Among three major documents read at the meeting of the first Dáil was the 'Democratic Programme'. Cathal O'Shannon recalls the drafting and first reading of this document.
Three major documents were read at the first meeting of the Dáil, including the declaration of independence and an appeal to the free nations of the world to recognise Ireland as a state in its own right. There was also a declaration of social policy, 'The Democratic Programme'.
This programme of social intent was largely a Labour Party initiative. It was originally drafted by party members Tom Johnson, Cathal O'Shannon, William O'Brien.
Cathal O'Shannon describes the general aim of this document, how it was written and how when the 'Democratic Programme' was read at the first Dáil some changes had been made to the original draft.
