Government of the 27th Dáil

Govt of the 25th Dáil (1987)
Govt of the 26th Dáil (1989)
Govt of the 27th Dáil (1992)
Govt of the 28th Dáil (1997)
Govt of the 29th Dáil (2002)

The 27th Dáil was elected at the 1992 general election on 25 November 1992 but did not meet until 4 January 1993, however the 23rd Government of Ireland was not appointed until the 12 January. The 27th Dáil lasted a total of 1,654 days.

Contents

23rd Government of Ireland

The 23rd Government of Ireland (12 January 1993 – 15 December 1994) was formed by the Fianna Fáil and the Labour Party. It was the first time that these two parties were in government together, as traditionally Fine Gael was the coalition partner of the Labour Party.

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Albert Reynolds 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste Dick Spring[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry[2] Joe Walsh 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Defence David Andrews 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Marine
Minister for Education Niamh Bhreathnach[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Energy Brian Cowen 1993 Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Environment Michael Smith 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Finance Bertie Ahern 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Industry and Commerce[3] 1993
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht[4] Michael D. Higgins[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Health Brendan Howlin[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Enterprise and Employment[3] Ruairi Quinn[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Justice Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform[5] Mervyn Taylor[1] 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Social Welfare Michael Woods 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications Charlie McCreevy 1993 Fianna Fáil

Changes 22 January 1993
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Tourism and Trade[6] Charlie McCreevy 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications[7] Brian Cowen 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil

Changes 18 November 1994 [8]
Office Name Term Party
Tánaiste Bertie Ahern 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Minister for Education Michael Smith 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Foreign Affairs Albert Reynolds 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Health Michael Woods 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment Charlie McCreevy 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1994 Fianna Fáil

24th Government of Ireland

The 24th Government of Ireland (15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997) was formed by Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left. Following a number of scandals in 1994, particularly over the beef industry and the alleged mishandling of the prosecution of a clerical paedophile, the Labour Party left the 23rd government and, after negotiations, formed the 24th government (known as the Rainbow Coalition although the term originally referred to a proposed coalition of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and the Progressive Democrats) with Fine Gael and Democratic Left. This was the first time in Irish political history that a party had left a governing coalition and gone into government with opposition parties without first holding a general election.

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach John Bruton 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Tánaiste Dick Spring 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry Ivan Yates 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht Michael D. Higgins 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Defence Hugh Coveney[9] 1994–1995 Fine Gael
Minister for the Marine
Minister for Education Niamh Bhreathnach 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Equality and Law Reform Mervyn Taylor 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Enterprise and Employment Richard Bruton 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for the Environment Brendan Howlin 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Finance Ruairi Quinn 1994–1997 Labour Party
Minister for Health Michael Noonan 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for Justice Nora Owen 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for Social Welfare Proinsias De Rossa 1994–1997 Democratic Left
Minister for Tourism and Trade Enda Kenny 1994–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications Michael Lowry[10] 1994–1996 Fine Gael

Changes 23 May 1995
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Defence Seán Barrett 1995–1997 Fine Gael
Minister for the Marine

Changes 30 November 1996
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications John Bruton (acting) Fine Gael

Changes 3 December 1996
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications Alan Dukes 1996–1997 Fine Gael

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b c d e f On 17 November 1994 the Labour Party ministers resigned from the government and their portfolios were reassigned to Fianna Fáil ministers.
  2. ^ On 21 January 1993 the Department of Agriculture and Food was renamed as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
  3. ^ a b On 21 January 1993 the Department of Industry and Commerce was renamed as the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
  4. ^ On 21 January 1993 the Department of the Gaeltacht was renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
  5. ^ On 21 January 1993 the Department of Labour was renamed as the Department of Equality and Law Reform.
  6. ^ On 22 January 1993 the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade.
  7. ^ On 22 January 1993 the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications was renamed as the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications.
  8. ^ The Labour Party ministers resigned from the government on 17 November 1994. No new members joined the Cabinet and their portfolios were reassigned to Fianna Fáil ministers.
  9. ^ Hugh Coveney was demoted to a junior ministry in 1995 after allegations of improper contact with businessmen.
  10. ^ Michael Lowry resigned in 1996 following reports of improper payments from businessman Ben Dunne.