23rd Government of Ireland
The 1992 general election was held on 25 November 1992. The 23rd Government of Ireland, the first government of the 27th Dáil, 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 27th Dáil lasted until 1997, but its first government fell in 1994 after the breakdown of relations between the two parties. It was succeeded by the 24th Government, a coalition of Labour with Fine Gael under John Bruton and Democratic Left under Proinsias De Rossa, with Spring serving again as Tánaiste under Bruton as Taoiseach. This was the only time a new government with a different party composition was formed within a single Dáil term.
| 23rd Government of Ireland | |
|---|---|
| Date formed | 12 January 1993 |
| Date dissolved | 15 December 1994 |
| People and organisations | |
| President | Mary Robinson |
| Taoiseach | Albert Reynolds |
| Tánaiste | Dick Spring Bertie Ahern from Nov. 1994) |
| Total no. of members | 15 |
| Member parties | Fianna Fáil Labour Party left Nov. 1994) |
| Status in legislature | Coalition |
| Opposition party | Fine Gael |
| Opposition leader | John Bruton |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 1992 general election |
| Legislature term(s) | 27th Dáil 20th Seanad |
| Predecessor | 22nd Government |
| Successor | 24th Government |
Nomination of Taoiseach
The members of the 27th Dáil first met on 14 December 1992. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Fine Gael leader John Bruton and Labour Party leader Dick Spring were each proposed. None of these proposals were passed by the Dáil: Reynolds received 68 votes in favour with 94 against, Bruton received 55 in favour to 107 against, and Spring received 39 in favour to 122 against.[1] Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and continued in a caretaker capacity.[2]
On 12 January 1993, Albert Reynolds and John Bruton were again proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach, and on this occasion, the nomination of Reynolds was successful by 102 votes to 60.[3] Reynolds was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.[4]
| 12 January 1993 Nomination of Albert Reynolds (FF) as Taoiseach[5] Motion proposed by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and seconded by Dick Spring Absolute majority: 84/166 | ||
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Yes | Fianna Fáil (68), Labour Party (33), Independent Fianna Fáil (1) | 102 / 166 |
| No | Fine Gael (45), Progressive Democrats (10), Democratic Left (4), Green Party (1) | 60 / 166 |
| Not voting | Independent (3), Ceann Comhairle (1) | 4 / 166 |
Members of the Government
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Albert Reynolds proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[4] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]
- Notes
- On 20 January 1993 the Department of Industry and Commerce was renamed as the Department of Enterprise and Employment.[7]
- On 21 January 1993 the Department of Agriculture and Food was renamed as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.[8]
- On 22 January 1993 the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade.[9]
- McCreevy had initially been appointed as Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental function.[6]
- On 22 January 1993 the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications was renamed as the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications.[10]
- Cowen had initially been appointed as Minister for Energy and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental functions.[6]
- On 21 January 1993 the Department of Labour was renamed as the Department of Equality and Law Reform.[11]
- On 21 January 1993 the Department of the Gaeltacht was renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.[12]
Attorney General
On 12 January 1993 Harry Whelehan SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[4][6] He resigned as Attorney General on 11 November 1994 on his nomination as President of the High Court (a position he would serve in for only two days). On 11 November 1994, Eoghan Fitzsimons SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
Ministers of State
On 12 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Noel Dempsey to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip.[4] On 14 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed the other Ministers of State.[6]
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noel Dempsey | Taoiseach Defence Finance | Government Chief Whip Office of Public Works |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Tom Kitt | Taoiseach Foreign Affairs | European Affairs and Overseas Development Assistance |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Noel Treacy | Taoiseach Finance Transport, Energy and Communications | Energy | Fianna Fáil | |
| Mary O'Rourke | Enterprise and Employment | Labour Affairs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Séamus Brennan | Enterprise and Employment | Commerce and Technology | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pat "the Cope" Gallagher | Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht | Gaeltacht | Fianna Fáil | |
| Eithne FitzGerald | Finance | Office of the Tánaiste National Development Plan |
Labour | |
| Liam Aylward | Education | Youth and Sport | Fianna Fáil | |
| Liam Hyland | Agriculture, Food and Forestry | Forestry and Rural Development | Fianna Fáil | |
| Brian O'Shea | Agriculture, Food and Forestry | Food and Horticulture | Labour | |
| Willie O'Dea | Justice Health | Fianna Fáil | ||
| John Browne | Environment | Environmental Protection | Fianna Fáil | |
| Emmet Stagg | Environment | Housing and Urban Renewal | Labour | |
| Gerry O'Sullivan | Marine | Port Development, Safety and Inland Fisheries | Labour | |
| Joan Burton | Social Welfare | Poverty, including EC Poverty Plans and the Integration of the Tax and Social Welfare Codes |
Labour | |
Change on 17 November 1994The Ministers of State from the Labour Party resigned on 17 November 1994.[13] | ||||
References
- "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 14 December 1992". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Resignation of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 15 December 1992". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993".
- "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Votes – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993".
- "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Wednesday, 10 February 1993". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Industry and Commerce (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Agriculture and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Tourism, Transport and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Labour (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
- "Resignation of Taoiseach and Ministerial Changes: Statement – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 22 November 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.