Government of the 29th Dáil
The Government of the 29th Dáil or the 26th Government of Ireland (6 June 2002 – 14 June 2007) was the government of Ireland formed after the 2002 general election which had been held on 17 May 2002. It was led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, with Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney as Tánaiste. It was the first, and to date only, coalition government to be returned to government after an election; both parties increased their number of seats, and together secured a Dáil majority, where in the previous government they had governed together as a minority government dependent on the support of Independent TDs.
| Government of the 29th Dáil | |
|---|---|
| 26th Government of Ireland | |
 | |
| Date formed | 6 June 2002 |
| Date dissolved | 14 June 2007 |
| People and organisations | |
| President | Mary McAleese |
| Taoiseach | Bertie Ahern |
| Tánaiste |
|
| Total no. of members | 15 |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Coalition |
| Opposition party | Fine Gael |
| Opposition leader | Enda Kenny |
| History | |
| Election(s) | 2002 general election |
| Legislature term(s) | 29th Dáil 22nd Seanad |
| Predecessor | 25th Government |
| Successor | 27th Government |
The 26th Government lasted for 1834 days.
26th Government of Ireland
Nomination of Taoiseach
The members of the 29th Dáil first met on 6 June. In the debate on the nomination of Taoisech, outgoing Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn, and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent were each proposed. Ahern received the nomination of the Dáil.[1] Ahern was then re-appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary McAleese.[2]
| 6 June 2002 Nomination of Taoiseach vote for Bertie Ahern (FF)[1] Motion proposed by Charlie McCreevy and seconded by Mary Harney Absolute majority: 84/166 | ||
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 | Fianna Fáil (80), Progressive Democrats (8), Independent (5) | 93 / 166 |
| No | Fine Gael (31), Labour Party (21), Green Party (6), Sinn Féin (5), Independent (4), Socialist Party (1) | 68 / 166 |
| Not voting | Independent (4), Ceann Comhairle (1) | 5 / 166 |
Members of the Government
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Bertie Ahern proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[2] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[3]
- Changes to departments
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development was renamed the Department of Agriculture and Food on 19 June 2002.[4]
- The Department of Marine and Natural Resources was renamed the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on 19 June 2002.[5]
- The Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation was renamed the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism on 19 June 2002.[6]
- The Department of Public Enterprise was renamed the Department of Transport on 19 June 2002.[7]
- The Department of Environment and Local Government was renamed the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government on 10 June 2003.[8]
- The Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and The Islands was renamed the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 19 June 2002.[9]
- The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs was renamed the Department of Social and Family Affairs on 19 June 2002.[10]
Attorney General
Rory Brady SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[2][3]
Ministers of State
On 6 June 2002, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Mary Hanafin to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip and Dick Roche, the position of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with special responsibility for European Affairs.[2] On 18 June, the Taoiseach announced that the Government had appointed with effect from 19 June the other 15 Ministers of State and that the Government had also appointed Mary Hanafin to be Minister of State at the Department of Defence.[3]
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibilities | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Hanafin | Taoiseach Defence | Government Chief Whip Defence Information society |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Dick Roche | Taoiseach Foreign Affairs |
European Affairs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Tom Kitt | Foreign Affairs | Overseas Development and Human Rights | Fianna Fáil | |
| Síle de Valera | Education and Science | Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage | Fianna Fáil | |
| Jim McDaid | Transport | Road Traffic and Road Haulage | Fianna Fáil | |
| Frank Fahey | Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Labour Affairs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Noel Treacy | Agriculture and Food | Food and Horticulture | Fianna Fáil | |
| Willie O'Dea | Justice, Equality and Law Reform | Equality and Disability Issues | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pat "the Cope" Gallagher | Environment, Heritage and Local Government | Environmental Protection | Fianna Fáil | |
| Liam Aylward | Agriculture and Food | Animal Health and Welfare; and Customer Service | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Browne | Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | Marine | Fianna Fáil | |
| Michael Ahern | Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Minister of State for Trade and Commerce | Fianna Fáil | |
| Ivor Callely | Health and Children | Older People | Fianna Fáil | |
| Noel Ahern | Environment, Heritage and Local Government Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs |
Housing and Urban Renewal Drugs Strategy and Community Affairs |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Brian Lenihan | Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science | Children | Fianna Fáil | |
| Tim O'Malley | Health and Children | Mental Health Services and Food Safety | Progressive Democrats | |
| Tom Parlon | Finance | Office of Public Works | Progressive Democrats | |
Changes 29 September 2004Following cabinet reshuffle.[12] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibilities | Party | |
| Tom Kitt | Taoiseach Defence |
Government Chief Whip | Fianna Fáil | |
| Frank Fahey | Justice, Equality and Law Reform | Equality and Disability Issues | Fianna Fáil | |
| Noel Treacy | Taoiseach Foreign Affairs |
European Affairs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pat "the Cope" Gallagher | Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | Marine | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Browne | Agriculture and Food | Forestry | Fianna Fáil | |
| Ivor Callely | Transport | Traffic Management, Road Haulage and the Irish Aviation Authority | Fianna Fáil | |
| Seán Power | Health and Children | Health Promotion | Fianna Fáil | |
| Batt O'Keeffe | Environment, Heritage and Local Government | Environmental Protection | Fianna Fáil | |
| Tony Killeen | Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Labour Affairs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Brendan Smith | Agriculture and Food | Food and Horticulture | Fianna Fáil | |
| Conor Lenihan | Foreign Affairs | Overseas Development and Human Rights | Fianna Fáil | |
Changes 14 February 2006Following the resignation of Ivor Callely on 8 December 2005.[14] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibilities | Party | |
| Mary Wallace | Agriculture and Food | Forestry | Fianna Fáil | |
| John Browne | Communications, Marine and Natural Resources | Marine | Fianna Fáil | |
| Pat "the Cope" Gallagher | Transport | Traffic Management, Road Haulage and the Irish Aviation Authority | Fianna Fáil | |
Changes 12 December 2006Following the resignation of Síle de Valera on 8 December 2006.[15] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibilities | Party | |
| Seán Haughey | Education and Science | Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage | Fianna Fáil | |
Dissolution
On 29 April 2007, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, and a general election was held on 24 May.[16] The members of the 30th Dáil met on 14 June and Bertie Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach and formed a new government.
References
- "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Thursday, 6 June 2002". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Thursday, 6 June 2002". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Tuesday, 18 June 2002". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
- "Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Marine and Natural Resources (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Environment and Local Government (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2003". Irish Statute Book. 10 June 2003. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and The Islands (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Social, Community and Family Affairs (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2002". Irish Statute Book. 18 June 2002. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
- "Nomination of Members of the Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Wednesday, 29 September 2004". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State: Statements – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Thursday, 30 September 2004". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
- "Nomination of Tánaiste: Statement – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Wednesday, 27 September 2006". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
- "Appointment of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Tuesday, 14 February 2006". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "Appointment of Minister of State – Dáil Éireann (29th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 December 2006". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "President dissolves Dáil, clears way for election". The Irish Times. 30 April 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2020.