Fine Gael Front Bench: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
VisualWikitext
imported>Spleodrach
Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
 
imported>Patar knight
Adding short description: "Irish political party group"
 
(One intermediate revision by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Irish political party group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Update|date=September 2020}}
 
[[Fine Gael]] is the third largest [[political party]] in the [[Oireachtas]]. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of [[Teachta Dála|TDs]] and [[Seanad Éireann|Senators]] to speak for the party on different issues. When Fine Gael was in opposition, the front bench areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. Fine Gael has been in Government since March 2011 and accordingly their front bench consists of the ministerial officeholders. In 2020 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.
[[Fine Gael]] is the third largest [[political party]] in the [[Oireachtas]]. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of [[Teachta Dála|TDs]] and [[Seanad Éireann|Senators]] to speak for the party on different issues. When Fine Gael was in opposition, the front bench areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. Fine Gael has been in Government since March 2011 and accordingly their front bench consists of the ministerial officeholders. In 2025 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.
 
Fine Gael's current leader is [[Simon Harris]]. [[Helen McEntee]] is the current deputy leader, and [[Micheál Carrigy|Michael Carrigy]] is chair of the parliamentary party.


==Fine Gael ministers==
==Fine Gael ministers==
{{see also|Government of the 33rd Dáil#34th government of Ireland}}
On 23 January 2025, seven Fine Gael TDs were appointed to the [[Government of the 34th Dáil|35th government of Ireland]] by [[Taoiseach]] [[Micheál Martin]]. Fine Gael TD [[Hildegarde Naughton]] was also appointed a [[Minister of State (Ireland)|minister of state]] in attendance at cabinet. On 29 January 2025, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed six further Fine Gael ministers of state.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Oireachtas |first=Houses of the |date=2025-01-23 |title=Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Thursday, 23 Jan 2025 – Houses of the Oireachtas |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2025-01-23/13 |access-date=2025-10-12 |website=www.oireachtas.ie |language=en-ie}}</ref> On 25 February 2025, [[Colm Brophy]] was also appointed minister of state.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government appoints Ministers of State |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/press-releases/government-appoints-ministers-of-state/ |access-date=2025-10-12 |website=gov.ie |language=en}}</ref>
 
On 9 April 2024, six Fine Gael TDs were appointed to the 34th government of Ireland and the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Fine Gael TD [[Hildegarde Naughton]] as a [[Minister of State (Ireland)|minister of state]] in attendance at cabinet. On 10 April 2024, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed 7 further Fine Gael ministers of state.<ref>{{cite web |title=Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil) |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2024-04-16/2/ |website=Houses of the Oireachtas |date=16 April 2024 |access-date=17 April 2024 |archive-date=16 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240416193333/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/2024-04-16/2/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 16: Line 17:
|[[Simon Harris]]  
|[[Simon Harris]]  
|TD for [[Wicklow (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Wicklow]]
|TD for [[Wicklow (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Wicklow]]
|{{ubl|[[Leader of Fine Gael]]|[[Taoiseach]]}}
|{{ubl|[[Leader of Fine Gael]]|[[Tánaiste]]|[[Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade]]|[[Minister for Defence]]}}
|2024–
|[[2024 Fine Gael leadership election|2024-]]
2025–
|-
|-
|[[Helen McEntee]]  
|[[Helen McEntee]]  
|TD for [[Meath East (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Meath East]]
|TD for [[Meath East (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Meath East]]
|{{ubl|[[Leader of Fine Gael#Deputy leaders|Deputy leader of Fine Gael]]|[[Minister for Justice (Ireland)|Minister for Justice]]}}
|{{ubl|[[Leader of Fine Gael#Deputy leaders|Deputy leader of Fine Gael]]|[[Minister for Education and Youth]]}}
|{{ubl|2024–|2020–}}
|{{ubl|2024–|2025–}}
|-
|[[Heather Humphreys]]
|TD for [[Cavan–Monaghan (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Cavan–Monaghan]]
|{{ubl|[[Minister for Social Protection]]|[[Minister for Rural and Community Development]]}}
|{{ubl|2020–|2020–}}
|-
|-
|[[Paschal Donohoe]]  
|[[Paschal Donohoe]]  
|TD for [[Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Central]]
|TD for [[Dublin Central (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Central]]
|[[Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform|Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform]]
|[[Minister for Finance (Ireland)|Minister for Finance]]
|2022–
|2017-2022, 2025-
|-
|-
|[[Peter Burke (politician)|Peter Burke]]  
|[[Peter Burke (politician)|Peter Burke]]  
|TD for [[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
|TD for [[Longford–Westmeath (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Westmeath]]
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment]]
|[[Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment]]
|2024–
|2025–
|-
|-
|[[Patrick O'Donovan]]  
|[[Patrick O'Donovan]]  
|TD for [[Limerick County (Dáil constituency)|Limerick County]]
|TD for [[Limerick County (Dáil constituency)|Limerick County]]
|[[Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]]
|[[Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport]]
|2024–
|2025–
|-
|[[Hildegarde Naughton]]
|TD for [[Galway West (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Galway West]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach]] with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the [[Minister of State at the Department of Education|Department of Education]] with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion
|2022–<br />2024–
|-
|-
|[[Jennifer Carroll MacNeill]]  
|[[Jennifer Carroll MacNeill]]  
|TD for [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
|TD for [[Dún Laoghaire (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dún Laoghaire]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach]] and the [[Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|Department of Foreign Affairs]] with special responsibility for EU Affairs; and the [[Minister of State at the Department of Defence|Department of Defence]]
|[[Minister for Health (Ireland)|Minister for Health]]
|2024–
|2025–
|-
|[[Kieran O'Donnell]]
|TD for [[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform]] with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works
|2024–
|-
|[[Colm Burke]]
|TD for [[Cork North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork North-Central]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Health]] with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs
|2024–
|-
|-
|[[Martin Heydon]]  
|[[Martin Heydon]]  
|TD for [[Kildare South (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Kildare South]]
|TD for [[Kildare South (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Kildare South]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine]] with special responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development
|[[Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine]]
|2020–
|2025–
|-
|-
|[[Alan Dillon]]
|[[Hildegarde Naughton]]  
|TD for [[Mayo (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Mayo]]
|TD for [[Galway West (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Galway West]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage]] with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality]] with special responsibility for Disability
|2024–
|2025-
|-
|[[Emer Higgins]]
|TD for [[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
| [[Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation]], with special responsibility for Public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment
|2025–
|-
|-
|[[Neale Richmond]]
|[[Neale Richmond]]
|TD for [[Dublin Rathdown (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Rathdown]]
|TD for [[Dublin Rathdown (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Rathdown]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Finance]] with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade]], with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora
|2024–
|2025–
|-
|[[Jerry Buttimer]]
|TD for [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht]], with special responsibility for Community development, charities, Gaeltacht and the islands.
[[Minister of State at the Department of Transport]], with special responsibility for rural transport
|2025-
2025-
|-
|[[John Cummins (Irish politician)|John Cummins]]
|TD for [[Waterford (Dáil constituency)|Waterford]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage]], with special responsibility for local government and planning
|2025-
|-
|-
|[[Emer Higgins]]
|[[Kieran O'Donnell]]
|TD for [[Dublin Mid-West (Dáil Éireann constituency)|Dublin Mid-West]]
|TD for [[Limerick City (Dáil constituency)|Limerick City]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment]] with special responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail; and the [[Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection|Department of Social Protection]]  
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Health]], with special responsibility for Older People
|2024–
[[Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage]], with special responsibility for housing
|2025–
2025-
|-
|[[Alan Dillon]]
|TD for [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment]], with special responsibility for circular economy
[[Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment]], with special responsibility for small businesses and retail
|2025–
2025-
|-
|[[Colm Brophy]]
|TD for [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]
|[[Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration]], with special responsibility for migration
|2025-
|}
|}


==Fine Gael party spokespeople==
==Fine Gael party spokespeople==
===Seanad spokespeople===
In 2025 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Name<ref>{{cite web |title=An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces Seanad Spokespersons |url=https://www.finegael.ie/an-taoiseach-leo-varadkar-announces-seanad-spokespersons/}}</ref>
|+
!Elected office
!Name
!Elected Office
!Portfolio
!Portfolio
!Term
!Term
|-
|-
|[[Seán Kyne]]
|[[Maeve O'Connell]]
|Senator [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by the Taoiseach]]
|TD for [[Dublin Rathdown (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Rathdown]]
|Deputy [[Leader of the Seanad]]<br />Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Gaeltacht
|Spokesperson for [[Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science|Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science]]
|2024–<br />2020–
|2025-
|-
|[[Joe O'Reilly]]
|Senator for the [[Labour Panel]]
|Deputy Government Whip<br />Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs & Defence
|2023–<br />2020–
|-
|[[Garret Ahearn]]
|Senator for the [[Administrative Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|2020–
|-
|-
|[[Paddy Burke]]
|[[Peter Roche (politician)|Peter Roche]]
|Senator for the [[Agricultural Panel]]
|TD for [[Galway East (Dáil constituency)|Galway East]]
|Spokesperson on Social Protection, Rural & Community Development & The Islands
|Spokesperson for Mental Health
|2023–
|2025-
|-
|-
|[[Maria Byrne]]
|[[James Geoghegan (Fine Gael politician)|James Geoghegan]]
|Senator for the [[Agricultural Panel]]
|TD for [[Dublin South-West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-West]]  
|Spokesperson on Finance
|Spoksesperson for Dublin
|2023–
|2025-
|-
|[[Micheál Carrigy]]
|Senator for the [[Industrial and Commercial Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, and Media
|2020–
|-
|[[Martin Conway (Irish politician)|Martin Conway]]
|Senator for the [[Administrative Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Health
|2020–
|-
|[[John Cummins (Irish politician)|John Cummins]]
|Senator for the [[Labour Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Housing, Local Government, and Heritage
|2020–
|-
|-
|[[Emer Currie]]
|[[Emer Currie]]
|Senator [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by the Taoiseach]]
|TD for [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]
|Spokesperson on Special Education and Inclusion & Northern Ireland
|Spokesperson for Childcare
|2023–
[[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Deputy Government Whip]]
|-
|2025-
|[[Aisling Dolan]]
|Senator [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by the Taoiseach]]
|Spokesperson on Education and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science
|2020–
|-
|[[Mary Seery Kearney]]
|Senator [[Nominated members of Seanad Éireann|nominated by the Taoiseach]]
|Spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth
|2020–
|-
|[[Tim Lombard]]
|Senator for the [[Agricultural Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Marine
|2020–
|-
|[[John McGahon]]
|Senator for the [[Cultural and Educational Panel]]
|Spokesperson on Environment, Climate and Communications
|2020–
|-
|-
|[[Barry Ward (politician)|Barry Ward]]
|[[John Clendennen]]
|Senator for the [[Industrial and Commercial Panel]]
|TD for [[Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Offaly]]
|Spokesperson on Justice
|Assistant Whip
|2020–
|2025-
|}
|}


Latest revision as of 23:38, 10 December 2025

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates

Fine Gael is the third largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. When Fine Gael was in opposition, the front bench areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. Fine Gael has been in Government since March 2011 and accordingly their front bench consists of the ministerial officeholders. In 2025 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.

Fine Gael's current leader is Simon Harris. Helen McEntee is the current deputy leader, and Michael Carrigy is chair of the parliamentary party.

Fine Gael ministers

On 23 January 2025, seven Fine Gael TDs were appointed to the 35th government of Ireland by Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton was also appointed a minister of state in attendance at cabinet. On 29 January 2025, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed six further Fine Gael ministers of state.[1] On 25 February 2025, Colm Brophy was also appointed minister of state.[2]

Name Elected office Portfolio Term
Simon Harris TD for Wicklow Template:Ubl 2024-

2025–

Helen McEntee TD for Meath East Template:Ubl Template:Ubl
Paschal Donohoe TD for Dublin Central Minister for Finance 2017-2022, 2025-
Peter Burke TD for Longford–Westmeath Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 2025–
Patrick O'Donovan TD for Limerick County Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport 2025–
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD for Dún Laoghaire Minister for Health 2025–
Martin Heydon TD for Kildare South Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2025–
Hildegarde Naughton TD for Galway West Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with special responsibility for Disability 2025-
Emer Higgins TD for Dublin Mid-West Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, with special responsibility for Public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment 2025–
Neale Richmond TD for Dublin Rathdown Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora 2025–
Jerry Buttimer TD for Cork South-Central Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, with special responsibility for Community development, charities, Gaeltacht and the islands.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, with special responsibility for rural transport

2025-

2025-

John Cummins TD for Waterford Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with special responsibility for local government and planning 2025-
Kieran O'Donnell TD for Limerick City Minister of State at the Department of Health, with special responsibility for Older People

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, with special responsibility for housing

2025–

2025-

Alan Dillon TD for Mayo Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, with special responsibility for circular economy

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, with special responsibility for small businesses and retail

2025–

2025-

Colm Brophy TD for Dublin South-West Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, with special responsibility for migration 2025-

Fine Gael party spokespeople

In 2025 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.

Name Elected Office Portfolio Term
Maeve O'Connell TD for Dublin Rathdown Spokesperson for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 2025-
Peter Roche TD for Galway East Spokesperson for Mental Health 2025-
James Geoghegan TD for Dublin South-West Spoksesperson for Dublin 2025-
Emer Currie TD for Dublin West Spokesperson for Childcare

Deputy Government Whip

2025-
John Clendennen TD for Offaly Assistant Whip 2025-

References

<templatestyles src="Reflist/styles.css" />

  1. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Script error: No such module "Navbox". Template:Dáil Éireann benches

Retrieved from "http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Fine_Gael_Front_Bench&oldid=5046222"