- Minister for Defence (Ireland)
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Minister for Defence Appointer President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach Inaugural holder Richard Mulcahy Formation 22 January 1919 Website defence.ie The Minister for Defence (Irish: An tAire Cosanta) is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside.
The current Minister for Defence is Alan Shatter, TD. He is assisted by:
The department is responsible for the Irish Defence Forces; its primary concern is that of ensuring a secure and stable environment for the economic growth and development of the country. The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 assigned the minister the additional title of Commander-in-Chief as the Chairman of the Council of Defence. The Defence Act, 1954 removed this title as a result of the reconstitution of the Council of Defence.
Contents
Minister for Defence 1919–present
Denotes acting MinisterNo. Name Entered Office Left Office Party 1. Richard Mulcahy[1] (1st time) 22 January 1919 1 April 1919 Sinn Féin 2. Cathal Brugha[2] 1 April 1919 9 January 1922 Sinn Féin Richard Mulcahy (2nd time) 10 January 1922 19 March 1924 Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin 3. W. T. Cosgrave (acting) 20 March 1924 21 November 1924 Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin 4. Peter Hughes 21 November 1924 23 June 1927 Cumann na nGaedheal 5. Desmond FitzGerald 23 June 1927 9 March 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal 6. Frank Aiken 9 March 1932 8 September 1939 Fianna Fáil 7. Oscar Traynor (1st time) 8 September 1939 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil 8. Thomas F. O'Higgins 18 February 1948 7 March 1951 Fine Gael 9. Seán Mac Eoin (1st time) 7 March 1951 13 June 1951 Fine Gael Oscar Traynor (2nd time) 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 Fianna Fáil Seán Mac Eoin (2nd time) 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Fine Gael 10. Kevin Boland 20 March 1957 11 October 1961 Fianna Fáil 11. Gerald Bartley 11 October 1961 21 April 1965 Fianna Fáil 12. Michael Hilliard 21 April 1965 2 July 1969 Fianna Fáil 13. Jim Gibbons 2 July 1969 9 May 1970 Fianna Fáil 14. Jerry Cronin 9 May 1970 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil 15. Paddy Donegan 14 March 1973 2 December 1976 Fine Gael 16. Liam Cosgrave (acting) 2 December 1976 16 December 1976 Fine Gael 17. Oliver J. Flanagan 16 December 1976 5 July 1977 Fine Gael 18. Bobby Molloy 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 Fianna Fáil 19. Pádraig Faulkner 12 December 1979 15 October 1980 Fianna Fáil 20. Sylvester Barrett 15 October 1979 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil 21. James Tully 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Labour Party 22. Paddy Power 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil 23. Patrick Cooney 14 December 1982 14 February 1986 Fine Gael 24. Paddy O'Toole 14 February 1982 10 March 1987 Fine Gael 25. Michael J. Noonan 10 March 1987 12 July 1989 Fianna Fáil 26. Brian Lenihan 12 July 1989 31 October 1990 Fianna Fáil 27. Charles Haughey (acting) 1 November 1990 5 February 1991 Fianna Fáil 28. Brendan Daly 5 February 1991 14 November 1991 Fianna Fáil 29. Vincent Brady 14 November 1991 11 February 1992 Fianna Fáil 30. John Wilson 11 February 1992 12 January 1993 Fianna Fáil 31. David Andrews[3] (1st time) 12 January 1993 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil 32. Hugh Coveney[3] 15 December 1994 23 May 1995 Fine Gael 33. Seán Barrett[3] 23 May 1995 26 June 1997 Fine Gael David Andrews (2nd time) 26 June 1997 8 October 1997 Fianna Fáil 34. Michael Smith 8 October 1997 29 September 2004 Fianna Fáil 35. Willie O'Dea 29 September 2004 18 February 2010 Fianna Fáil 36. Brian Cowen (acting) 18 February 2010 23 March 2010 Fianna Fáil 37. Tony Killeen 23 March 2010 19 January 2011 Fianna Fáil 38. Éamon Ó Cuív 20 January 2011 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil 39. Alan Shatter 9 March 2011 Incumbent Fine Gael See also
References
External links
Categories:- Government ministers of the Republic of Ireland
- Lists of government ministers of Ireland
- Ministries established in 1919
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