List of women ministers of state of the Republic of Ireland

A Minister of State in Ireland (also called a junior minister) is of non-cabinet rank attached to one or more Departments of State of the Government of Ireland and assists a Minister of that government.

As of 2021, 32 women have served as Ministers of State in Ireland. Five of the twenty Ministers of State appointed by the government of Micheál Martin in June 2020 were women, with two regularly attending cabinet. Some Ministers of State, including the Government Chief Whip,[1] attend cabinet meetings in a non-voting capacity, but are not members of the Government. They are formally known as "Minister of State attending Government",[2][3] or colloquially as "Super Junior" ministers.[4] There are currently three Ministers of State who regularly attend cabinet, two of whom are women.

Appointment

The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 allowed the Executive Council (from 1937, the Government of Ireland) to appoint up to seven Parliamentary Secretaries to the Executive Council or to Executive Ministers.[5] The Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977 abolished the position of Parliamentary Secretary, and created the new position of Minister of State.[6] This Act was commenced on 1 January 1978.[7] Unlike senior government ministers, who are appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach and the prior approval of Dáil Éireann, Ministers of State are appointed directly by the government, on the nomination of the Taoiseach. Members of either House of the Oireachtas (Dáil or Seanad) may be appointed to be a Minister of State at a Department of State.

History

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn was the first and only woman to be appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary, when she was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce by Jack Lynch in 1977. She was the first woman to be appointed as a Minister of State in 1978, as Minister of State at the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy. In 1979, Geoghegan-Quinn would become the first women appointed to cabinet since 1921. There has been at least one woman Minister of State in all appointments since June 1981. To date, only one Senator, Pippa Hackett, who was appointed in June 2020, has been appointed as a Minister of State.

List of women ministers of state
  Denotes incumbent minister of state
No. Name Department(s) Responsibility Party Appointed Left office Taoiseach Govt.
1 Máire Geoghegan-Quinn[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1950)[8]		 Industry and Commerce[9] Parliamentary Secretary[10] Fianna Fáil 5 July 1977 1 January 1978 Jack Lynch 15th
Industry, Commerce and Energy Minister of State[10] 1 January 1978 11 December 1979 15th
Education[11] Youth and Sport[12] 23 March 1982 14 December 1982 Charles Haughey 18th
Taoiseach[13] Co-ordination of Government policy and EC matters[14] 12 March 1987 12 July 1989 20th
Taoiseach[15] Co-ordinator of Government Policy and EC matters[16] 19 July 1989 11 February 1992 21st
2 Mary Flaherty
(born 1953)[17]		 Health[18]
Social Welfare		 Poverty and the Family[19] Fine Gael 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Garret FitzGerald 17th
3 Nuala Fennell
(1935–2009[20]		 Taoiseach[21] Women's Affairs[22] Fine Gael 16 December 1982 10 March 1987 Garret FitzGerald 19th
Justice[23] Family Law Reform[22] 7 January 1983 10 March 1987
4 Avril Doyle
(born 1949)[24]		 Finance[25]
Environment		 Office of Public Works
Environmental Protection[22]		 Fine Gael 13 February 1986 10 March 1987 Garret FitzGerald 19th
Taoiseach[26]
Finance
Transport, Energy and Communications		 Consumers of Public Services[27] 27 January 1995 26 June 1997 John Bruton 24th
5 Mary Harney[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1953)[28]		 Environment[15][29] Protection of the Environment[16] Progressive Democrats 19 July 1989 11 February 1992 Charles Haughey 21st
11 February 1992 4 November 1992 Albert Reynolds 22nd
6 Mary O'Rourke[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1937)[30]		 Industry and Commerce[29] Trade and Marketing[16] Fianna Fáil 13 February 1992 12 January 1993 Albert Reynolds 22nd
Enterprise and Employment[31] Labour Affairs[27] 14 January 1993 15 December 1994 23rd
7= Eithne FitzGerald
(born 1950)[32]		 Finance[31] Office of the Tánaiste,
National Development Plan[27]		 Labour 14 January 1993 17 November 1994 Albert Reynolds 23rd
Enterprise and Employment[33] Office of the Tánaiste,
Labour Affairs[27]		 20 December 1994 26 June 1997 John Bruton 24th
7= Joan Burton[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1949)[34]		 Social Welfare[31] Poverty,
Tax and Social Welfare Codes[27]		 Labour 14 January 1993 17 November 1994 Albert Reynolds 23rd
Foreign Affairs[33]
Justice		 Overseas Development Assistance[27] 20 December 1994 26 June 1997 John Bruton 24th
9 Liz McManus
(born 1947)[35]		 Environment[33] Environment[27] Democratic Left 20 December 1994 26 June 1997 John Bruton 24th
10 Liz O'Donnell
(born 1956)[36]		 Foreign Affairs[37] Overseas Development Assistance,
Human Rights[38]		 Progressive Democrats 1 July 1997 6 June 2002 Bertie Ahern 25th
Minister of State to the Government[38] 11 April 2002 6 June 2002
11 Mary Wallace
(born 1959)[39]		 Justice, Equality and Law Reform[37] Equality,
Disabilities[38]		 Fianna Fáil 8 July 1997 6 June 2002 Bertie Ahern 25th
Agriculture and Food[40] Forestry[41] 14 February 2006 14 June 2007 26th
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food[42] Forestry[43] 20 June 2007 7 May 2008 27th
Health and Children[44] Health Promotion,
Food Safety[45]		 13 May 2008 22 April 2009 Brian Cowen 28th
12 Mary Hanafin[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1959)[46]		 Health and Children[47]
Justice, Equality and Law Reform
Education and Science		 Children[38] Fianna Fáil 1 February 2000 6 June 2002 Bertie Ahern 25th
Taoiseach[48]
Defence		 Government Chief Whip,
Defence,
Information society[41]		 6 June 2002 29 September 2004 26th
13 Mary Coughlan[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1965)[49]		 Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands[50] Gaeltacht,
The Islands[38]		 Fianna Fáil 19 February 2001 6 June 2002 Bertie Ahern 25th
14 Síle de Valera[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1954)[51]		 Education and Science[52] Adult Education,
Youth Affairs,
Educational Disadvantage[41]		 Fianna Fáil 19 June 2002 8 December 2006 Bertie Ahern 26th
15 Máire Hoctor
(born 1963)[53]		 Health and Children[42]
Social and Family Affairs
Environment, Heritage and Local Government		 Services for Older People[43] Fianna Fáil 9 July 2007 7 May 2008 Bertie Ahern 27th
Health and Children[44]
Social and Family Affairs
Environment, Heritage and Local Government		 Older People[45] 13 May 2008 22 April 2009 Brian Cowen 28th
16 Áine Brady
(born 1954)[54]		 Health and Children[55]
Social and Family Affairs
Environment, Heritage and Local Government		 Older People,
Health Promotion[45]		 Fianna Fáil 22 April 2009 9 March 2011 Brian Cowen 28th
17 Mary White
(born 1948)[56]		 Justice and Law Reform[57]
Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs
Education and Skills		 Equality and Human Rights,
Integration[45]		 Green 23 March 2010 23 January 2011 Brian Cowen 28th
18= Róisín Shortall
(born 1954)[58]		 Health[59] Primary Care[60] Labour 10 March 2011 26 September 2012 Enda Kenny 29th
18= Jan O'Sullivan[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1950)[61]		 Foreign Affairs and Trade[59] Trade and Development[60] Labour 10 March 2011 20 December 2011 Enda Kenny 29th
Environment, Community and Local Government Housing and Planning[60][lower-alpha 2] 20 December 2011 11 July 2014
18= Kathleen Lynch
(born 1953)[62]		 Justice and Equality[59]
Health		 Disability,
Equality,
Mental Health[60]		 Labour 10 March 2011 15 July 2014 Enda Kenny 29th
Health[63] Primary Care,
Mental Health,
Disability		 15 July 2014 6 May 2016
18= Lucinda Creighton
(born 1980)[64]		 Taoiseach[59]
Foreign Affairs and Trade		 European Affairs[60] Fine Gael 10 March 2011 11 July 2013 Enda Kenny 29th
22 Ann Phelan
(born 1961)[65]		 Agriculture, Food and the Marine[63]
Transport, Tourism and Sport		 Rural Economic Development,
Rural Transport[60]		 Labour 15 July 2014 6 May 2016 Enda Kenny 29th
23 Regina Doherty[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1971)[66]		 Taoiseach[67] Government Chief Whip[lower-alpha 2] Fine Gael 6 May 2016 14 June 2017 Enda Kenny 30th
24= Helen McEntee[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1986)[68]		 Health[69] Mental Health,
Older People		 Fine Gael 19 May 2016 14 June 2017 Enda Kenny 30th
Foreign Affairs and Trade[70] European Affairs 20 June 2017 27 June 2020 Leo Varadkar 31st
24= Marcella Corcoran Kennedy
(born 1963)[71]		 Health[69] Health Promotion Fine Gael 19 May 2016 14 June 2017 Enda Kenny 30th
24= Catherine Byrne
(born 1956)[72]		 Health[69]
Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government		 Communities,
National Drugs Strategy		 Fine Gael 19 May 2016 14 June 2017 Enda Kenny 30th
Health[70] Health Promotion,
National Drugs Strategy		 20 June 2017 27 June 2020 Leo Varadkar 31st
27 Mary Mitchell O'Connor[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1959)[73]		 Education and Skills[74] Higher Education[lower-alpha 2] Fine Gael 14 June 2017 27 June 2020 Leo Varadkar 31st
28= Hildegarde Naughton
(born 1977)[75]		 Transport[76]
Environment, Climate and Communications		 International and Road Transport and Logistics
Postal Policy and Eircodes[lower-alpha 2]		 Fine Gael 27 June 2020 Incumbent Micheál Martin 32nd
28= Pippa Hackett[77] Agriculture, Food and the Marine[76] Land Use and Biodiversity[lower-alpha 2] Green 27 June 2020 Incumbent Micheál Martin 32nd
30= Josepha Madigan[lower-alpha 1]
(born 1970)[78]		 Education[79] Special Education and Inclusion Fine Gael 1 July 2020 Incumbent Micheál Martin 32nd
30= Anne Rabbitte
(born 1973)[80]		 Health[79]
Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth		 Disability Fianna Fáil 1 July 2020 Incumbent Micheál Martin 32nd
30= Mary Butler
(born 1973)[81]		 Health[79] Mental Health,
Older People		 Fianna Fáil 1 July 2020 Incumbent Micheál Martin 32nd

Timeline
Mary Butler (politician)Anne RabbitteJosepha MadiganPippa HackettHildegarde NaughtonMary Mitchell O'ConnorCatherine Byrne (Irish politician)Marcella Corcoran KennedyHelen McEnteeRegina DohertyAnn PhelanLucinda CreightonKathleen Lynch (politician)Jan O'SullivanRóisín ShortallMary White (Green Party politician)Áine BradyMáire HoctorSíle de ValeraMary Coughlan (politician)Mary HanafinMary Wallace Liz McManusJoan BurtonEithne FitzGeraldMary O'RourkeMary HarneyAvril DoyleNuala FennellMary Flaherty (politician)Máire Geoghegan-Quinn

Notes
  1. Also served as a senior cabinet minister.
  2. In attendance at cabinet as "super junior" minister.

References
  1. "Government Chief Whip". Government of Ireland. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  2. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government (Motion) – Dáil Éireann (32nd Dáil) – Friday, 6 May 2016 – Debate Vol. 908 No. 3". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  3. "Oireachtas (Allowances) (Members and Holders of Parliamentary and Certain Ministerial Offices) Order 2020". Irish Statute Book. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  4. "Five new Ministers of State appointed". RTÉ News. 20 June 2017. OCLC 891147862. Archived from the original on 22 November 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  5. "Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, Section 7: Power to Executive Council to appoint Parliamentary Secretaries". Irish Statute Book. 21 April 1924. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  6. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977, Section 6: Repeals". Irish Statute Book. 6 December 1977. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  7. "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977 (Commencement) Order 1977". Irish Statute Book. 13 December 1977. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  8. "Máire Geoghegan-Quinn". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  9. "Ceapachain mar Airí agus Rúnaí Parlaiminte – Dáil Éireann (21st Dáil)" (in Irish). Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 July 1977. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  10. "Twenty-First Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  11. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State" (in Irish). Houses of the Oireachtas. 23 March 1982. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  12. "Twenty-Third Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  13. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 24 March 1987. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  14. "Twenty-Fifth Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  15. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 July 1989. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  16. "Twenty-Sixth Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  17. "Mary Flaherty". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
  18. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 July 1981. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  19. "Twenty-Second Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  20. "Nuala Fennell". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  21. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 December 1982. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  22. "Twenty-Fourth Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  23. "Appointment of Minister of State and Allocation of Responsibilities: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 26 January 1983. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  24. "Avril Doyle". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  25. "Financial Resolutions, 1986. - Ministerial Assignments and Titles: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 February 1986. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  26. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 1 February 1995. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  27. "Twenty-Seventh Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  28. "Mary Harney". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  29. "Members of Government and Ministers of State: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 February 1992. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  30. "Mary O'Rourke". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  31. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 February 1993. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  32. "Eithne FitzGerald". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  33. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 24 January 1995. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  34. "Joan Burton". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  35. "Liz McManus". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  36. "Liz O'Donnell". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  37. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 9 July 1997. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  38. "Twenty-Eight Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  39. "Mary Wallace". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  40. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 February 2006. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  41. "Twenty-Ninth Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  42. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 26 June 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  43. "Thirtieth Dáil – Twenty-Seventh Government". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  44. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  45. "Thirtieth Dáil – Twenty-Eighth Government". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  46. "Mary Hanafin". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  47. "Ministerial Appointments: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 2 February 2000. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  48. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion". Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 June 2002. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  49. "Mary Coughlan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  50. "Resignation of Minister of State: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 February 2001. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
  51. "Síle de Valera". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  52. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  53. "Máire Hoctor". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  54. "Áine Brady". Oireachtas Members database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  55. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 22 April 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  56. "Mary White". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  57. "Ministerial Appointments: Announcement by Taoiseach". Houses of the Oireachtas. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  58. "Róisín Shortall". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  59. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 March 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  60. "Thirty-First Dáil". Government of Ireland. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  61. "Jan O'Sullivan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  62. "Kathleen Lynch". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  63. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  64. "Lucinda Creighton". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  65. "Ann Phelan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  66. "Regina Doherty". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  67. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion". Houses of the Oireachtas. 6 May 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  68. "Helen McEntee". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  69. "Appointment of Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  70. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  71. "Marcella Corcoran Kennedy". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  72. "Catherine Byrne". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  73. "Mary Mitchell O'Connor". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  74. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  75. "Hildegarde Naughton". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  76. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  77. "Pippa Hackett". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  78. "Josepha Madigan". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  79. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State". Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  80. "Anne Rabbitte". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  81. "Mary Butler". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.