Minister for Finance (Ireland)
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The Minister for Finance (Irish: Aire Airgeadais) is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.
The current Minister for Finance is Brian Lenihan, Jnr, TD. He is assisted by Martin Mansergh, TD, the 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, or in Irish Státchiste); a term previously used under the Irish Chancellor of the Exchequer.
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[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. Many Ministers who have held the Finance portfolio have gone on to become Taoiseach, including Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds, John Bruton, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen.
[edit] Minister for Finance 1919–present
The asterisk (*) indicates Ministers who held both the Finance and Public Service portfolios at the same time.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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