23rd Government of Ireland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

23rd Government of Ireland
Date formed12 January 1993
Date dissolved15 December 1994
People and organisations
PresidentMary Robinson
TaoiseachAlbert Reynolds
TánaisteDick Spring
Bertie Ahern from Nov. 1994)
Total no. of members15
Member partiesFianna Fáil
Labour Party left Nov. 1994)
Status in legislatureCoalition
Opposition partyFine Gael
Opposition leaderJohn Bruton
History
Election(s)1992 general election
Legislature term(s)27th Dáil
20th Seanad
Predecessor22nd Government
Successor24th Government

The 1992 general election was held on 25 November 1992. The 23rd Government of Ireland, the first government of the 27th Dáil, was a coalition of Fianna Fáil (with leader Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach) and the Labour Party, with leader Dick Spring as Tánaiste. It was the first time that these two parties were in government together; on each previous occasion Labour was in government, it was a junior coalition party with Fine Gael. The 27th Dáil lasted until 1997, but the first government fell in 1994 after the breakdown of relations between the two parties. It was succeeded by the 24th Government, a coalition of Labour with Fine Gael under John Bruton and Democratic Left under Proinsias De Rossa, with Spring serving again as Tánaiste under Bruton as Taoiseach. This was the only time a new government with a different party composition was formed within a single Dáil term.

Nomination of Taoiseach[]

The members of the 27th Dáil first met on 14 December 1992. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Fine Gael leader John Bruton and Labour Party leader Dick Spring were each proposed. None of these proposals were passed by the Dáil: Reynolds received 68 votes in favour with 94 against, Bruton received 55 in favour to 107 against, and Spring received 39 in favour to 122 against.[1] Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and continued in a caretaker capacity.[2]

On 12 January 1993, Albert Reynolds and John Bruton were again proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach, and on this occasion, the nomination of Reynolds was successful by 102 votes to 60.[3] Reynolds was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.[4]

12 January 1993
Nomination of Albert Reynolds (FF) as Taoiseach[5]
Motion proposed by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and seconded by Dick Spring
Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote Parties Votes
checkY Yes Fianna Fáil (68), Labour Party (33), Independent Fianna Fáil (1)
102 / 166
No Fine Gael (45), Progressive Democrats (10), Democratic Left (4), Green Party (1)
60 / 166
Not voting Independent (3), Ceann Comhairle (1)
4 / 166

Members of the Government[]

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Albert Reynolds proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[4] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Albert Reynolds 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste Dick Spring 1993–1994 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Finance Bertie Ahern 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Social Welfare Michael Woods 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Justice Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment[a] Ruairi Quinn 1993–1994 Labour
Minister for the Environment Michael Smith 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Defence David Andrews 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Marine
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry[b] Joe Walsh 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Tourism and Trade[c] Charlie McCreevy[d] 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications[e] Brian Cowen[f] 1993–1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform[g] Mervyn Taylor 1993–1994 Labour
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht[h] Michael D. Higgins 1993–1994 Labour
Minister for Health Brendan Howlin 1993–1994 Labour
Minister for Education Niamh Bhreathnach 1993–1994 Labour

Changes 18 November 1994[]

The Labour Party ministers resigned from government on 17 November 1994.
Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach on 18 November and continued to serve in a caretaker capacity.[13]

Minister for Foreign Affairs Albert Reynolds 1994 Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste Bertie Ahern 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Minister for Health Michael Woods 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Education Michael Smith 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment Charlie McCreevy 1994 Fianna Fáil
Notes
  1. ^ The Department of Industry and Commerce was renamed as the Department of Enterprise and Employment on 20 January 1993.[7]
  2. ^ The Department of Agriculture and Food was renamed as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry on 21 January 1993.[8]
  3. ^ The Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade on 22 January 1993.[9]
  4. ^ McCreevy had initially been appointed as Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental function.[6]
  5. ^ The Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications was renamed as the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications on 22 January 1993.[10]
  6. ^ Cowen had initially been appointed as Minister for Energy and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental functions.[6]
  7. ^ The Department of Labour was renamed as the Department of Equality and Law Reform on 21 January 1993.[11]
  8. ^ The Department of the Gaeltacht was renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht on 21 January 1993.[12]

Attorney General[]

On 12 January 1993 Harry Whelehan SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[4][6] He resigned as Attorney General on 11 November 1994 on his nomination as President of the High Court (a position he would serve in for only two days). On 11 November 1994, Eoghan Fitzsimons SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of State[]

On 12 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Noel Dempsey to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip.[4] On 14 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed the other Ministers of State.[6]

Name Department(s) Responsibility Party
Noel Dempsey Taoiseach
Defence
Finance		 Government Chief Whip
Office of Public Works 		Fianna Fáil
Tom Kitt Taoiseach
Foreign Affairs		 European Affairs and
Overseas Development Assistance 		Fianna Fáil
Noel Treacy Taoiseach
Finance
Transport, Energy and Communications		 Energy Fianna Fáil
Mary O'Rourke Enterprise and Employment Labour Affairs Fianna Fáil
Séamus Brennan Enterprise and Employment Commerce and Technology Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht Gaeltacht Fianna Fáil
Eithne FitzGerald Finance
Office of the Tánaiste		 National Development Plan Labour
Liam Aylward Education Youth and Sport Fianna Fáil
Liam Hyland Agriculture, Food and Forestry Forestry and Rural Development Fianna Fáil
Brian O'Shea Agriculture, Food and Forestry Food and Horticulture Labour
Willie O'Dea Justice
Health		 Fianna Fáil
John Browne Environment Environmental Protection Fianna Fáil
Emmet Stagg Environment Housing and Urban Renewal Labour
Gerry O'Sullivan Marine Port Development, Safety and Inland Fisheries Labour
Joan Burton Social Welfare Poverty, including EC Poverty Plans and
the Integration of the Tax and Social Welfare Codes 		Labour

Change on 17 November 1994[]

The Ministers of State from the Labour Party resigned on 17 November 1994.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 14 December 1992. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Resignation of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 December 1992. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  3. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". 12 January 1993.
  4. ^ a b c d "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 12 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Votes – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993".
  6. ^ a b c d e "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 February 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  7. ^ Industry and Commerce (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 19 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  8. ^ Agriculture and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 11 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  9. ^ Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 16 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  10. ^ Tourism, Transport and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 17 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  11. ^ Labour (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 20 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  12. ^ Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order (S.I. No. 22 of 1993). 20 January 1993. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  13. ^ a b "Resignation of Taoiseach and Ministerial Changes: Statement – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 22 November 1994. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
Retrieved from ""