Minister of State (with special responsibility for Children)

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The Minister of State in Ireland, who has special reponsibilty for children, is officially styled Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and at the Department of Education and Science (with special responsibility for Children), and is a junior ministerial post in the Irish Departments of Health & Children, Education & Science and Justice, Equality & Law Reform. The Minister works together with the various senior Ministers in these departments and has special responsibility for children's affairs. The Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank, however, the minister often attends cabinet meetings. The position, in its current form, was created on December 20, 1994.

The current incumbent is Brian Lenihan, Jr, TD, who took up the post in 2002.

[edit] List of Ministers of State for Children

	#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
		Austin Currie	December 20, 1994	June 26, 1997	Fine Gael
		Frank Fahey	July 8, 1997	February 1, 2000	Fianna Fáil
		Mary Hanafin	February 1, 2000	June 6, 1997	Fianna Fáil
		Brian Lenihan, Jr	June 19, 2002	Current office-holder	Fianna Fáil