Since Ireland was under English rule, Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel purchased £100,000 worth of indian corn secretly from America. Due to weather conditions the first shipment of indian corn did not arrive in Ireland until February 1846.
The corn was sold for a penny a pound. This corn, when it arrived was inedible and had to be ground twice before consumption and had to be cooked for a very, very long time. If not people would have suffered with severe bowel problems.
Sir Robert Peel then introduced Corn laws or tariffs to keep the cost of grain relatively high. The situation worsened in 1946 and the repeal of the Corn laws did little to help the staving Irish. It spilt the Conservative party (a British Political party) and lead to the fall of Peels ministry.
Peels successor Lord John Russell provided inadequate help to the Irish. He started public works, which didn't help in any way. He had starving men digging holes and breaking up roads which done no service.
I cannot find information on how else the government helped but I read that charities helped and many, many people emigrated - I will post this soon
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