEREAS it is provided by section 236 of the Defence Forces (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1923 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) that the command in chief of and all executive and administrative powers in relation to the National Forces (including the power to delegate authority to such persons as shall be thought fit) shall be vested in the Executive Council and exercised through and in the name of the Minister for Defence.

And whereas it is considered expedient to constitute a body to assist the Minister for Defence in the administration of the Department of Defence.

Now, therefore, the Executive Council in exercise of the powers vested in them by section 236 of the Act and of all other powers in this behalf them enabling hereby order as follows:—

1. This Order may for all purposes be cited as the Council of Defence (Constitution) Order, 1923 (No. 11 of 1923).

2. There shall be and there is hereby constituted a Council of Defence to assist the Minister for Defence in the administration of the business of the Department of Defence but without derogating from the responsibility of the Minister for Defence to the Executive Council and to the Oireachtas respectively for all the administration and business of the Department of Defence and for the exercise and performance of all the powers, duties and functions connected therewith.

3. The Council of Defence shall consist of the following members, namely, the Minister for Defence who shall be Chairman of the Council of Defence and three military members namely, the Chief of Staff for the time being of the National Forces, the Adjutant General for the time being of the National Forces, and the Quarter-master General for the time being of the National Forces. The Military Members of the Council of Defence shall be respectively responsible to the Minister for Defence for the administration of so much of the business relating, to the raising, training, organisation, disposition, personnel, supply, equipment, armament, management, discipline, control and maintenance of the National Forces as shall from time to time be assigned to them or any of them by the Minister for Defence.

4. The Minister for Defence may specially reserve to himself any of the business of the Council of Defence.

5. The Secretary of the Department of Defence shall act as Secretary of the Council of Defence and shall perform such duties as may be from time to time assigned to him by the Minister for Defence

6. The Military Members of the Council of Defence shall respectively hold that office at the pleasure of the Minister for Defence.

7. The Council for Defence shall meet and act as a collective body and shall be collectively responsible for all matters entrusted to it in its collective capacity.

8. The Council of Defence may, subject to the approval of the Minister for Defence, regulate its own procedure and time and place of meeting, but it shall meet whenever required by the Minister for Defence so to do and in any case there shall be at least one meeting of the Council every six months.

Dublin.

This 28th day of August, 1923.