Government of the 22nd Dáil

The Government of the 22nd Dáil or the 17th Government of Ireland (30 June 1981 – 9 March 1982) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1981 general election. It was a minority coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach.

Government of the 22nd Dáil
17th Government of Ireland
Garret FitzGerald arriving for The Lisbon Treaty Count
Date formed30 June 1981
Date dissolved9 March 1982
People and organisations
PresidentPatrick Hillery
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
TánaisteMichael O'Leary
Total no. of members15
Member partiesFine Gael
Labour Party
Status in legislatureMinority Coalition
Opposition partyFianna Fáil
Opposition leaderCharles Haughey
History
Election(s)1981 general election
Legislature term(s)22nd Dáil
15th Seanad
Predecessor16th Government
Successor18th Government

The 17th Government lasted for 252 days.

17th Government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 22nd Dáil first met on 30 June 1981. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Charles Haughey, and Fine Gael leader Garret FitzGerald were both proposed.[1] The nomination of Haughey was defeated with 79 votes in favour to 83 against, while the nomination of FitzGerald was carried with 81 in favour and 78 against. FitzGerald was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Patrick Hillery.[2]

30 June 1981
Nomination of Garret FitzGerald (FG) as Taoiseach
[3]
Motion proposed by Oliver J. Flanagan and seconded by Ivan Yates
Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote Parties Votes
Y YesFine Gael (65), Labour Party (15), Independent (1)
81 / 166
NoFianna Fáil (78)
78 / 166
Not votingCeann Comhairle (1), Socialist Labour Party (1), Sinn Féin – Workers' Party (1), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1)
5 / 166
In prisonAnti H-Block (2)
2 / 166

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Garret FitzGerald proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[2] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[4]

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Tánaiste Michael O'Leary 1981–1982 Labour Party
Minister for Industry and Energy[lower-alpha 1]
Minister for Agriculture Alan Dukes 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Defence James Tully 1981–1982 Labour
Minister for Education John Boland 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for the Environment Peter Barry 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Finance John Bruton 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Tom Fitzpatrick 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Foreign Affairs John Kelly 1981 (acting) Fine Gael
Minister for the Gaeltacht Paddy O'Toole 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Health Eileen Desmond 1981–1982 Labour Party
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Justice Jim Mitchell 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Labour Liam Kavanagh 1981–1982 Labour Party
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Patrick Cooney 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Transport
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism[lower-alpha 2] John Kelly 1981–1982 Fine Gael

Change 21 October 1981

Appointment of Sen. James Dooge, whose nomination had to await until after the election to Seanad Éireann.[7][8]

Office Name Term Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs James Dooge 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Notes
  1. On 21 August 1981, the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Industry and Energy.[5]
  2. On 21 August 1981, the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism was renamed as the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism.[6]

Attorney General

On 30 July 1981, Peter Sutherland SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[2][4]

Ministers of State

On 30 June 1981, the Government appointed Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[4]

Name Department(s) Responsibility Party
Gerry L'Estrange Taoiseach Government Chief Whip Fine Gael
Defence Defence
Edward Collins Industry and Energy Oil and Minerals Exploration Fine Gael
Fergus O'Brien Environment Housing Fine Gael
Donal Creed Health Health Fine Gael
Mary Flaherty Health
Social Welfare
Poverty and the Family Fine Gael
Joseph Bermingham Finance Office of Public Works Labour
Barry Desmond Finance Economic Planning Labour
Paddy Harte Posts and Telegraphs Telecommunications Fine Gael
Michael Begley Trade, Commerce and Tourism Tourism Fine Gael
Michael Keating Education Youth and Sport Fine Gael
Dick Spring Justice Law Reform Labour
Michael D'Arcy Agriculture Production and Marketing Fine Gael
Ted Nealon Agriculture Western Development Fine Gael
Jim O'Keeffe Foreign Affairs Overseas Development Fine Gael

Changes 11 November 1981

Reshuffle.[9]

Name Department(s) Responsibility Party
Fergus O'Brien Taoiseach Government Chief Whip Fine Gael
Defence Defence
Donal Creed Environment Housing Fine Gael
Gerry L'Estrange Health Health Fine Gael

Confidence in the government

On 27 January 1982, the Minister for Finance John Bruton proposed the budget.[10] The budget was defeated with 81 votes cast in favour and 82 votes cast against.[11] The Taoiseach sought a dissolution of the Dáil, which was granted by the president, leading to the February 1982 general election.

See also

Footnotes

  1. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 30 June 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 30 June 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 10 June 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  4. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 7 July 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. "Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1981". Irish Statute Book. 19 August 1981. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  6. "Industry, Commerce and Tourism (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1981". Irish Statute Book. 19 August 1981. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  7. "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Tuesday, 20 October 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.; "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 October 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.; "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Wednesday, 21 October 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. "Appointment of Minister – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Thursday, 22 October 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. "Resignations and Appointments of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Wednesday, 11 November 1981". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  10. "Financial Resolutions, 1982 - Financial Statement, Budget, 1982 – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 January 1982". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  11. "Financial Resolutions, 1982 - Financial Statement, Budget, 1982 – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 January 1982". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
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