View source for Minister for Posts and Telegraphs

{{Short description|Former Irish government cabinet minister}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2021}}
[[File:Irish Post & Telegraphs P&T (Ireland).png|200px|thumb|right|The original logo of the department, including the [[Tironian notes|Tironian et]] symbol, is still often seen on early postboxes and other older property.]]
[[File:P+T manhole.jpg|thumb|right|Pre-1984 manhole cover showing the P<span style="font-family: segoe ui symbol, helvetica, dejavu sans, sans-serif">⁊</span>T logo]]
The '''Minister for Posts and Telegraphs''' ({{langx|ga|Aire Poist agus Telegrafa}}) was the holder of a position in the [[Government of Ireland]] (and, earlier, in the [[Executive Council of the Irish Free State]]). From 1924 until 1984 – when it was abolished – the minister headed the '''Department of Posts and Telegraphs''' (also known as the '''P&T''' in English and '''P⁊T''' in Irish, and later stylised as '''p+t'''), the government-run [[postal, telegraph and telephone service]] covering the [[Republic of Ireland]].

==History==
The office of Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was created by the [[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924]], which reorganised the Irish system of government shortly after the establishment of the [[Irish Free State]] in 1922. The Minister exercised those functions which had formerly been exercised by the [[Postmaster General of the United Kingdom]]. Legislation in 1831 had amalgamated the earlier offices of Postmaster General of Great Britain and [[Postmasters General of Ireland]], which became a jointly held role in the administration of the [[Lord Lieutenant of Ireland]].

[[File:Minister for Posts and Telegraphs of Ireland.png|thumb|right|This later and final version of the logo of the department was most commonly associated with the orange and white postal vans.]]
The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 defined the department's role:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1924/act/16/section/1/enacted/en/html|title=Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, Section 1: Establishment of the Departments of State, (Part ix)|date=21 April 1924|access-date=22 August 2020|website=[[Irish Statute Book]]|archive-date=18 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018104217/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1924/act/16/section/1/enacted/en/html|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{blockquote|''The Department of Posts and Telegraphs which shall comprise the administration and business generally of public services in connection with posts, telegraphs, and telephones, and all powers, duties and functions connected with the same, and shall include in particular the business, powers, duties and functions of the branches and officers of the public services specified in the Eighth Part of the Schedule to this Act, and of which Department the head shall be, and shall be styled'', an t-Aire Puist agus Telegrafa ''or (in English) the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.''}}

The Minister for Posts and Telegraphs was responsible for Ireland's postal and telecommunications services from 1924 to 1984. At its height the department was one of the largest [[Civil Service of the Republic of Ireland|civil service]] departments in Ireland. The reform of the sector and department began in 1978 with the creation of the Posts and Telegraphs Review Group. This led, following the delivery of a report in 1979, to the creation of the {{lang|la|ad hoc}} Interim Board for Posts (''An Bord Poist''), chaired by [[Feargal Quinn]], and the Interim Board for Telecommunications (''An Bord Telecom''), chaired by [[Michael Smurfit]]. These two boards continued to sit until [[An Post]] and [[Telecom Éireann]], respectively, replaced them in 1984 as [[State-sponsored bodies of the Republic of Ireland|state-sponsored agencies]].

The Department of Posts and Telegraphs ceased to exist in 1984, and its powers and responsibilities were transferred to the newly created Department of Communications. This was one of the largest reorganisations of the [[civil service of the Republic of Ireland|civil service]] in modern times, the old department having had a workforce of about 30,000 prior to dissolution. With the transfer of personnel to the new agencies, the number of civil service employees was almost halved overnight.

The '''Minister for Communications''' was created in 1983 to replace both the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and the Minister for Transport. In 1987, the transport functions of the department were moved to a new Department of Tourism and Transport. In 1991 the minister's functions were passed to the renamed Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications and the department ceased to exist, but was not formally abolished.

The functions which had initially been under the Minister for Communications are now under the [[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment]], the [[Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport]], and the [[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport]].

===Alteration of name and transfer of functions===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name
! Change
|-
|2 June 1924
|Establishment of the '''Department of Posts and Telegraphs'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1924/sro/804/made/en/print|title=Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (Commencement) Order 1924|date=30 May 1924|access-date=11 September 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=26 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826213048/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1924/sro/804/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|2 January 1984
|Establishment of the '''Department of Communications'''<br>Abolition of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the [[Department of Transport (Ireland)|Department of Transport]]<br>Transfer of functions to the Department of Communications<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/act/40/section/1/enacted/en/html|title=Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1983: Section 1, Definitions|date=27 December 1983|access-date=28 August 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=17 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817123238/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/act/40/section/1/enacted/en/html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/407/made/en/print|title=Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 (An Post) (Vesting Day) Order 1983|date=21 December 1983|access-date=28 August 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=17 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190817123217/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/407/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|31 March 1987
|Transfer of ''Shipping'' to the [[Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment|Department of the Marine]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1987/si/91/made/en/print|title=Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1987|date=31 March 1987|access-date=11 September 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=5 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190805054137/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1987/si/91/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|31 March 1987
|Transfer of ''Transport'' to the [[Department of Transport (Ireland)|Department of Tourism and Transport]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1987/si/92/made/en/print|title=Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 1987|date=31 March 1987|access-date=11 September 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=4 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804015402/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1987/si/92/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|8 February 1991
|Transfer of all remaining functions to the [[Department of Transport (Ireland)|Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1991/si/26/made/en/print|title=Communications (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1991|date=6 February 1991|access-date=11 September 2019|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=3 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103070601/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1991/si/26/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|}

==List of office-holders==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Postmaster General 1922–1924===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s){{efn|Before 1937: DM – [[Ministry of Dáil Éireann|Dáil Ministry]]; PG – [[Provisional Government of Ireland (1922)|Provisional Government]]; EC – [[Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Executive Council]].}}
|-
|[[J. J. Walsh]]
|1 April 1922
|2 June 1924
| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}
|[[Government of the 2nd Dáil#1st provisional government|1st PG]]{{•}}[[Government of the 3rd Dáil#2nd provisional government and 5th ministry|2nd PG]]{{•}}[[Government of the 3rd Dáil#DM5|5th DM]]{{•}}[[1st Executive Council of the Irish Free State|1st EC]]{{•}}[[2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State|2nd EC]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Posts and Telegraphs 1924–1984===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[J. J. Walsh]]
|2 June 1924
|12 October 1927
| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}
|[[2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State|2nd EC]]{{•}}[[3rd Executive Council of the Irish Free State|3rd EC]]
|-
|[[Ernest Blythe]]
|12 October 1927
|9 March 1932
| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}
|[[4th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|4th EC]]{{•}}[[5th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|5th EC]]
|-
|[[Joseph Connolly (Irish politician)|Joseph Connolly]]
|9 March 1932
|8 February 1933
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[6th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|6th EC]]
|-
|[[Gerald Boland]]
|8 February 1933
|11 November 1936
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[7th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|7th EC]]
|-
|[[Oscar Traynor]]
|11 November 1936
|8 September 1939
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[7th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|7th EC]]{{•}}[[8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|8th EC]]{{•}}[[1st government of Ireland|1st]]{{•}}[[Government of the 10th Dáil|2nd]]
|-
|[[Thomas Derrig]]
|8 September 1939
|27 September 1939
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[2nd government of Ireland|2nd]]
|-
|[[Patrick Little]]
|27 September 1939
|18 February 1948
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[2nd government of Ireland|2nd]]{{•}}[[3rd government of Ireland|3rd]]{{•}}[[4th government of Ireland|4th]]
|-
|[[James Everett (politician)|James Everett]]
|18 February 1948
|13 June 1951
| {{party name with colour|National Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[5th government of Ireland|5th]]
|-
|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]] ''(1st time)''
|13 June 1951
|2 June 1954
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[6th government of Ireland|6th]]
|-
|[[Michael Keyes]]
|2 June 1954
|20 March 1957
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[7th government of Ireland|7th]]
|-
|[[Neil Blaney]]
|20 March 1957
|4 December 1957
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[8th government of Ireland|8th]]
|-
|[[John Ormonde]]
|4 December 1957
|23 June 1959
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[8th government of Ireland|8th]]
|-
|[[Michael Hilliard]]
|23 June 1959
|21 April 1965
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[8th government of Ireland|8th]]{{•}}[[9th government of Ireland|9th]]{{•}}[[10th government of Ireland|10th]]
|-
|[[Joseph Brennan (Fianna Fáil politician)|Joseph Brennan]]
|21 April 1965
|10 November 1966
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[11th government of Ireland|11th]]
|-
|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]] ''(2nd time)''
|10 November 1966
|2 July 1969
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[12th government of Ireland|12th]]
|-
|[[Patrick Lalor]]
|2 July 1969
|9 May 1970
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[13th government of Ireland|13th]]
|-
|[[Gerry Collins (politician)|Gerry Collins]]
|9 May 1970
|14 March 1973
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[13th government of Ireland|13th]]
|-
|[[Conor Cruise O'Brien]]
|14 March 1973
|5 July 1977
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[14th government of Ireland|14th]]
|-
|[[Pádraig Faulkner]]
|5 July 1977
|11 December 1979
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|[[Albert Reynolds]]{{efn|name=transport|Also [[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport]]}}
|12 December 1979
|30 June 1981
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|[[Patrick Cooney]]{{efn|name=transport}}
|30 June 1981
|9 March 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[17th government of Ireland|17th]]
|-
|[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]]{{efn|name=transport}}
|9 March 1982
|14 December 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[18th government of Ireland|18th]]
|-
|[[Jim Mitchell (politician)|Jim Mitchell]]{{efn|name=transport}}
|14 December 1982
|2 January 1984
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[19th government of Ireland|19th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Communications 1984–1991===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Jim Mitchell (politician)|Jim Mitchell]]
|2 January 1984	
|10 March 1987
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[19th government of Ireland|19th]]
|-
|[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]]
|10 March 1987
|31 March 1987
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[20th government of Ireland|20th]]
|-
|[[Ray Burke (Irish politician)|Ray Burke]]{{efn|Also [[Minister for Justice (Ireland)|Minister for Justice]] from 12 July 1989 to 11 February 1992}}
|31 March 1987
|6 February 1991
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[20th government of Ireland|20th]]{{•}}[[21st government of Ireland|21st]]
|}
;Notes
{{notelist}}

=={{anchor|Minister of State}}List of ministers of state==
Under the [[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924]], the Executive Council could appoint Parliamentary Secretaries to assist Ministers in the Executive Council (renamed the Government in 1937). From 1978, this position was abolished and replaced by the position of [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Minister of State]] who could be appointed to a government department. The Minister of State did not hold cabinet rank.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan=7|

===Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs 1927–1978===
|-
!Name
!colspan=2|Term of office
!colspan=2|Party
!Responsibilities
!Government
|-
|[[Michael Heffernan (politician)|Michael Heffernan]]
|11 October 1927
|29 January 1932
| {{party name with colour|Farmers' Party (Ireland)}}
|
|[[4th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|4th EC]]{{•}}[[5th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|5th EC]]
|-
|[[Patrick Lalor]]
|16 November 1966
|2 July 1969
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|
|[[12th Government of Ireland|12th]]
|-
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Dublin politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]]
|5 July 1977
|1 January 1978
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|
|[[15th Government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|colspan=7|

===Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs 1978–1984===
|-
!Name
!colspan=2|Term of office
!colspan=2|Party
!Responsibilities
!Government
|-
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Dublin politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]]
|1 January 1978
|11 December 1979
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|
|[[15th Government of Ireland|15th]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1978/si/3/made/en/print|title=Posts and Telegraphs (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order, 1978|date=7 January 1978|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=24 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124052244/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1978/si/3/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Mark Killilea Jnr]]
|12 December 1979
|30 June 1981
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|
|[[16th Government of Ireland|16th]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1980/si/20/made/ga/print|title=An tOrdú Poist agus Telegrafa (Feidhmeanna Aire a Tharmligean) 1981|date=22 January 1980|language=Irish|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=19 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019093340/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1980/si/20/made/ga/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[Paddy Harte]]
|30 June 1981
|9 March 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|Telecommunications<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1981/si/278/made/ga/print|title=An tOrdú Poist agus Telegrafa (Feidhmeanna Aire a Tharmligean) 1981|date=12 August 1981|language=Irish|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=23 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023055251/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1981/si/278/made/ga/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|[[17th Government of Ireland|17th]]
|-
|[[Terry Leyden]]
|23 March 1982
|14 December 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|Telecommunications<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1982/si/211/made/en/print|title=Posts and Telegraphs (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1982|date=2 July 1982|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022184241/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1982/si/211/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|[[18th Government of Ireland|18th]]
|-
|[[John Donnellan]]
|16 December 1982
|15 December 1983
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|Posts and Telegraphs Service<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/59/made/ga/print|title=An tOrdú Poist agus Telegrafa (Feidhmeanna Aire a Tharmligean) 1983|date=1 March 1983|language=Irish|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027012051/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/59/made/ga/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rowspan=2|[[19th Government of Ireland|19th]]
|-
|[[Ted Nealon]]
|18 February 1983
|2 January 1984
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|Broadcasting<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/106/made/ga/print|title=An tOrdú Poist agus Telegrafa (Feidhmeanna Aire a Tharmligean) (Uimh. 2) 1983|date=15 April 1983|language=Irish|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=27 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201027224517/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1983/si/106/made/ga/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|colspan=7|

===Minister of State at the Department of Communications 1984–1987===
|-
!Name
!colspan=2|Term of office
!colspan=2|Party
!Responsibilities
!Government
|-
|[[Ted Nealon]]
|2 January 1984
|10 March 1987
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|Radio and television<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1984-01-18/2/|title=Assignment of Department: Announcement by Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (24th Dáil) – Wednesday, 8 January 1984|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Houses of the Oireachtas|archive-date=8 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108014905/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1984-01-18/2/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1984/si/146/made/en/print|title=Communications (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 1984|date=29 May 1984|access-date=5 January 2021|website=Irish Statute Book|archive-date=21 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021020755/http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1984/si/146/made/en/print|url-status=live}}</ref>
|[[19th Government of Ireland|19th]]
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Government of Ireland}}
{{Ministers of State of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Minister For Posts And Telegraphs (Ireland)}}
[[Category:Communications in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Lists of defunct government ministers of Ireland|Posts and Telegraphs]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland postal system]]
[[Category:Telecommunications in the Republic of Ireland]]