The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
There are currently two Ministers of State: [1]
Department of External Affairs 1933–1943 | |||||
Name | Term of office | Party | Government | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patrick Little | 1 March 1933 | 27 September 1939 | Fianna Fáil | 7th EC • 8th EC • 1st • 2nd | |
Paddy Smith | 27 September 1939 | 1 July 1943 | Fianna Fáil | 2nd | |
Department of Foreign Affairs 1977–1978 | |||||
Name | Term of office | Party | Government | ||
David Andrews | 5 July 1977 | 1 January 1978 | Fianna Fáil | 15th |
Department of Foreign Affairs 1978–2011 | ||||||
Name | Term of office | Party | Responsibilities | Government | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
David Andrews | 1 January 1978 | 11 December 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 15th | ||
Jim O'Keeffe | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | Fine Gael | Overseas development | 17th [2] | |
16 December 1982 | 13 February 1986 | 19th [3] | ||||
George Birmingham | 13 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | Fine Gael | European Affairs and Development Co-operation | ||
Seán Calleary | 12 March 1987 | 12 July 1989 | Fianna Fáil | Overseas Aid | 20th [4] | |
19 July 1989 | 11 February 1992 | 21st [5] | ||||
Brendan Daly | 13 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | Fianna Fáil | 22nd [6] | ||
Tom Kitt | 14 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs and Overseas development assistance | 23rd [7] | |
Joan Burton | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | Labour | Overseas development assistance | 24th [8] | |
Gay Mitchell | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | ||
Liz O'Donnell | 1 July 1997 | 6 June 2002 | Progressive Democrats | Overseas development assistance and Human rights | 25th [9] | |
Dick Roche | 6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 26th [10] [11] | |
Tom Kitt | 19 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development and Human rights | ||
Conor Lenihan | 5 October 2004 | 20 June 2007 | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | ||
Noel Treacy | 29 September 2004 | 20 June 2007 | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | ||
Michael Kitt | 20 June 2007 | 13 May 2008 | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | 27th [12] | |
Dick Roche | 14 June 2007 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 27th • 28th | |
Peter Power | 13 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | 28th [13] | |
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2011–2020 | ||||||
Name | Term of office | Party | Responsibilities | Government | ||
Jan O'Sullivan | 10 March 2011 | 20 December 2011 | Labour | Trade and Development | 29th [14] [15] | |
Lucinda Creighton | 10 March 2011 | 11 July 2013 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | ||
Joe Costello | 20 December 2011 | 15 July 2014 | Labour | Trade and Development | ||
Paschal Donohoe | 12 July 2013 | 11 July 2014 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | ||
Seán Sherlock | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | Labour | Overseas development aid, Trade promotion and North–South co-operation | ||
Jimmy Deenihan | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | Fine Gael | Diaspora | ||
Dara Murphy | 15 July 2014 | 20 June 2017 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 29th • 30th | |
Joe McHugh | 19 May 2016 | 16 June 2017 | Fine Gael | Diaspora and Overseas development aid | 30th [16] | |
Ciarán Cannon | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | Fine Gael | Diaspora and International development | 31st [17] | |
Helen McEntee | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | ||
Department of Foreign Affairs 2020–present | ||||||
Name | Term of office | Party | Responsibilities | Government | ||
Colm Brophy | 1 July 2020 | 17 December 2022 | Fine Gael | Overseas development aid and the Diaspora | 32nd [18] | |
Thomas Byrne | 1 July 2020 | 17 December 2022 | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | ||
Peter Burke | 21 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 33rd | |
Seán Fleming | 21 December 2022 | Incumbent | Fianna Fáil | International development and the Diaspora | 33rd [19] • 34th | |
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill | 9 April 2024 | Incumbent | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 34th |
The 26th government of Ireland was the government of Ireland formed after the 2002 general election to the 29th Dáil which had been held on 17 May 2002. It was led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, with Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney as Tánaiste. It was the first, and to date only, coalition government to be returned to government after an election; both parties increased their number of seats, and together secured a Dáil majority, where in the previous government they had governed together as a minority government dependent on the support of Independent TDs. It lasted for 1,835 days.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in the Government of Ireland, which is headed by the Taoiseach, the head of government. The government – also known as the cabinet – is composed of ministers, each of whom must be a member of the Oireachtas, which consists of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. Most ministers have a portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, although ministers without portfolio can be appointed.
Paul Kehoe is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency since 2002. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in September 2020. He served as Minister of State at the Department of Defence from 2011 to 2020 and Government Chief Whip from 2011 to 2016.
The Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment of the Government of Ireland and assists the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State for European Affairs is a junior ministerial post at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Ireland with special responsibility for European Affairs. The Minister works with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
John Halligan is an Irish former independent politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford constituency from 2011 to 2020. He also served as Minister of State from 2016 to 2020.
The 29th government of Ireland was the government of Ireland which was formed following the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil on 25 February 2011. It was a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Enda Kenny as Taoiseach. From 2011 to 2014, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore served as Tánaiste, and from 2014 to 2016, the new Labour leader Joan Burton served as Tánaiste.
Patrick O'Donovan is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science since 2024. He previously served as a Minister of State from 2016 to 2024. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick County constituency since 2016, and from 2011 to 2016 for the Limerick constituency.
There were two governments of the 32nd Dáil, which was elected at the general election held on 26 February 2016. The 30th government of Ireland was led by Enda Kenny as Taoiseach and the 31st government of Ireland was led by Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach. They were minority governments with Fine Gael and Independent TDs at cabinet, reliant on the support of other Independent TDs, and a confidence and supply arrangement with Fianna Fáil. It was the first time Fine Gael had returned to government after a general election, and the succession of Varadkar as Taoiseach in 2017 was the first time a Fine Gael leader had succeeded a party colleague as Taoiseach within a Dáil term.
There have been three governments of the 33rd Dáil to date, being coalition governments of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party. This followed the 2020 general election to Dáil Éireann held on 8 February, and negotiations on a programme for government that lasted till June. The parties agreed on a rotation, with the two major party leaders alternating as Taoiseach. The makeup of the parties resulted in a centrist coalition. It was the first time that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have participated in the same government, which Leo Varadkar described as the end of what has often been referred to as Civil War politics.
The Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is a junior ministerial post in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth of the Government of Ireland who performs functions delegated by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Justice is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Justice of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Justice. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Rural and Community Development of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Rural and Community Development. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Social Protection of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Social Protection. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Health is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Health of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Health. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Transport is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Transport of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Transport. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
The Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.