▁to ▁be ▁filled ▁until ▁mid ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁its ▁powers , ▁functions ▁and ▁duties ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁be ▁exerc ised ▁immediately . ▁That ▁role ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁collect ive ▁vice - pres iden cy , ▁which ▁under ▁the ▁trans itory ▁prov isions ▁of ▁the ▁constitution ▁was ▁made ▁up ▁of ▁the ▁Ce ann ▁Com h air le ▁of ▁D á il ▁É ire ann , ▁the ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁and ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Court . ▁( The ▁latter ▁ful filled ▁the ▁role ▁that ▁would ▁normally ▁be ▁exerc ised ▁by ▁the ▁C ath ao ir le ach ▁of ▁Se an ad ▁É ire ann . ▁However ▁the ▁election ▁to ▁the ▁new ▁upper ▁house ▁had ▁yet ▁to ▁take ▁place , ▁so ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁C ath ao ir le ach .) ▁▁ ▁The ▁Government ▁immediately ▁appointed ▁as ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁President , ▁as ▁the ▁post ▁was ▁then ▁called , ▁Michael ▁Mc D un phy , ▁a ▁controvers ial , ▁out sp oken ▁and ▁temper amental ▁civil ▁servant ▁who ▁had ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁appointment ▁been ▁Ass istant ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Executive ▁Council , ▁and ▁had ▁once ▁been ▁Secretary ▁to ▁the ▁Pro vis ional ▁Govern ments ▁of ▁Michael ▁Collins ▁and ▁W . ▁T . ▁Cos gra ve ▁( J anu ary – Dec ember ▁ 1 9 2 2 ) ▁Mc D un phy , ▁like ▁the ▁President ial ▁Commission , ▁was ▁originally ▁based ▁in ▁Dublin ▁Castle ▁until ▁a ▁new ▁president ial ▁residence ▁was ▁chosen . ▁He ▁moved ▁into ▁the ▁new ▁Á ras