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 5 years, 8 days.
The 25th government of Ireland was the government of Ireland formed after the 1997 general election to the 28th Dáil held on 6 June 1997. It was a minority coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. It lasted 4 years, 345 days.
The 17th government of Ireland was the government of Ireland formed after the 1981 general election to the 22nd Dáil. It was a minority coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach and lasted for 252 days.
The Government of Ireland is the executive authority of Ireland, 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.
Damien English is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Meath West constituency from 2007 to 2024, and previously from 2002 to 2007 for the Meath constituency. He served as Minister of State from 2014 to 2023.
Paul Kehoe is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wexford constituency from 2002 to 2024. 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.
Simon Coveney is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment from 2022 to 2024. He served as deputy leader of Fine Gael from 2017 to 2024. He has been in the cabinet since 2011, holding a range of ministerial portfolios, including as Tánaiste from 2017 to 2020.
Patrick Breen is an Irish former Fine Gael politician who served as a Minister of State from 2016 to 2020. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Clare constituency from 2002 to 2020.
Dara Calleary is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht since January 2025. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Mayo constituency since the 2007 general election. He previously served as Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation from 2022 to 2025, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine from July to August 2020, Deputy leader of Fianna Fáil from 2018 to 2020 and Minister of State for Labour Affairs from 2009 to 2011.
Kieran O'Donnell is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Minister of State since December 2022. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick City constituency since the 2020 general election, and previously from 2011 to 2016 and from 2007 to 2011 for the Limerick East constituency. He was appointed Chair of the Committee on Transport and Communications Networks in September 2020. He was a Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel from 2016 to 2020.
Simon Harris is an Irish Fine Gael politician serving as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence since January 2025, having previously served as Taoiseach from 2024 to 2025. He has been leader of Fine Gael since 2024 and a TD for the Wicklow constituency since 2011. A Cabinet minister since 2016, he previously served as a minister of state from 2014 to 2016.
Patrick O'Donovan is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport since January 2025. He previously served as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science from 2024 to 2025 and 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.
Hildegarde Naughton is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, sitting at cabinet since January 2025. She is also deputy Government Chief Whip. Naughton served as [Government Chief Whip from 2022 to 2025. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Galway West constituency since 2016. She previously served as Chair of the Committee on Communications, Climate Action and the Environment from 2016 to 2020 and Mayor of Galway from 2011 to 2012. She also served as a Senator from 2013 to 2016, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
The 23rd government of Ireland was the government formed following the 1992 general election to the 27th Dáil held on 25 November 1992. It was a coalition of Fianna Fáil, with leader Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach, and the Labour Party, with leader Dick Spring as Tánaiste. It was the first time that these two parties were in government together; on each previous occasion Labour was in government, it was a junior coalition party with Fine Gael. The government lasted for 1 year, 309 days from its appointment until its resignation on 17 November 1994, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 28 days until the appointment of its successor, giving a total of 1 year, 337 days.
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.
Kevin Moran is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Longford–Westmeath constituency since the 2024 general election, and previously from 2016 to 2020. He was a member of Westmeath County Council from June to November 2024. Moran served as a Minister of State from 2017 to 2020.
Neale Richmond is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Minister of State since 2023. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Rathdown constituency since the 2020 general election. He previously served as a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2016 to 2020.
Emer Higgins is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Dublin Mid-West constituency since the 2020 general election.
There were three governments of the 33rd Dáil, 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 centre-right 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.
2020s in Irish history refers to significant events in Ireland in the 2020s.
