Government of the 33rd Dáil

The Government of the 33rd Dáil or the 32nd Government of Ireland is the government of Ireland which was formed on 27 June 2020, following negotiations on a programme for government for a coalition government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party that followed the 2020 general election to Dáil Éireann held on 8 February. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will serve as Taoiseach, with Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar serving as Tánaiste. It has been agreed that the government will last until December 2022, after which the positions will rotate, with Varadkar forming a new government as Taoiseach, and Martin serving as Tánaiste.[1] It is the first time that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have participated in the same government, which Varadkar has suggested signifies the end of what has often been referred to as Civil War politics.[2][3]

Government of the 33rd Dáil
32nd Government of Ireland
Date formed	27 June 2020
People and organisations
President	Michael D. Higgins
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin
Tánaiste	Leo Varadkar
No. of ministers	15
Member parties	Fine Gael Fianna Fáil Green Party
Status in legislature	Majority (coalition)
Opposition cabinet	Sinn Féin Front Bench
Opposition party	Sinn Féin
Opposition leader	Mary Lou McDonald
History
Election(s)	2020 general election
Legislature term(s)	33rd Dáil 26th Seanad
Predecessor	31st Government

32nd Government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 33rd Dáil first met on 20 February. Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan were each proposed for nomination as Taoiseach. None of the four motions were successful. Varadkar announced that he would resign as Taoiseach but that under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the members of the government would continue to carry out their duties until their successors were appointed.[4][5]

On 27 June, the Dáil again debated nominations for the position of Taoiseach. The nomination of Martin was approved by the Dáil.[6] Martin was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Michael D. Higgins.[7][8]

27 June 2020 Nomination of Micheál Martin (FF) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by Norma Foley and seconded by James O'Connor Absolute majority: 81/160[9]
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fianna Fáil (37), Fine Gael (35), Green Party (12), Independents (9)	93 / 160
No	Sinn Féin (37), Independents (7), Labour Party (6), Social Democrats (6), Solidarity–People Before Profit (5), Aontú (1), Right To Change (1)	63 / 160
Abstain	Independents (3)	3 / 160
Not voting	Ceann Comhairle (1)	1 / 160

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Micheál Martin proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[8][10][11] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[12][13]

Office	Name	Term	Party
Taoiseach	Micheál Martin[lower-alpha 1]	2020–		Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste	Leo Varadkar	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment				Fine Gael
Minister for Climate Action and Communications Networks	Eamon Ryan	2020–		Green Party
Minister for Transport				Green Party
Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht	Catherine Martin	2020–		Green Party
Minister for Children, Disability, Equality and Integration	Roderic O'Gorman	2020–		Green Party
Minister for Finance	Paschal Donohoe	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Simon Coveney	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Defence				Fine Gael
Minister for Justice	Helen McEntee	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science	Simon Harris	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Community and Rural Development and the Islands	Heather Humphreys	2020–		Fine Gael
Minister for Social Protection				Fine Gael
Minister for Education	Norma Foley	2020–		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage	Darragh O'Brien	2020–		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Agriculture and the Marine	Barry Cowen	2020		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform	Michael McGrath	2020–		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Health	Stephen Donnelly	2020–		Fianna Fáil
Changes 15 July 2020 Following the sacking of Barry Cowen on 14 July.[15][14][16][17]
Office	Name	Term	Party
Minister for Agriculture and the Marine	Dara Calleary	2020–		Fianna Fáil

Notes

1. Martin served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine between the termination of the appointment of Cowen on 14 July 2020 and the appointment of Calleary to government on 15 July 2020.[14]

Attorney General

Paul Gallagher SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach, a role he had previously served in from 2007 to 2011.[8][13]

Ministers of State

On 27 June 2020, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Dara Calleary, TD, Hildegarde Naughton, TD, and Sen. Pippa Hackett as Ministers of State, each of whom will be in attendance at cabinet without a vote.[8] Pippa Hackett is the first senator to have been appointed as a Minister of State. On 1 July, the government appointed a further seventeen Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[18][13]

Name	Department(s)	Responsibilities	Party
Dara Calleary (In attendance at cabinet)	Taoiseach Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Transport, Tourism and Sport	Government Chief Whip[19] Gaeltacht Sport		Fianna Fáil
Hildegarde Naughton (In attendance at cabinet)	Transport, Tourism and Sport	International and Road Transport and Logistics		Fine Gael
Pippa Hackett (In attendance at cabinet)	Agriculture, Food and the Marine	Land Use and Biodiversity		Green Party
Thomas Byrne	Taoiseach Foreign Affairs and Trade	European Affairs		Fianna Fáil
Patrick O'Donovan	Public Expenditure and Reform	Office of Public Works		Fine Gael
Ossian Smyth	Public Expenditure and Reform	Public Procurement and eGovernment		Green Party
Jack Chambers	Finance	Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance		Fianna Fáil
Josepha Madigan	Education and Skills	Special Education and Inclusion		Fine Gael
Martin Heydon	Agriculture, Food and the Marine	Research & Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development		Fine Gael
Anne Rabbitte	Justice and Equality[lower-alpha 1]	Disability		Fianna Fáil
Colm Brophy	Foreign Affairs and Trade	Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora		Fine Gael
Charlie McConalogue	Justice and Equality	Law Reform		Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins	Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science	Skills and Further Education		Fianna Fáil
Joe O'Brien	Rural and Community Development	Community Development and Charities		Green Party
Peter Burke	Housing, Planning and Local Government	Local Government and Planning		Fine Gael
Malcolm Noonan	Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Housing, Planning and Local Government[lower-alpha 2]	Heritage and Electoral Reform		Green Party
Robert Troy	Foreign Affairs and Trade[lower-alpha 3]	Trade Promotion		Fianna Fáil
Damien English	Employment Affairs and Social Protection Business, Enterprise and Innovation[lower-alpha 4]	Employment Affairs and Retail Businesses		Fine Gael
Mary Butler	Health	Mental Health and Older People		Fianna Fáil
Frank Feighan	Health	Public Health, Well Being and National Drugs Strategy		Fine Gael
Changes 15 July 2020 Following the appointment of Calleary to Government.[16]
Name	Department(s)	Responsibilities	Party
Jack Chambers (In attendance at cabinet)	Taoiseach Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Transport, Tourism and Sport[lower-alpha 5]	Government Chief Whip[20] Gaeltacht Sport		Fianna Fáil
Seán Fleming	Finance	Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance		Fianna Fáil

1. Following the formal reconfiguration of Departments, Rabbitte will be assigned to the Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration.[18]
2. Following the formal reconfiguration of Departments, Noonan will be assigned to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.[18]
3. Following the formal reconfiguration of Departments, Troy will be assigned to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.[18]
4. Following the formal reconfiguration of Departments, English will be assigned to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.[18]
5. Following the formal reconfiguration of Departments, Chambers will be assigned to the Department of Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht.[18]

See also

• Politics of the Republic of Ireland

References

1. "FF, FG and Green Party agree historic coalition deal". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. 26 June 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
2. Blackall, Molly; agencies (27 June 2020). "Micheál Martin becomes Irish taoiseach in historic coalition". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
3. O'Halloran, Marie; Kelly, Fiach; Leahy, Pat (27 June 2020). "Micheál Martin elected Taoiseach as head of coalition". The Irish Times. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
4. Constitution of Ireland, Article 28.11.
5. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Thursday, 20 February 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
6. "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Saturday, 27 June 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
7. "President Higgins presents Taoiseach with Seal of Office". President of Ireland. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
8. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Saturday, 29 June 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
9. "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Votes – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Saturday, 27 June 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 28 June 2020. That Dáil Éireann nominate Deputy Micheál Martin for appointment by the President to be Taoiseach
10. Lehane, Mícheál (27 June 2020). "New coalition Cabinet: who has got what". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
11. "Statement by the Taoiseach, Michéal Martin TD, Announcement of Government". gov.ie. Government of Ireland. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
12. "President appoints members of Government". President of Ireland. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
13. "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Tuesday, 7 July 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
14. "Termination of Ministerial Appointment: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Tuesday, 14 July 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
15. "Barry Cowen sacked as Minister for Agriculture". RTÉ News. 14 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
16. "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) – Wednesday, 14 July 2020". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
17. "Dara Calleary appointed new Minister for Agriculture". RTÉ News. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
18. "Minister of State Appointments". MerrionStreet.ie. 1 July 2020. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
19. "Statistics (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2020". 13 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
20. "Statistics (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2020". 27 July 2020. Retrieved 4 August 2020.