Editing W. T. Cosgrave (section)

===Minister for local government===
Although Cosgrave was one of the most politically experienced of Sinn Féin's [[Teachta Dála|TDs]], Cosgrave was not within the leadership of the party. However, when [[Éamon de Valera]] formed the [[Government of the 1st Dáil#2nd Ministry|Second Ministry of Dáil Éireann]] on 2 April 1919, Cosgrave was named as [[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage|Secretary of Local Government]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1919-04-02/9/|title=Dáil Éireann debate – Wednesday, 2 April 1919: NOMINATION OF MINISTRY. – Secretary for Local Government|access-date=31 August 2019|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|date=2 April 1919|archive-date=31 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831140231/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1919-04-02/9/|url-status=live}}</ref> His close friendship with de Valera and his long experience on Dublin Corporation, most recently as chairman of its finance committee, were among the reasons he was selected.{{sfn|Jordan|2006|p=48}} His chief task as Minister was the job of organising the non-cooperation of the people with the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] authorities and establishing an alternative system of government.

After the [[1920 Irish local elections|1920 local elections]], elected under the new system of [[single transferable vote]], 28 of the 33 local councils pledged loyalty to the Ministry of Local Government established by the Dáil. These councils then cut their links to the British government.