View source for Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

{{Short description|Irish government cabinet minister}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox official post
| post           = Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy
| insignia       = Irish Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.png
| insigniasize   = 230px
| image          = Darragh O'Brien, December 2023 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize      = 200px
| incumbent      = [[Darragh O'Brien]]
| incumbentsince = 23 January 2025
| department     = [[Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications|Department of Climate, Environment and Energy]]
| type           = {{Ubl|[[Environment minister]]|[[List of ministries of communications|Communications 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      = 26 August 1921
| inaugural      = [[Seán Etchingham]] {{small|as Director of Fisheries}}
| salary         = €210,750 {{small|(2025)}}<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/ |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |date=3 March 2025}}</ref>  
| website        = {{official website}}
}}
The '''Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy''' ({{langx|ga|An tAire Aeráide, Comhshaoil agus Fuinnimh}}) is a senior [[minister (government)|minister]] in the [[Government of Ireland]] and leads the [[Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications|Department of Climate, Environment and Energy]].

The Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy {{as of|2025|01|since=y|lc=y}} is [[Darragh O'Brien]], [[Teachta Dála|TD]]. He is also the [[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport]].

He is assisted by two [[Minister of State (Ireland)|Ministers of State]]:
*[[Alan Dillon]], TD – [[Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications|Minister of State for the circular economy]].
*[[Timmy Dooley]], TD – Minister of State for the marine

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

===Director of Fisheries 1919–1921===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s){{efn|Before 1937: DM – [[Ministry of Dáil Éireann|Dáil Ministry]]; EC – [[Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Executive Council]].}}
|-
|[[Seán Etchingham]]
|2 April 1919
|26 August 1921
| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
|[[Government of the 1st Dáil#2nd ministry|2nd DM]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Secretary for Fisheries 1921–1922===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Seán Etchingham]]
|26 August 1921
|9 January 1922
| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
|[[Government of the 2nd Dáil#3rd ministry|3rd DM]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Fisheries 1922–1928===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Fionán Lynch]]
|14 December 1922
|1 September 1928
| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}
|[[1st Executive Council of the Irish Free State|1st EC]]{{•}}[[Government of the 4th Dáil|2nd EC]]{{•}}[[Government of the 5th Dáil|3rd EC]]{{•}}[[4th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|4th EC]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Lands and Fisheries 1928–1934===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Fionán Lynch]]
|1 September 1928
|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]]
|-
|[[P. J. Ruttledge]]
|9 March 1932
|8 February 1933
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 7th Dáil|6th EC]]
|-
|[[Joseph Connolly (Irish politician)|Joseph Connolly]]
|8 February 1933
|1 April 1934
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 8th Dáil|7th EC]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Lands 1934–1977===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Joseph Connolly (Irish politician)|Joseph Connolly]]
|1 April 1934
|29 May 1936
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 8th Dáil|7th EC]]
|-
|[[Frank Aiken]]
|3 June 1936
|11 November 1936
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 8th Dáil|7th EC]]
|-
|[[Gerald Boland]]
|11 November 1936
|8 September 1939
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|8th EC]]{{•}}[[1st government of Ireland|1st]]{{•}}[[Government of the 10th Dáil|2nd]]
|-
|[[Thomas Derrig]] ''(1st time)''
|8 September 1939
|2 July 1943
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 10th Dáil|2nd]]
|-
|[[Seán Moylan]]
|2 July 1943
|18 February 1948
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 11th Dáil|3rd]]{{•}}[[Government of the 12th Dáil|4th]]
|-
|[[Joseph Blowick]] ''(1st time)''
|18 February 1948
|7 March 1951
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}}
|[[Government of the 13th Dáil|5th]]
|-
|[[Thomas Derrig]] ''(2nd time)''
|13 June 1951
|2 June 1954
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 14th Dáil|6th]]
|-
|[[Joseph Blowick]] ''(2nd time)''
|2 June 1954
|20 March 1957
| {{party name with colour|Clann na Talmhan}}
|[[Government of the 15th Dáil|7th]]
|-
|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]]
|20 March 1957
|23 July 1959
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[8th government of Ireland|8th]]{{•}}[[9th government of Ireland|9th]]
|-
|[[Mícheál Ó Móráin]]
|23 July 1959
|26 March 1968
| {{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]]
|-
|[[Pádraig Faulkner]]
|26 March 1968
|2 July 1969
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[12th government of Ireland|12th]]
|-
|[[Seán Flanagan]]
|2 July 1969
|14 March 1973
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 19th Dáil|13th]]
|-
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]] ''(1st time)''
|14 March 1973
|2 December 1976
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|[[Paddy Donegan]]
|2 December 1976
|9 February 1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Fisheries 1977–1978===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Paddy Donegan]]
|9 February 1977
|5 July 1977
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 20th Dáil|14th]]
|-
|[[Brian Lenihan Snr|Brian Lenihan]]
|5 July 1977
|15 July 1978
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Fisheries and Forestry 1978–1986===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Brian Lenihan Snr|Brian Lenihan]]
|15 July 1978
|11 December 1979
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|-
|[[Paddy Power (Irish politician)|Paddy Power]]
|12 December 1979
|30 June 1981
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|-
|[[Thomas J. Fitzpatrick (Cavan politician)|Tom Fitzpatrick]] ''(2nd time)''
|30 June 1981
|9 March 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 22nd Dáil|17th]]
|-
|[[Brendan Daly (politician)|Brendan Daly]] ''(1st time)''
|9 March 1982
|14 December 1982
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 23rd Dáil|18th]]
|-
|[[Paddy O'Toole]] ''(1st time)''
|14 December 1982
|14 February 1986
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry 1986–1987===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Liam Kavanagh]]
|14 February 1986
|20 January 1987
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|[[Paddy O'Toole]] ''(2nd time)''
|20 January 1987
|10 March 1987
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[Government of the 24th Dáil|19th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for the Marine 1987–1997===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Brendan Daly (politician)|Brendan Daly]] ''(2nd time)''
|10 March 1987
|12 July 1989
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 25th Dáil|20th]]
|-
|[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]]
|12 July 1989
|11 February 1992
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 25th Dáil|20th]]{{•}}[[21st government of Ireland|21st]] 
|-
|[[Michael Woods (Irish politician)|Michael Woods]] ''(1st time)''
|11 February 1992
|12 January 1993
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[22nd government of Ireland|22nd]]
|-
|[[David Andrews (politician)|David Andrews]]{{efn|name="Def"|Also [[Minister for Defence (Ireland)|Minister for Defence]].}}
|12 January 1993
|15 December 1994
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[23rd government of Ireland|23rd]]
|-
|[[Hugh Coveney]]{{efn|name="Def"}}
|15 December 1994
|23 May 1995
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|-
|[[Seán Barrett (politician)|Seán Barrett]]{{efn|name="Def"}}
|23 May 1995
|26 June 1997
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Marine and Natural Resources 1997–2002===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Michael Woods (Irish politician)|Michael Woods]] ''(2nd time)''
|26 June 1997
|27 January 2000
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 28th Dáil|25th]]
|-
|[[Frank Fahey (politician)|Frank Fahey]]
|27 January 2000
|6 June 2002
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 28th Dáil|25th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 2002–2007===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Dermot Ahern]]
|6 June 2002
|29 September 2004
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 29th Dáil|26th]]
|-
|[[Noel Dempsey]]
|29 September 2004
|14 June 2007
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[Government of the 29th Dáil|26th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources 2007–2016===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Eamon Ryan]]
|14 June 2007
|23 January 2011
| {{party name with colour|Green Party (Ireland)}}
|[[27th government of Ireland|27th]]{{•}}[[28th government of Ireland|28th]]
|-
|[[Pat Carey]]
|23 January 2011
|9 March 2011
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[28th government of Ireland|28th]]
|-
|[[Pat Rabbitte]]
|9 March 2011
|11 July 2014
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|-
|[[Alex White (Irish politician)|Alex White]]
|11 July 2014
|6 May 2016
| {{party name with colour|Labour Party (Ireland)}}
|[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment 2016–2020===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Denis Naughten]]
|6 May 2016
|11 October 2018
| {{party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}
|[[30th government of Ireland|30th]]{{•}}[[31st government of Ireland|31st]]
|-
|[[Richard Bruton]]
|11 October 2018
|27 June 2020
| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}
|[[31st government of Ireland|31st]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications 2020–2025===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|[[Eamon Ryan]]{{efn|Also [[Minister for Transport (Ireland)|Minister for Transport]].}} ''(2nd time)''
|27 June 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]]
|-
|colspan="6"|

===Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy 2025–present===
|-
!Name
!colspan="2"|Term of office
!colspan="2"|Party
!Government(s)
|-
|-
|[[Darragh O'Brien]]
|23 January 2025
|''Incumbent''
| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}
|[[35th government of Ireland|35th]]
|}
;Notes
{{notelist}}

==See also==
*[[Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage]] (responsible for the Environment until 2016)
*[[Irish Land Commission]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

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

{{Government of Ireland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Environment, Climate and Communications}}
[[Category:Government ministers of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Lists of government ministers of Ireland]]
[[Category:Communications in the Republic of Ireland]]
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[[Category:Communications ministers of Ireland| ]]
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[[Category:Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications|Minister]]
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