The Minister of State at the Department of Defence (Irish: Aire Stáit ag an Roinn Cosanta) is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Defence of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Defence. Although the position has often been held jointly with that of the post of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with responsibility as Government Chief Whip, which entitles the office-holder to regularly attend meetings of cabinet, the position of Minister of State does not itself hold cabinet rank. The title was first used on 1 January 1978, replacing the position of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence. The Minister of State at the Department of Defence is a member of the Council of Defence.[1]
The current Minister of State is Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD, who was appointed in April 2024. Carroll MacNeill is also Minister of State for European Affairs.
List of parliamentary secretaries, 1924–1978 edit
List of ministers of state, 1978–present edit
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Lalor | 1 January 1978 | 1 July 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 15th | |
| Michael Woods | 1 July 1979 | 11 December 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 15th | |
| Seán Moore | 13 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | Fianna Fáil | 16th | |
| Gerry L'Estrange | 30 June 1981 | 11 November 1981 | Fine Gael | 17th | |
| Fergus O'Brien | 11 November 1981 | 9 March 1982 | Fine Gael | 17th | |
| Bertie Ahern | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | Fianna Fáil | 18th | |
| Seán Barrett | 14 December 1982 | 13 February 1986 | Fine Gael | 19th | |
| Fergus O'Brien | 13 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | Fine Gael | 19th | |
| Vincent Brady | 10 March 1987 | 14 November 1991 | Fianna Fáil | 20th • 21st | |
| Dermot Ahern | 15 November 1991 | 11 February 1992 | Fianna Fáil | 21st | |
| Noel Dempsey | 11 February 1992 | 15 December 1994 | Fianna Fáil | 22nd • 23rd | |
| Seán Barrett | 15 December 1994 | 23 May 1995 | Fine Gael | 24th | |
| Jim Higgins | 24 May 1995 | 26 June 1997 | Fine Gael | 24th | |
| Séamus Brennan | 26 June 1997 | 6 June 2002 | Fianna Fáil | 25th | |
| Mary Hanafin | 6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | Fianna Fáil | 26th | |
| Tom Kitt | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | Fianna Fáil | 26th • 27th | |
| Pat Carey | 7 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | Fianna Fáil | 28th | |
| John Curran | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | 28th | |
| Paul Kehoe | 9 March 2011 | 27 June 2020 | Fine Gael | 29th • 30th • 31st | |
| Jack Chambers | 17 November 2020 | 17 December 2022 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd | |
| Peter Burke | 21 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | Fine Gael | 33rd[5] | |
| Jennifer Carroll MacNeill | 9 April 2024 | Incumbent | Fine Gael | 34th | |
References edit
- ^ Defence Act 1954, s. 11: The Council of Defence (No. 18 of 1954, s. 11). Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 1 March 2021.
- ^ "Fourth Dáil". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ a b c "Eighth Dáil". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Thirteenth Dáil". Government of Ireland. 27 November 2018. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Carroll MacNeill and O'Donnell promoted to junior ministers". RTÉ News. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2022.