Editing Seán MacBride (section)

==Clann na Poblachta, Minister for External Affairs==
{{main|Clann na Poblachta}}
[[File:Seán MacBride circa 1947.jpg|thumb|left|MacBride circa 1947 when he founded Clann na Poblachta]]
In 1946, MacBride founded the republican/socialist party [[Clann na Poblachta]]. He hoped it would replace Fianna Fáil as Ireland's major political party. In October 1947, he won a seat in [[Dáil Éireann]] at a [[1947 Dublin County by-election|by-election]] in the [[Dublin County (Dáil constituency)|Dublin County]] constituency.<ref name=elecs_irl>{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2263|title=Seán MacBride|work=ElectionsIreland.org|access-date=22 December 2009|archive-date=30 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130174445/http://electionsireland.org/candidate.cfm?ID=2263|url-status=live}}</ref> On the same day, [[Patrick Kinane]] also won the [[Tipperary (Dáil constituency)|Tipperary]] by-election for Clann na Poblachta.<ref name= mac7>Jordan (1993), pp. 86–98</ref>

However, at the [[1948 Irish general election|1948 general election]] Clann na Poblachta won only ten seats. The party joined with [[Fine Gael]], the [[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]], the [[National Labour Party (Ireland)|National Labour Party]], [[Clann na Talmhan]] and several independents to form the [[Government of the 13th Dáil|First Inter-Party Government]] with Fine Gael [[Teachta Dála|TD]] [[John A. Costello]] as [[Taoiseach]]. [[Richard Mulcahy]] was the [[Leader of Fine Gael]], but MacBride and many other Irish Republicans had never forgiven Mulcahy for his role in [[Executions during the Irish Civil War|carrying out 77 executions]] under the government of the [[Irish Free State]] in the 1920s during the [[Irish Civil War]]. To gain the support of Clann na Poblachta, Mulcahy stepped aside in favour of Costello. Two Clann na Poblachta TDs joined the cabinet; MacBride became [[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade|Minister for External Affairs]]<ref name="Saturday Evening Post:1949" /> while [[Noël Browne]] became [[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]].

On his ministerial accession, MacBride sent a [[Telegraphy|telegram]] to [[Pope Pius XII]] offering:
<blockquote>...to repose at the feet of Your Holiness the assurance of our filial loyalty and our devotion to Your August Person, as well as our firm resolve to be guided in all our work by the teaching of Christ and to strive for the attainment of a social order in Ireland based on Christian principles.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/previous-generations-would-be-astounded-at-attitudes-to-churches-in-ireland-today-1.2004480 | newspaper=Irish Times | date=18 November 2014 | first=Patrick | last=Semple | title=Previous generations would be astounded at attitudes to churches in Ireland today A 60-year journey from obsequious conformity | access-date=25 September 2018 | archive-date=27 October 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027220724/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/previous-generations-would-be-astounded-at-attitudes-to-churches-in-ireland-today-1.2004480 | url-status=live }}</ref></blockquote>

At MacBride's suggestion, Costello nominated the northern Protestant [[Denis Ireland]] to [[Seanad Éireann]],<ref name=oireachtas_db_Denis_Ireland>{{cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Denis-L-Ireland.S.1950-06-16/|title=Denis Ireland|work=Oireachtas Members Database|access-date=15 July 2013|archive-date=7 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107224843/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/member/Denis-L-Ireland.S.1950-06-16|url-status=live}}</ref> the first resident of Northern Ireland to be appointed as a member of the [[Oireachtas]]. While a Senator (1948–1951), Ireland was Irish representative to the [[Council of Europe]] assisting MacBride in the leading role he was to play in securing acceptance of the [[European Convention on Human Rights]]—signed in Rome on 4 November 1950.<ref>William Schabas (2012). "Ireland, The European Convention on Human Rights, and the Personal Contribution of Seán MacBride," in ''Judges, Transition, and Human Rights'', John Morison, Kieran McEvoy, and Gordon Anthony eds., Published to Oxford Scholarship Online: March 2012</ref> In 1950, MacBride was president of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Council of Europe, and he was vice-president of the [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|Organisation for European Economic Co-operation]] (OEEC, later OECD) in 1948–1951. He was responsible for Ireland not joining the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organisation]] (NATO).<ref name= mac8>Jordan (1993), p. 115</ref>

He was instrumental in the repeal of the [[Executive Authority (External Relations) Act 1936|External Relations Act]] and the passing of the [[Republic of Ireland Act 1948|Republic of Ireland Act]] which came into force in 1949. It declared that Ireland may officially be described as the Republic of Ireland and that the [[President of Ireland]] had the executive authority of the state in its external relations.

In 1951, MacBride controversially ordered Noël Browne to resign as a minister over the [[Mother and Child Scheme]] after it was attacked by the [[Roman Catholicism in Ireland|Irish Catholic hierarchy]] and the Irish medical establishment.<ref name= mac9>Jordan (1993), pp. 125–140</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Blanshard |first=Paul |title=The Irish and Catholic Power: an American Interpretation |publisher=Derek Verschoyle |year=1954 |location=London |pages=78–79}}</ref> Whatever the merits of the scheme, or of Browne, MacBride concluded in a Cabinet memorandum:
<blockquote>Even if, as Catholics, we were prepared to take the responsibility of disregarding [the Hierarchy's] views, which I do not think we can do, it would be politically impossible to do so . . . We are dealing with the considered views of the leaders of the Catholic Church to which the vast majority of our people belong; these views cannot be ignored.<ref>Ronan Fanning (6 December 2009) [http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/the-age-of-our-craven-deference-is-finally-over-1965621.html The age of our craven deference is finally over] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023184943/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/the-age-of-our-craven-deference-is-finally-over-1965621.html |date=23 October 2012 }}. The Independent.</ref></blockquote>

Also in 1951, Clann na Poblachta was reduced to two seats after the general election. MacBride kept his seat and was re-elected again in 1954. Opposing the internment of IRA suspects during the [[Border Campaign (Irish Republican Army)|Border Campaign]] (1956–1962), he contested both the [[1957 Irish general election|1957]] and [[1961 Irish general election|1961]] general elections but failed to be elected both times. He then retired from politics and continued practising as a barrister.