Government of the 22nd Dáil

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Government of the 22nd Dáil
17th Government of Ireland
Garret Fitzgerald.jpg
Date formed30 June 1981
Date dissolved9 March 1982
People and organisations
PresidentPatrick Hillery
TaoiseachGarret FitzGerald
TánaisteMichael O'Leary
Total no. of members15
Member partiesFine Gael
Labour Party
Status in legislatureMinority Coalition
Opposition partyFianna Fáil
Opposition leaderCharles Haughey
History
Election(s)1981 general election
Legislature term(s)22nd Dáil
15th Seanad
Predecessor16th Government
Successor18th Government

The Government of the 22nd Dáil or the 17th Government of Ireland (30 June 1981 – 9 March 1982) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1981 general election. It was a minority coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach.

The 17th Government lasted for 252 days.

17th Government of Ireland[]

Nomination of Taoiseach[]

The members of the 22nd Dáil first met on 30 June 1981. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Charles Haughey, and Fine Gael leader Garret FitzGerald were both proposed.[1] The nomination of Haughey was defeated with 79 votes in favour to 83 against, while the nomination of FitzGerald was carried with 81 in favour and 78 against. FitzGerald was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Patrick Hillery.[2]

30 June 1981
Nomination of Garret FitzGerald (FG) as Taoiseach[3]
Motion proposed by Oliver J. Flanagan and seconded by Ivan Yates
Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote Parties Votes
checkY Yes Fine Gael (65), Labour Party (15), Jim Kemmy (1)
81 / 166
No Fianna Fáil (78)
78 / 166
Not voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Socialist Labour Party (1), Sinn Féin – Workers' Party (1), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Seán Dublin Bay Rockall Loftus (1)
5 / 166
In prison Anti H-Block (2)
2 / 166

Members of the Government[]

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Garret FitzGerald proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[2] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[4]

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Tánaiste Michael O'Leary 1981–1982 Labour
Minister for Industry and Energy[a]
Minister for Agriculture Alan Dukes 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Defence James Tully 1981–1982 Labour
Minister for Education John Boland 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for the Environment Peter Barry 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Finance John Bruton 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Tom Fitzpatrick 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Foreign Affairs John Kelly 1981 (acting) Fine Gael
Minister for the Gaeltacht Paddy O'Toole 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Health Eileen Desmond 1981–1982 Labour
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Justice Jim Mitchell 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Labour Liam Kavanagh 1981–1982 Labour
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs Patrick Cooney 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Minister for Transport
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism[b] John Kelly 1981–1982 Fine Gael

Change 21 October 1981[]

Appointment of Sen. James Dooge, whose nomination had to await until after the election to Seanad Éireann.[7][8]

Office Name Term Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs James Dooge 1981–1982 Fine Gael
Notes
  1. ^ On 21 August 1981, the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Industry and Energy.[5]
  2. ^ On 21 August 1981, the Department of Industry, Commerce and Tourism was renamed as the Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism.[6]

Attorney General[]

On 30 July 1981, Peter Sutherland SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[2][4]

Ministers of State[]

On 30 June 1981, the Government appointed Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[4]

Name Department(s) Responsibility Party
Gerry L'Estrange Taoiseach Government Chief Whip Fine Gael
Defence Defence
Edward Collins Industry and Energy Oil and Minerals Exploration Fine Gael
Fergus O'Brien Environment Housing Fine Gael
Donal Creed Health Health Fine Gael
Mary Flaherty Health
Social Welfare 		Poverty and the Family Fine Gael
Joseph Bermingham Finance Office of Public Works Labour
Barry Desmond Finance Economic Planning Labour
Paddy Harte Posts and Telegraphs Telecommunications Fine Gael
Michael Begley Trade, Commerce and Tourism Tourism Fine Gael
Michael Keating Education Youth and Sport Fine Gael
Dick Spring Justice Law Reform Labour
Michael D'Arcy Agriculture Production and Marketing Fine Gael
Ted Nealon Agriculture Western Development Fine Gael
Jim O'Keeffe Foreign Affairs Overseas Development Fine Gael

Changes 11 November 1981[]

Reshuffle on health grounds of L'Estrange.[9][10]

Name Department(s) Responsibility Party
Fergus O'Brien Taoiseach Government Chief Whip Fine Gael
Defence Defence
Donal Creed Environment Housing Fine Gael
Gerry L'Estrange Health Health Fine Gael

Confidence in the government[]

On 27 January 1982, the Minister for Finance John Bruton proposed the budget.[11] The budget was defeated with 81 votes cast in favour and 82 votes cast against.[12] The Taoiseach sought a dissolution of the Dáil, which was granted by the president, leading to the February 1982 general election.

See also[]

Footnotes[]

  1. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1981. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 30 June 1981. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Nomination of Taoiseach – Votes – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 10 June 1981. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 7 July 1981. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  5. ^ Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1981 (S.I. No. 289 of 1981). 19 August 1981. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 1 February 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  6. ^ Industry, Commerce and Tourism (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1981 (S.I. No. 290 of 1981). 19 August 1981. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved 1 February 2020, Irish Statute Book.
  7. ^ "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 20 October 1981. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.; "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 21 October 1981. Archived from the original on 5 November 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.; "Nomination of Member of Government: Motion (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 21 October 1981. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Appointment of Minister – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 22 October 1981. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  9. ^ "New Chief Whip". The Irish Times. 12 November 1981. p. 9. Retrieved 13 September 2021. Mr. L'Estrange, who is understood to have asked the Taoiseach, Dr. FitzGerald, to be relieved of his position on health grounds, has been made Minister of State at the Department of Health.
  10. ^ "Resignations and Appointments of Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 11 November 1981. Archived from the original on 18 December 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  11. ^ "Financial Resolutions, 1982 - Financial Statement, Budget, 1982 – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 January 1982. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  12. ^ "Financial Resolutions, 1982 - Financial Statement, Budget, 1982 – Dáil Éireann (22nd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 27 January 1982. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
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