The 33rd government of Ireland (17 December 2022 to 9 April 2024) was led by Varadkar as Taoiseach and Martin as Tánaiste. It lasted 480 days. Varadkar resigned as leader of Fine Gael on 20 March 2024 and was succeeded on 24 March by
Simon Harris. Varadkar resigned as Taoiseach on 8 April.[6]
The 34th government of Ireland (9 April 2024 to present) is led by Simon Harris as Taoiseach and Martin as Tánaiste.
On 27 June, the Dáil again debated nominations for the position of Taoiseach. The nomination of Martin was approved by the Dáil.[9] Martin was then appointed as Taoiseach by
PresidentMichael D. Higgins.[10][11]
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Micheál Martin proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[11][13][14] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[15][16][17][18]
^Martin served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine between the sacking of Cowen on 14 July 2020 and the appointment of Calleary to government on 15 July 2020.[19] He served again from 21 August to 2 September 2020 after the resignation of Calleary.[20]
Paul GallagherSC was appointed by the president as
Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach, a role he had previously served in from 2007 to 2011.[11][17]
Ministers of state
On 27 June 2020, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed
Dara Calleary, TD,
Hildegarde Naughton, TD, and Sen.
Pippa Hackett as
ministers of state attending at cabinet without a vote.[16][11][48] Pippa Hackett is the first senator to have been appointed as a Minister of State. On 1 July, the government appointed seventeen further ministers of state on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[49][50][17][18]
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the MarineBarry Cowen was sacked on 14 July 2020 because of driving offences which he had committed but not disclosed to Micheál Martin prior to his appointment to cabinet.[32] He was replaced by Dara Calleary.
Legislation was passed to allow each of three
Ministers of State who attend cabinet meetings to receive an allowance, as previous legislation had provided an allowance for two only.[76] After public dissatisfaction with the proposal, the three ministers of state agreed on 28 July 2020 to share the existing allowance between them, rather than accept the increase.[77]
In October 2020, Village magazine published a claim that
Leo Varadkar had provided a copy of a confidential document to the head of the National Association of General Practitioners that had been part of negotiations with the
Irish Medical Organisation in April 2019 while Taoiseach.[79] Fine Gael issued a statement which described the article as "both inaccurate and grossly defamatory", and while accepting that the provision of the agreement by private channels was "not best practice", said there was nothing unlawful about what had occurred.[80] Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in the Tánaiste. In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.
At a cabinet meeting in July 2021,
Minister for Foreign AffairsSimon Coveney announced the appointment of
Katherine Zappone, former
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, to the newly created position of Special Envoy to the UN for Freedom of Opinion and Expression. It emerged that the proposed appointment had not been flagged by Coveney with the Taoiseach in advance of the meeting.[81] Zappone declined the appointment after the
Merrion Hotel controversy arose, in which the Irish Independent reported that six days prior to the announcement of her appointment, Zappone had hosted a gathering for 50 guests, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, at the
Merrion Hotel while the
COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. Comparisons were made between the gathering and the
Golfgate scandal earlier in the pandemic.[82] Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in Coveney, to be debated on 15 September on the return of the Dáil from the summer recess. In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.[83]
On 6 July 2022, the government lost its majority after Fine Gael TD
Joe McHugh voted against legislation underpinning a €2.7 billion
mica redress scheme and subsequently resigned the Fine Gael
party whip.[84] Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, to be debated on 12 July before the summer recess.[85] In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.[86]
In December 2022,
People Before Profit–Solidarity tabled a motion of no confidence in Minister for Housing
Darragh O'Brien, to be debated on 13 December, four days before a new government was formed. The group claimed the worsening housing and homelessness crisis under O'Brien was "tearing apart the social fabric of Irish society and leading to the scapegoating of refugees". In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.[89][90]
Budgets
The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, delivered the following budgets:
On 12 July 2022, a motion of confidence in the government, proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, was approved with 85 votes in favour to 66 against, with one abstention.[93]
Micheál Martin resigned as Taoiseach on Saturday 17 December 2022 to allow the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach and the formation of a new government, a continuation of the coalition agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party.[95][96] The date agreed in the Programme for Government had been Thursday 15 December, but this date was put back to facilitate Martin's attendance at a meeting of the
European Council.[2]
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Leo Varadkar proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[102][103] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[104][105]
On 17 December 2022, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed
Hildegarde Naughton, TD,
Jack Chambers, TD, and Sen.
Pippa Hackett as
ministers of state attending at cabinet without a vote.[105] On 21 December, the government appointed seventeen further ministers of state on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[107][108]
A month after the government was formed, in January 2023, news website The Ditch published a story claiming
Minister of State for Employment Affairs and Retail BusinessDamien English failed to declare ownership of an existing home in his planning application for a new property in 2008. It also claimed he neglected to declare such ownership in the Dáil register of interests.[134][135] He resigned as Minister of State on 12 January 2023.[136][137] He was succeeded by
Neale Richmond.[131]
Also in January, the Sunday Independent revealed that
Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and ReformPaschal Donohoe failed to properly declare a donation from a company in 2016. The
Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) made a complaint against Donohoe that the Designer Group engineering firm used two company vans and six employees to erect and later remove election posters for Donohoe in his
Dublin Central constituency during the
2016 general election campaign.[138] On 14 January, Donohoe began conducting a review of his election expenses statements amid the allegations which he had denied.[139] The next day, on 15 January, he apologised for making incorrect declarations of election expenses and donations during his campaign and said he would recuse himself from any decision making around ethics legislation while the SIPO investigated him, but refused to resign as minister.[140][141] The controversy intensified on 20 January when Donohoe identified a new issue over expenses from the
2020 general election.[142]
In March 2023, the government ended a ban on evictions, with effect from 31 March. Sinn Féin tabled a motion calling on the government to extend the ban until the end of January 2024. A government amendment to this motion was carried by a vote of 83 to 68.[143] In a series of votes, Green Party TD
Neasa Hourigan broke with the government whip, leading to her suspension from the parliamentary party.[144] The
Labour Party tabled a
motion of no confidence in the government.[145][146]
On 23 November 2023,
a riot broke out in Dublin following an attack on three children and a care assistant by a male
immigrant of
Algerian origin. Following the riot, opposition politicians called for the resignations of the
Minister for JusticeHelen McEntee and the
Garda CommissionerDrew Harris. On 1 December, a week after the riot,
Sinn Féin announced that they would bring a motion of no confidence in McEntee. In response, the Taoiseach moved a vote of confidence in McEntee on 5 December.
Budgets
The Minister for Finance, Michael McGrath, and Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, delivered the following budgets:
On 29 March 2023, a
motion of confidence in the government, proposed by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, was approved with 86 votes in favour to 67 against.[147]
On 5 December 2023, a motion of confidence in the
Minister for JusticeHelen McEntee proposed by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was approved with 83 votes in favour to 63 against, with one abstention.[148]
Resignation
Varadkar resigned as
leader of Fine Gael on 20 March 2024 and was succeeded on 24 March by
Simon Harris. Varadkar resigned as Taoiseach on 8 April.[6]
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Simon Harris proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[150] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[151]
^Business, Enterprise and Innovation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 519 of 2020). Signed on 10 November 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 17 November 2020.
^Communications, Climate Action and Environment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 373 of 2020). Signed on 22 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 October 2020.
^Transport, Tourism and Sport (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 351 of 2020). Signed on 15 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 25 September 2020.
^Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 403 of 2020). Signed on 29 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 October 2020.
^Children and Youth Affairs (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 437 of 2020). Signed on 13 October 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 1 November 2020.
^Foreign Affairs and Trade (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 382 of 2020). Signed on 22 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 October 2020.
^Justice and Equality (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 452 of 2020). Signed on 20 October 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 1 November 2020.
^Employment Affairs and Social Protection (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 447 of 2020). Signed on 20 October 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 1 November 2020.
^Education and Skills (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 450 of 2020). Signed on 20 October 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 1 November 2020.
^Housing, Planning and Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 408 of 2020). Signed on 29 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 October 2020.
^Oireachtas (Allowances) (Members and Holders of Parliamentary and Certain Ministerial Offices) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 613 of 2020). Signed on 8 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 29 December 2020.
^Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2021 (
S.I. No. 40 of 2021). Signed on 2 February 2021. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 February 2021.
^Environment, Climate and Communications (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2022 (
S.I. No. 298 of 2022). Signed on 9 June 2022. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 11 August 2022.
^Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 739 of 2020). Signed on 22 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 19 January 2021.
^Rural and Community Development (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 409 of 2020). Signed on 22 September 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 15 October 2020.
^Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 559 of 2020). Signed on 24 November 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.
^Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 747 of 2020). Signed on 22 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 17 March 2021.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 580 of 2020). Signed on 1 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 579 of 2020). Signed on 1 December 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.; Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2021 (
S.I. No. 71 of 2021). Signed on 19 January 2021. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 17 March 2021.
^Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 547 of 2020). Signed on 17 November 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.; Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2020 (
S.I. No. 548 of 2020). Signed on 17 November 2020. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 December 2020.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2022 (
S.I. No. 486 of 2022). Signed on 27 September 2022. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 31 October 2022.
^Public Expenditure and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 19 of 2023). Signed on 31 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 February 2023.
^Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 33 of 2023). Signed on 24 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book.
^Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 88 of 2023). Signed on 28 February 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book.
^Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (Revocation) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 368 of 2023). Signed on 4 July 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book.
^Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 701 of 2023). Signed on 20 December 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order (No. 2) 2023 (
S.I. No. 15 of 2023). Signed on 24 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 February 2023.
^Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 34 of 2023). Signed on 24 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book.
^Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2023 (
S.I. No. 14 of 2023). Signed on 24 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the
Government of Ireland. Retrieved from
Irish Statute Book on 9 February 2023.