Editing 3rd Dáil (section)

==Article 17 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty==
Article 17 of the Anglo-Irish Treaty provided:
{{quote|By way of provisional arrangement for the administration of [[Southern Ireland (1921–22)|Southern Ireland]] during the interval which must elapse between the date hereof ''[6 December 1921]'' and the constitution of a Parliament and Government of the [[Irish Free State]] ''[This ultimately occurred on 6 December 1922]'' in accordance therewith, steps shall be taken forthwith for summoning a meeting of members of Parliament elected for constituencies in Southern Ireland since the passing of the Government of Ireland Act, 1920, and for constituting a [[Provisional Government of the Irish Free State|provisional Government]], and the British Government shall take the steps necessary to transfer to such provisional Government the powers and machinery requisite for the discharge of its duties, provided that every member of such provisional Government shall have signified in writing his or her acceptance of this instrument [the Treaty]. But this arrangement shall not continue in force beyond the expiration of twelve months from the date hereof.}}

Article 17 therefore envisaged by way of "provisional arrangement" the creation of a provisional government. For the purposes of giving effect to Article 17, Section 1(2) of the [[Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922]], an act of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], provided:<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120315094605/http://www.historicaldocuments.org.uk/documents/doc00005-000.html Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922]</ref>

* the British Government could by [[Orders in Council]] transfer powers to the [[Provisional Government of Ireland (1922)|Provisional Government of Ireland]];
* the [[Parliament of Southern Ireland]] would be dissolved within four months from the passing of the Act; and
* elections would be held for "the House of the Parliament" to which the Provisional Government would be responsible. The Act did not give a name to that Parliament, but said that in matters within the jurisdiction of the Provisional Government (i.e. only certain matters concerning Southern Ireland), it would have power to make laws in like manner as the Parliament of the Irish Free State when constituted. This last-mentioned "House of the Parliament" is what is more commonly referred to as the Third Dáil.