Fine Gael is a liberal-conservative and Christian-democratic political party in Ireland. Fine Gael is currently the third-largest party in the Republic of Ireland in terms of members of Dáil Éireann and largest in terms of Irish members of the European Parliament. The party had a membership of 25,000 in 2021. Simon Harris succeeded Leo Varadkar as party leader on 24 March 2024.
Ireland is a parliamentary, representative democratic republic and a member state of the European Union. While the head of state is the popularly elected President of Ireland, it is a largely ceremonial position, with real political power being vested in the Taoiseach, who is nominated by the Dáil and is the head of the government.
The Tánaiste is the second-ranking member of the government of Ireland and the holder of its second-most senior office. They are the equivalent of a deputy prime minister in other parliamentary systems.
Richard Bruton is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Dublin Bay North since 2016, and previously from 1982 to 2016 for the Dublin North-Central constituency. He was the Chairman of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party from July 2020 to September 2023. He previously served as Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment from 2018 to 2020, Minister for Education and Skills from 2016 to 2018, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation from 2011 to 2016, Deputy leader of Fine Gael from 2002 to 2010, Minister for Enterprise and Employment from 1994 to 1997 and Minister of State for Energy Affairs from 1986 to 1987. He was a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 1981 to 1982.
Austin Deasy was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Agriculture from 1982 to 1987. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Waterford constituency from 1977 to 2002. He was a Senator from 1973 to 1977, after being nominated by the Taoiseach.
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.
Simon Coveney is an Irish 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.
This is a list of records relating to the Oireachtas, the national parliament of Ireland, which consists of the President of Ireland, and two Houses, Dáil Éireann, a house of representatives whose members are known as Teachtaí Dála or TDs, and Seanad Éireann, a senate whose members are known as senators.
Frances Fitzgerald is an Irish politician who has been a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Ireland for the Dublin constituency since July 2019. She is a member of Fine Gael, part of the European People's Party. She previously served as Tánaiste from 2016 to 2017, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation from June 2017 to November 2017, Minister for Justice and Equality from 2014 to 2016, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs from 2011 to 2014 and Leader of Fine Gael in the Seanad from 2007 to 2011. She served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1992 to 2002 and 2011 to 2019. She was also a Senator for the Labour Panel from 2007 to 2011.
The Labour Party is the fifth-largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Labour Party leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. When the Labour Party was in Government their front bench consisted of the ministerial officeholders. The Labour Party has been in opposition since March 2016 and accordingly, their front bench areas of responsibility broadly correspond to those of Government ministers. The current front bench was announced on 7 July 2020, consisting of TDs and Senators.
Leo Eric Varadkar is an Irish politician who has been a TD for the Dublin West constituency since 2007. The leader of Fine Gael from 2017 to 2024, he served as Taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and from 2022 to 2024, and as Tánaiste from 2020 to 2022. He has held a range of other ministerial positions in the Irish government. His political positions have been described as centre-right economically; he has advocated free markets, lower taxes, and welfare reform. On social issues, he supported successful constitutional referendums to legalise same-sex marriage and to liberalise Ireland's abortion laws.
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.
Thomas Byrne is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and solicitor who was has served as a Minister of State since July 2020. He has served as a Teachta Dála (TD) for Meath East from 2007 to 2011, and subsequently since 2016, during which period he held the position of Dáil Éireann opposition front bench spokesperson for Education and Skills. From 2011 to 2016, he was a senator on the Cultural and Educational Panel, and was Seanad Éireann opposition front bench spokesperson for both Public Expenditure and Reform and Health, respectively.
Simon Harris is an Irish politician who has served as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael since 2024. Harris has been a minister in the government of Ireland since 2016. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow constituency since 2011 and was a minister of state from 2014 to 2016.
The Leader of Fine Gael is the most senior politician within the Fine Gael political party in Ireland. Since 24 March 2024, the office has been held by Simon Harris following the resignation of Leo Varadkar.
Heather Humphreys is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served in various cabinet positions since 2014, currently serving as Minister for Rural and Community Development and Minister for Social Protection since June 2020. She has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Cavan–Monaghan constituency since 2011. She has served as Deputy leader of Fine Gael since 2024.
Martin Conway is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Senator for the Administrative Panel since April 2011.
Hildegarde Naughton is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Health since December 2022, and as a Minister of State attending cabinet since June 2020. 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 32nd Dáil was elected at the 2016 general election on 26 February and first met at 10.30 a.m. on 10 March 2016. The members of Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (legislature) of Ireland, are known as TDs. The 32nd Dáil was dissolved by President Michael D. Higgins on 14 January 2020, at the request of the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The 32nd Dáil lasted 1,406 days.
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.
