Minister for Finance (Ireland)

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The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais) and is considered one of the most important members of the Irish government. The current Minister for Finance is Brian Cowen, TD. He is assisted by Tom Parlon, TD, Minister of State with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works.

The department and minister are occasionally called the Irish Exchequer (or simply Exchequer); a term previously used under the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Ministers for Finance 1919-present 3 See also 4 External link

[edit] Overview

The Minister for Finance holds the second most important ministerial position in the Irish Cabinet after that of the Taoiseach. He or she is in charge of the Department of Finance (An Roinn Airgeadais), responsible for all financial matters in the Republic of Ireland. Due to the importance of the cabinet post, the Minister for Finance must be a member of Dáil Éireann. One of the most important aspects of the Minister's work is the creation of the annual Budget which is announced to the Dáil in a speech delivered on the first Wednesday of December. In the Budget the Minister details the Government's spending programme for the coming year. In modern Irish politics it is considered a pre-requisite to hold the position of Minister for Finance prior to becoming Taoiseach. Ministers who held the Finance portfolio and went on to become Taoiseach include Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds, John Bruton and Bertie Ahern.

[edit] Ministers for Finance 1919-present

	#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
	1.	Eoin MacNeill	January 22, 1919	April 1, 1919	Sinn Féin
	2.	Michael Collins	April 2, 1919	August 22, 1922	Sinn Féin
	3.	W.T. Cosgrave (acting)	July 17, 1922	September 21, 1923	Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin
	4.	Ernest Blythe	September 21, 1923	March 9, 1932	Cumann na nGaedhael
	5.	Seán MacEntee (1st time)	March 9, 1932	September 16, 1939	Fianna Fáil
	6.	Seán T. O'Kelly	September 16, 1939	June 14, 1945	Fianna Fáil
	7.	Frank Aiken	June 19, 1945	February 18, 1948	Fianna Fáil
	8.	Patrick McGilligan	February 18, 1948	June 13, 1951	Fine Gael
		Seán MacEntee (2nd time)	June 13, 1951	June 2, 1954	Fianna Fáil
	9.	Gerard Sweetman	June 2, 1954	March 20, 1957	Fine Gael
	10.	James Ryan	March 20, 1957	April 21, 1965	Fianna Fáil
	11.	Jack Lynch	April 21, 1965	November 10, 1966	Fianna Fáil
	12.	Charles Haughey	November 10, 1966	May 7, 1970	Fianna Fáil
	13.	George Colley (1st time)	May 9, 1970	March 14, 1973	Fianna Fáil
	14.	*Richie Ryan	March 14, 1973	July 5, 1977	Fine Gael
		*George Colley (2nd time)	July 5, 1977	December 11, 1979	Fianna Fáil
	15.	*Michael O'Kennedy	December 12, 1979	December 16, 1980	Fianna Fáil
	16.	*Gene FitzGerald	December 16, 1980	June 30, 1981	Fianna Fáil
	17.	John Bruton (1st time)	June 30, 1981	March 9, 1982	Fine Gael
	18.	Ray MacSharry (1st time)	March 9, 1982	December 14, 1982	Fianna Fáil
	19.	Alan Dukes	December 14, 1982	February 14, 1986	Fine Gael
		*John Bruton (2nd time)	February 14, 1986	March 10, 1987	Fine Gael
		*Ray MacSharry (2nd time)	March 10, 1987	November 24, 1988	Fianna Fáil
	20.	Albert Reynolds	November 24, 1988	November 7, 1991	Fianna Fáil
		Charles Haughey (acting)	November 7, 1991	November 14, 1991	Fianna Fáil
	21.	Bertie Ahern	November 14, 1991	December 15, 1994	Fianna Fáil
	22.	Ruairi Quinn	December 15, 1994	June 26, 1997	Labour Party
	23.	Charlie McCreevy	June 26, 1997	September 29, 2004	Fianna Fáil
	24.	Brian Cowen	September 29, 2004	Current Incumbent	Fianna Fáil

The asterisk * shows Ministers who held both the Finance and Public Service portfolios at the same time.

[edit] See also

• An Post National Lottery Company
• Office of Public Works
• Revenue Commissioners

[edit] External link

• Department of Finance

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Topics	Irish pound · Coinage of Ireland · Banknotes of Northern Ireland · Central Bank · Currency Centre · Currency Commission · Minister for Finance
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