View source for Minister for Transport (Ireland)

{{Short description|Irish government cabinet minister}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox official post
| post           = Minister for Transport
| insignia       = Irish Department of Transport.png
| insigniasize   = 230px
| image          = Darragh O'Brien, December 2023 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize      = 200px
| incumbent      = [[Darragh O'Brien]]
| incumbentsince = 23 January 2025
| department     = [[Department of Transport (Ireland)|Department of Transport]]
| type           = [[Ministry of transport|Transport minister]]
| status         = [[Minister (government)|Cabinet minister]]
| member_of      = {{Ubl|[[Government of Ireland]]|[[Council of the European Union]]|[[North/South Ministerial Council]]|[[Dáil Éireann]]}}
| reports_to     = [[Taoiseach]]
| seat           = [[Dublin]], Ireland
| nominator      = Taoiseach
| appointer      = [[President of Ireland]]
| appointer_qualified = {{small|(on the [[Advice (constitutional law)|advice]] of the [[Taoiseach]])}} 
| formation      = 1 November 1973
| inaugural      = [[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine Childers]] {{small|as Minister for Transport and Power in 1959}}<br />[[Richie Ryan (politician)|Richie Ryan]] {{small|as Minister for the Public Service in 1973}}
| salary         = €210,750 {{small|(2025)}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salaries |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/salaries/ |date=3 March 2025}}</ref><br />{{small|(including €115,953 [[Teachta Dála|TD]] salary)}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Salaries |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/salaries-and-allowances/salaries/ |date=3 March 2025}}</ref>  
| website        = {{official website}}
}}
The '''Minister for Transport''' ({{langx|ga|An tAire Iompair}}) is a senior [[minister (government)|minister]] in the [[Government of Ireland]] and leads the [[Department of Transport (Ireland)|Department of Transport]]. He is also [[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment]].

The current Minister for Transport is [[Darragh O'Brien]], [[Teachta Dála|TD]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-12-18 |title=Government Ministers |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation-information/9b5048-government-ministers/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=www.gov.ie |language=en}}</ref> 

He is assisted by two [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Ministers of State]]:
*[[Seán Canney]], TD – [[Minister of State at the Department of Transport|Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-01-23 |title=Who has been appointed to the new Cabinet? |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2025/0123/1492308-new-cabinet-new-government-2025/ |language=en}}</ref>
*[[Jerry Buttimer]], TD – Minister of State for Rural transport

==Overview==
The Minister and the department are responsible for implementing an integrated [[transport policy]]. {{blockquote|The integrated policy will be designed as far as possible to overcome existing delays, bottlenecks and congestion and to provide the consumer with greater choice by offering alternative modes of transport. Through the integrated approach the Department will develop and implement policies designed to improve regional balance, and reduce rural isolation and social exclusion.|[[Mission statement]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clarechampion.ie/crusheen-train-stop-back-on-track-with-green-minister/|title = Crusheen train stop back on track with Green minister|date = 15 August 2020}}</ref>}}

Specific responsibilities which come under the aegis of the Minister for Transport in relation to national roads and to road transport in general include: delivering on the national roads programme as part of the national development plan; implementing the government's road safety strategy and related policies for the regulation of vehicle standards; road haulage licensing; driver licensing; and driver testing.

In respect of aviation policy, the department is responsible for ensuring that aviation practices and procedures comply with the best international standards; promoting the development of a vibrant, competitive and progressively regulated aviation sector and the provision of adequate airport infrastructure and competitive airport services.

In respect of Maritime Transport, the department is responsible for establishing, promoting, regulating and enforcing Maritime Safety and Security Standards, providing emergency response services and safeguarding the Maritime Environment. It is also responsible for ports and shipping policy.

==List of office-holders==
The Department of Transport and Power was created by the [[Ministers and Secretaries Acts|Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1959]]. On 2 January 1984, the Department of Transport was abolished under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1983 and its functions transferred to the [[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs|Department of Communications]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport and Power 1959–1977===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]]
|27 July 1959
|2 July 1969
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[9th government of Ireland|9th]]{{•}}[[Government of the 17th Dáil|10th]]{{•}}[[11th government of Ireland|11th]]{{•}}[[12th government of Ireland|12th]]
|-
|[[Brian Lenihan Snr|Brian Lenihan]]
|2 July 1969
|3 January 1973
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 19th Dáil|13th]]
|-
|[[Michael O'Kennedy]]
|3 January 1973
|14 March 1973
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 19th Dáil|13th]]
|-
|[[Peter Barry (politician)|Peter Barry]]
|14 March 1973
|2 December 1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]]
|2 December 1976
|5 July 1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|[[Pádraig Faulkner]]
|5 July 1977
|12 July 1977
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Tourism and Transport 1977–1980===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Pádraig Faulkner]]
|12 July 1977
|11 December 1979
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|[[George Colley]]
|12 December 1979
|25 January 1980
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport 1980–1984===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Albert Reynolds]]{{efn|group=1|name="pandt"|Also [[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]].}}
|25 January 1980
|30 June 1981
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|[[Patrick Cooney]]{{efn|name="pandt"}}
|30 June 1981
|9 March 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 22nd Dáil|17th]]
|-
|[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]]{{efn|group=1|name="pandt"}} ''(1st time)''
|9 March 1982
|14 December 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 23rd Dáil|18th]]
|-
|[[Jim Mitchell (politician)|Jim Mitchell]]{{efn|group=1|name="pandt"}}
|14 December 1982
|2 January 1984
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|}
{{notelist|group=1}}

The Department of the Public Service was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1973. In 1987, the functions of the Department of Public Service were transferred to the [[Department of Finance (Ireland)|Department of Finance]], and the statutory shell used for the formation of the Department of Transport. The subsequent changes to the department name and functions are shown in detail at the [[Department of Transport (Ireland)#History|departmental page]].
{{legend|#E6E6AA|Denotes [[acting (law)|acting]] Minister|border=black}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for the Public Service 1973–1987===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Richie Ryan (politician)|Richie Ryan]]{{efn|name="finance"|Also [[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]].}}
|1 November 1973 
|5 July 1977 
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|[[George Colley]]{{efn|name="finance"}}
|5 July 1977
|11 December 1979 
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|[[Michael O'Kennedy]]{{efn|name="finance"}}
|12 December 1979 
|24 March 1980
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|[[Gene Fitzgerald]]{{efn|name="finance"}} (''1st time'')
|24 March 1980
|30 June 1981 
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|[[Liam Kavanagh]]{{efn|name="labour"|Also [[Minister for Labour (Ireland)|Minister for Labour]].}}
|30 June 1981 
|9 March 1982
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[Government of the 22nd Dáil|17th]]
|-
|[[Gene Fitzgerald]]{{efn|name="labour"}} (''2nd time'')
|9 March 1982
|14 December 1982 
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 23rd Dáil|18th]]
|-
|[[John Boland (Fine Gael politician)|John Boland]]
|14 December 1982 
|14 February 1986 
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|[[Ruairi Quinn]]{{efn|name="labour"}}
|14 February 1986 
|20 January 1987
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|[[John Bruton]]{{efn|name="finance"}}
|20 January 1987 
|10 March 1987 
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|[[Ray MacSharry]]{{efn|name="finance"}}
|10 March 1987
|20 March 1987 
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 25th Dáil|20th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Tourism and Transport 1987–1991===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Ray MacSharry]]
|20 March 1987
|31 March 1987
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 25th Dáil|20th]]
|-
|[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]] ''(2nd time)''
|31 March 1987
|12 July 1989
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 25th Dáil|20th]]
|-
|[[Séamus Brennan]] ''(1st time)''
|12 July 1989
|7 February 1991
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[21st government of Ireland|21st]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications 1991–1993===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Séamus Brennan]]
|7 February 1991
|11 February 1992
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[21st government of Ireland|21st]]
|-
|[[Máire Geoghegan-Quinn]]
|11 February 1992
|12 January 1993
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[22nd government of Ireland|22nd]]
|-
|[[Charlie McCreevy]]
|12 January 1993
|22 January 1993
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[23rd government of Ireland|23rd]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications 1993–1997===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Brian Cowen]]
|22 January 1993
|15 December 1994
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[23rd government of Ireland|23rd]]
|-
|[[Michael Lowry (politician)|Michael Lowry]]
|15 December 1994
|30 November 1996
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|- bgcolor=#E6E6AA
|[[John Bruton]] {{small|''(acting)''}}
|30 November 1996
|3 December 1996
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|-
|[[Alan Dukes]]
|3 December 1996
|26 June 1997
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|-
|[[Mary O'Rourke]]
|26 June 1997
|12 July 1997
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 28th Dáil|25th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Public Enterprise 1997–2002===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Mary O'Rourke]]
|12 July 1997
|6 June 2002
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 28th Dáil|25th]]
|-
|[[Séamus Brennan]] ''(2nd time)''
|6 June 2002
|19 June 2002
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 29th Dáil|26th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport 2002–2011===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Séamus Brennan]]
|19 June 2002
|29 September 2004
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 29th Dáil|26th]]
|-
|[[Martin Cullen]]
|29 September 2004
|14 June 2007
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 29th Dáil|26th]]
|-
|[[Noel Dempsey]]
|14 June 2007
|19 January 2011
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[27th government of Ireland|27th]]{{•}}[[28th government of Ireland|28th]]
|-
|[[Pat Carey]]{{efn|Also [[Minister for Children, Disability and Equality|Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs]] and (from 23 January 2011) [[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources]].}}
|20 January 2011
|8 March 2011
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[28th government of Ireland|28th]]
|-
|[[Leo Varadkar]]
|9 March 2011
|2 April 2011
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 2011–2020===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Leo Varadkar]]
|2 April 2011
|11 July 2014
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|-
|[[Paschal Donohoe]]
|11 July 2014
|6 May 2016
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|-
|[[Shane Ross]]
|6 May 2016
|27 June 2020
| {{party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
|[[30th government of Ireland|30th]]{{•}}[[31st government of Ireland|31st]]
|-
|[[Eamon Ryan]]{{efn|name=ryan|Also [[Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment|Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications]].}}
|27 June 2020
|17 September 2020
| {{party name with colour|Green Party (Ireland)}}
|[[32nd government of Ireland|32nd]]
|-
|colspan="7"|

===Minister for Transport 2020–present===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government
|-
|[[Eamon Ryan]]{{efn|name=ryan}}
|17 September 2020
|23 January 2025
| {{party name with colour|Green Party (Ireland)}}
|[[32nd government of Ireland|32nd]]{{•}}[[33rd government of Ireland|33rd]]{{•}}[[34th government of Ireland|34th]]
|-
|[[Darragh O'Brien]]
|23 January 2025
|''Incumbent''
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[35th government of Ireland|35th]]
|}
;Notes
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website}}

{{Government of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport}}

[[Category:Lists of government ministers of Ireland]]
[[Category:Transport organisations based in Ireland|Minister]]
[[Category:Ministers for transport of Ireland]]
[[Category:Department of Transport (Ireland)|Minister]]