Extract from minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet
(Cab. 7/377)

1. ABDICATION OF KING EDWARD VIII

The President reported that he had been advised that it was the intention of King Edward VIII to abdicate.

It was decided that legislation should be introduced

1. to give effect to the abdication as far as the Saorstát was concerned;
2. to delete from the Constitution all mention of the King and of the Representative of the Crown whether under that title or under the title of Governor General;
3. to make provision by ordinary law for the exercise by the King of certain functions in external matters as and when so advised by the Executive Council.

It was further decided that the President should request the Ceann Comhairle¹ to summon Dáil Éireann to assemble at 3 p.m. on Friday 11th December, 1936, for the purpose of dealing with this legislation as a matter of urgency.