24th Government of Ireland

The 24th Government of Ireland (15 December 1994 – 26 June 1997) was the 2nd Government of the 27th Dáil. Known as the Rainbow Coalition, it was a coalition of Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left. The Labour Party had been part of the 23rd Government with Fianna Fáil, formed after the 1992 general election, but left in November 1994 following a number of scandals, particularly those which emerged from the Beef Tribunal and the alleged mishandling of the prosecution of paedophile priest Brendan Smyth.[1] After Albert Reynolds was replaced as Fianna Fáil leader by Bertie Ahern, there was speculation that Labour would rejoin Fianna Fáil in government, but instead it formed a government with two parties which had been in opposition. By-election gains since 1992 meant the three parties had enough TDs between them for an overall majority. It is the only time to date that a new government was formed within the same Dáil term composed of different parties.

24th Government of Ireland
Date formed	15 December 1994
Date dissolved	26 June 1997
People and organisations
President	Mary Robinson
Taoiseach	John Bruton
Tánaiste	Dick Spring
Total no. of members	15
Member parties	Fine Gael Labour Party Democratic Left
Status in legislature	Coalition
Opposition party	Fianna Fáil
Opposition leader	Bertie Ahern
History
Legislature term(s)	27th Dáil 20th Seanad
Predecessor	23rd Government
Successor	25th Government

The 24th Government lasted 924 days.

Nomination of Taoiseach

In the Dáil debate on the nomination for Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern and Fine Gael leader John Bruton were proposed. Ahern was defeated by 67 votes to 94, while Bruton was approved.[2] Bruton was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.[3]

15 December 1994 Nomination of Taoiseach vote for John Bruton (FG)[4] Motion proposed by Nora Owen and seconded by Paddy Harte Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fine Gael (47), Labour Party (32), Democratic Left (6)	85 / 166
No	Fianna Fáil (65), Progressive Democrats (9)	74 / 166
Absent or Not voting	Independent (3), Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (1), Green Party (1), Independent Fianna Fáil (1)	7 / 166

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, John Bruton proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[3][5] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]

Office	Name	Term	Party
Taoiseach	John Bruton	1994–97		Fine Gael
Tánaiste	Dick Spring	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Finance	Ruairi Quinn	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for Health	Michael Noonan	1994–97		Fine Gael
Minister for Equality and Law Reform	Mervyn Taylor	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht	Michael D. Higgins	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for the Environment	Brendan Howlin	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for Education	Niamh Bhreathnach	1994–97		Labour Party
Minister for Justice	Nora Owen	1994–97		Fine Gael
Minister for Social Welfare	Proinsias De Rossa	1994–97		Democratic Left
Minister for Tourism and Trade	Enda Kenny	1994–97		Fine Gael
Minister for Enterprise and Employment	Richard Bruton	1994–97		Fine Gael
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry	Ivan Yates	1994–97		Fine Gael
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications	Michael Lowry	1994–96		Fine Gael
Minister for Defence	Hugh Coveney	1994–95		Fine Gael
Minister for the Marine
Changes 23 May 1995 Hugh Coveney was demoted to a junior ministry in 1995 after allegations of improper contact with businessmen.[7][8]
Minister for Defence	Seán Barrett	1995–97		Fine Gael
Minister for the Marine
Changes 30 November 1996 Michael Lowry resigned following reports of improper payments from businessman Ben Dunne.
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications	John Bruton	(acting)		Fine Gael
Changes 3 December 1996 Appointment to fill the vacancy.[9][10]
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications	Alan Dukes	1996–97		Fine Gael

Attorney General

Dermot Gleeson SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[3][6]

Ministers of State

On 15 December 1994, Seán Barrett, TD to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip. Also on the same day Pat Rabbitte, TD was appointed to the position of Minister of State to the Government.[3] This was the first time a Minister of State other than the Chief Whip attended cabinet.[11] On 20 December 1994, the Government appointed the other Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[6]

Name	Department	Responsibility	Party
Seán Barrett	Taoiseach Minister of State at the Department of Defence	Government Chief Whip		Fine Gael
Pat Rabbitte	Minister of State to the Government Enterprise and Employment	Commerce, science and technology and consumer affairs		Democratic Left
Emmet Stagg	Transport, Energy and Communications			Labour Party
Brian O'Shea	Health	Mental handicap, health promotion, food safety and public health		Labour Party
Eithne FitzGerald	Office of the Tánaiste Enterprise and Employment	Labour Affairs		Labour Party
Joan Burton	Foreign Affairs Justice	Overseas development assistance		Labour Party
Toddy O'Sullivan	Tourism and Trade			Labour Party
Gay Mitchell	Taoiseach Foreign Affairs	European affairs IFSC and local development initiatives		Fine Gael
Bernard Allen	Education Environment	Youth and sport Local government reform		Fine Gael
Bernard Durkan	Social Welfare			Fine Gael
Jimmy Deenihan	Agriculture, Food and Forestry			Fine Gael
Phil Hogan	Finance			Fine Gael
Austin Currie	Health Education Justice			Fine Gael
Eamon Gilmore	Marine			Democratic Left
Liz McManus	Environment			Democratic Left
Changes 27 January 1995 Following the increase in the number of Ministers of State permitted from 15 to 17 in the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1995.
Name	Department	Responsibility	Party
Avril Doyle	Taoiseach Finance			Fine Gael
Donal Carey	Taoiseach Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht			Fine Gael
Changes 10 February 1995 Resignation of Phil Hogan after details of the budget were leaked.[12][13]
Name	Department	Responsibility	Party
Jim Higgins	Finance			Fine Gael
Changes 24 May 1995 Following the appointment of Seán Barrett to government.
Name	Department	Responsibility	Party
Jim Higgins	Taoiseach Defence	Government Chief Whip		Fine Gael
Hugh Coveney	Finance			Fine Gael

Constitutional referendums

The Fifteenth Amendment was proposed by Minister for Equality and Law Reform Mervyn Taylor and approved in a referendum on 24 November 1995. It removed the prohibition on divorce, replacing it terms allowing a court to dissolve a marriage, including a requirement to have been separated for four of the previous five years. It was followed by Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996.

The Sixteenth Amendment was proposed by Minister for Justice Nora Owen and approved in a referendum on 28 November 1996. It allowed a court to refuse bail to someone convicted of a serious offence when reasonably considered necessary to prevent the commission of a serious offence by that person. It was followed by the Bail Act 1997.

Dissolution

On 15 May 1997, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, and a general election was held on 6 June.[14] When the members of the 28th Dáil met on 26 June, Bertie Ahern was nominated and appointed as Taoiseach and formed a Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition government.

References

1. "Resignation of Taoiseach and Ministerial Changes: Statement – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 22 November 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
2. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 December 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
3. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 December 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
4. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 December 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
5. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 December 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
6. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 25 January 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
7. "Nomination of Member of the Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 23 May 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
8. "Appointment of Member of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Wednesday, 24 May 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
9. "Nomination of Member of the Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 3 December 1996". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
10. "Appointment of Member of Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Wednesday, 4 December 1996". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
11. "Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Minister of State's Status and Role – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Wednesday, 25 January 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
12. "Resignation of Minister of State: Personal Explanation – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 9 February 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
13. "Appointment of Minister of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 14 February 1995". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
14. "Dissolution of Dáil – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Thursday, 15 May 1997". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 31 March 2020.