Minister for Supplies
The Minister for Supplies (Irish: An tAire Soláthairtí) was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1939, to assist Ireland through World War II, or The Emergency, as it was referred to by the Government of Ireland. The minister's functions were transferred to the Minister for Industry and Commerce on abolition of the office.
The Minister for Supplies was charged with controlling production, distribution and pricing of vital supplies during the Irish Emergency. According to the most recent history of the Emergency in Ireland (Bryce Evans' 'Farewell to Plato's Cave', 2014) Seán Lemass, Minister for Supplies, introduced full rationing in Ireland 'too late', ensuring the black market trumped later state attempts at equitable distribution amid the British wartime supply squeeze. This view is contested by earlier histories which point to Lemass's successes in stockpiling essential goods.
| Name | Term of office | Political party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seán Lemass | 8 September 1939 | 31 July 1945 | style="background:Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color;" | | Fianna Fáil |