How did Sir Robert Peel try to provide relief during the early years of the Great Famine?

During the early years of the Great Famine, Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel implemented several measures to provide relief, though his efforts were ultimately limited in scope.1

His primary actions included:

• Importing Food: Peel authorized the purchase and import of corn (maize) from the United States to help alleviate starvation.1
• Repealing the Corn Laws: Recognizing that the potato blight would lead to widespread famine, Peel concluded that the Corn Laws—which kept grain prices artificially high—needed to be abolished. He successfully pushed for their repeal in 1846 to lower food costs, a move that split his party and eventually led to his resignation.231

Despite these efforts, Peel’s administration continued to allow the export of other grains and food products from Ireland to Great Britain, and the imported cornmeal often caused nutritional deficiencies among the Irish population. While Peel attempted to provide relief, the overall government response to the crisis remained inadequate.1