Minister for Defence (Ireland)

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Minister for Defence
Incumbent
Micheál Martin
since 17 December 2022
Department of Defence
Member of
SeatNewbridge, County Kildare, Ireland
NominatorTaoiseach
AppointerPresident of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holderRichard Mulcahy
Formation22 January 1919
WebsiteDepartment of Defence

The Minister for Defence (Irish: An tAire Cosanta) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Defence. The current Minister for Defence is Micheál Martin, TD.[1] He is also Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The Department of Defence headquarters are in Newbridge, County Kildare

The department is responsible for the

Commander-in-Chief as the Chairman of the Council of Defence. The Defence Act 1954 removed this title, as a result of the reconstitution of the Council of Defence. The President of Ireland, a largely ceremonial role, is considered the Supreme Commander of the Defence Forces.[2] In practice, the Minister acts on the President's behalf and reports to the Irish Government. The Minister for Defence is advised by the Council of Defence on the business of the Department of Defence.[3]

The Minister is assisted by the Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD.

Ministers for Defence since 1919

  Denotes acting Minister
Name Term of office Party Government(s)[a]
Richard Mulcahy[b] (1st time) 22 January 1919 1 April 1919 Sinn Féin 1st DM
Cathal Brugha[c] 1 April 1919 9 January 1922 Sinn Féin 2nd DM • 3rd DM
Richard Mulcahy (2nd time) 10 January 1922 19 March 1924
Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty)
2nd EC
W. T. Cosgrave (acting)[d] 20 March 1924 21 November 1924 Cumann na nGaedheal
2nd EC
Peter Hughes 21 November 1924 23 June 1927 Cumann na nGaedheal
2nd EC
Desmond FitzGerald 23 June 1927 9 March 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal
5th EC
Frank Aiken 9 March 1932 8 September 1939 Fianna Fáil
2nd
Oscar Traynor (1st time) 8 September 1939 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil
4th
Thomas F. O'Higgins 18 February 1948 7 March 1951 Fine Gael
5th
Seán Mac Eoin (1st time) 7 March 1951 13 June 1951 Fine Gael
5th
Oscar Traynor (2nd time) 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 Fianna Fáil
6th
Seán Mac Eoin (2nd time) 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Fine Gael
7th
Kevin Boland 20 March 1957 11 October 1961 Fianna Fáil
9th
Gerald Bartley 11 October 1961 21 April 1965 Fianna Fáil
10th
Michael Hilliard 21 April 1965 2 July 1969 Fianna Fáil
12th
Jim Gibbons 2 July 1969 9 May 1970 Fianna Fáil
13th
Jerry Cronin 9 May 1970 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil
13th
Paddy Donegan 14 March 1973 2 December 1976 Fine Gael
14th
Liam Cosgrave (acting)[e] 2 December 1976 16 December 1976 Fine Gael
14th
Oliver J. Flanagan 16 December 1976 5 July 1977 Fine Gael
14th
Bobby Molloy 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 Fianna Fáil
15th
Pádraig Faulkner 12 December 1979 15 October 1980 Fianna Fáil
16th
Sylvester Barrett 15 October 1980 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil
16th
James Tully 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Labour
17th
Paddy Power 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil
18th
Patrick Cooney 14 December 1982 14 February 1986 Fine Gael
19th
Paddy O'Toole 14 February 1986 10 March 1987 Fine Gael
19th
Michael J. Noonan 10 March 1987 12 July 1989 Fianna Fáil
20th
Brian Lenihan 12 July 1989 31 October 1990 Fianna Fáil
21st
Charles Haughey (acting)[e] 1 November 1990 5 February 1991 Fianna Fáil
21st
Brendan Daly 5 February 1991 14 November 1991 Fianna Fáil
21st
Vincent Brady 14 November 1991 11 February 1992 Fianna Fáil
21st
John Wilson 11 February 1992 12 January 1993 Fianna Fáil
22nd
David Andrews[f] (1st time) 12 January 1993 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil
23rd
Hugh Coveney[f] 15 December 1994 23 May 1995 Fine Gael
24th
Seán Barrett[f] 23 May 1995 26 June 1997 Fine Gael
24th
David Andrews (2nd time) 26 June 1997 8 October 1997 Fianna Fáil
25th
Michael Smith 8 October 1997 29 September 2004 Fianna Fáil
26th
Willie O'Dea 29 September 2004 18 February 2010 Fianna Fáil
28th
Brian Cowen (acting)[e] 18 February 2010 23 March 2010 Fianna Fáil
28th
Tony Killeen 23 March 2010 19 January 2011 Fianna Fáil
28th
Éamon Ó Cuív[g] 20 January 2011 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil
28th
Alan Shatter[h] 9 March 2011 7 May 2014 Fine Gael
29th
Enda Kenny (acting)[e] 7 May 2014 11 July 2014 Fine Gael
29th
Simon Coveney[i] (1st time) 11 July 2014 6 May 2016 Fine Gael
29th
Enda Kenny[e] 6 May 2016 14 June 2017 Fine Gael
30th
Leo Varadkar[e] 14 June 2017 27 June 2020 Fine Gael
31st
Simon Coveney[j] (2nd time) 27 June 2020 17 December 2022 Fine Gael
32nd
Micheál Martin[k] 17 December 2022 Incumbent Fianna Fáil
34th
Notes
  1. ^ Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; PG – Provisional Government; EC – Executive Council.
  2. ^ On the first occasion he served as minister Mulcahy bore the title Minister for National Defence.
  3. ^ Brugha bore the title Secretary of State for Defence.
  4. ^ Also President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Also Taoiseach.
  6. ^ a b c Also Minister for the Marine.
  7. ^ Also Minister for Social Protection and (from 23 January) Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
  8. ^ Also Minister for Justice and Equality.
  9. ^ Also Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
  10. ^ Also Minister for Foreign Affairs.
  11. ^ Also Minister for Foreign Affairs.

See also

References

  1. ^ "List of Ministers and Ministers of State". Government of Ireland. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  2. ^ Defence Act (No. 18 of 1954). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book.
  3. ^ Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, s. 8: Constitution of the Council of Defence (No. 16 of 1924, s. 8), "the Minister for Defence [...] shall be assisted by a Council of Defence". Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 27 June 2020.

External links

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