Government of the 28th Dáil

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English Template:Infobox government cabinet The 25th government of Ireland (26 June 1997 – 6 June 2002) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1997 general election to the 28th Dáil held on 6 June 1997. It was a minority coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. It lasted Template:Age in years and days.

Nomination of Taoiseach

The 28th Dáil first met on 26 June 1997. In the debate on the nomination of Taoisech, both outgoing Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader John Bruton and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern were proposed. The vote on Bruton was defeated with 75 votes in favour to 87 against, while the vote on Ahern was approved by 85 to 78. Ahern was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.

26 June 1997 Nomination of Bertie Ahern (FF) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by David Andrews and seconded by Mary O'Rourke Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
checkY Yes	Fianna Fáil (77), Progressive Democrats (4), Independent (3), Sinn Féin (1)	Template:Composition bar
No	Fine Gael (54), Labour Party (16), Democratic Left (4), Green Party (2), Independent (1), Socialist Party (1)	Template:Composition bar
Not voting	Independent (2), Ceann Comhairle (1)	Template:Composition bar

Government ministers

After his appointment by the president, Bertie Ahern proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.

Office	Name	Term	Party
Taoiseach	Bertie Ahern	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Tánaiste	Mary Harney	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and EmploymentTemplate:Efn
Minister for Marine and Natural ResourcesTemplate:Efn	Michael Woods	1997–2000	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Ray Burke	1997	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Public EnterpriseTemplate:Efn	Mary O'Rourke	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Defence	David Andrews	1997	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Agriculture and FoodTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	Joe Walsh	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Finance	Charlie McCreevy	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Health and ChildrenTemplate:Efn	Brian Cowen	1997–2000	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for the Environment and Local GovernmentTemplate:Efn	Noel Dempsey	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Social, Community and Family AffairsTemplate:Efn	Dermot Ahern	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the IslandsTemplate:Efn	Síle de Valera	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law ReformTemplate:Efn	John O'DonoghueTemplate:Efn	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Tourism, Sport and RecreationTemplate:Efn	Jim McDaid	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Education and ScienceTemplate:Efn	Micheál Martin	1997–2000	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 8 October 1997 Following the resignation of Ray Burke after allegations of corrupt payments under investigation by the Flood Tribunal.
Office	Name	Term	Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs	David Andrews	1997–2000	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Defence	Michael Smith	1997–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 27 January 2000 Following the retirement from government of David Andrews.
Office	Name	Term	Party
Minister for Education and Science	Michael Woods	2000–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Brian Cowen	2000–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Health and Children	Micheál Martin	2000–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Minister for Marine and Natural Resources	Frank Fahey	2000–2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color

Changes to Departments

Attorney General

David Byrne SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach. In 1999, he resigned on his nomination as European Commissioner. On 7 July 1999, Michael McDowell SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of state

Appointments 26 June 1997 The government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed ministers of state in attendance at cabinet meetings without a vote.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Séamus Brennan	Taoiseach Defence	Government Chief Whip	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Bobby Molloy	Minister of State to the Government Environment and Local Government	Housing and urban renewal	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Appointments 1 July 1997 The government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Michael Smith and Liz O'Donnell.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Michael Smith	Education and Science Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Science and technology	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Liz O'Donnell	Foreign Affairs	Overseas development assistance and human rights	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Appointments 8 July 1997 The government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed 13 further ministers of state.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Noel Davern	Agriculture and Food	Livestock breeding and horticulture	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Joe Jacob	Public Enterprise	Energy	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Frank Fahey	Health and Children	Children	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Willie O'Dea	Education and Science	Adult education, youth affairs and school transport	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Tom Kitt	Enterprise, Trade and Employment Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Labour affairs, consumer rights and international trade	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Chris Flood	Tourism, Sport and Recreation	Local development and the National Drugs Strategy Team	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Dan Wallace	Environment and Local Government	Environmental information and awareness and the Environmental Protection Agency	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Ned O'Keeffe	Agriculture and Food	Food	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Hugh Byrne	Marine and Natural Resources	Aquaculture and forestry	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Mary Wallace	Justice, Equality and Law Reform	Equality and disabilities	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Martin Cullen	Finance	Office of Public Works	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Éamon Ó Cuív	Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	Gaeltacht and the islands	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Tom Moffatt	Health and Children	Food safety and older people	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 9 October 1997 Following the appointment of Michael Smith as Minister for Defence on 8 October.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Noel Treacy	Education and Science Enterprise, Trade and Employment	Science and technology	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 21 January 1998 Expansion of scope of Minister of State for Children.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Frank Fahey	Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science	Children	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 1 February 2000 Following the resignation of Chris Flood and the appointment of Frank Fahey as Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Eoin Ryan	Tourism, Sport and Recreation	Local development	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Mary Hanafin	Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science	Children	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 19 February 2001 Following the resignation of Ned O'Keeffe on 17 February.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Éamon Ó Cuív	Agriculture, Food and Rural Development	Rural development and the Western Development Commission	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Mary Coughlan	Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands	Gaeltacht and the Islands	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color
Changes 11 April 2002 Following the resignation of Bobby Molloy as a Minister of State on 10 April 2002. O'Donnell continued in her position as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Molloy's position as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government was not filled.
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Liz O'Donnell	Minister of State to the Government		REDIRECT Template:Party name with color

Confidence in the government

After evidence given by Ahern at the Moriarty Tribunal, a motion of no confidence was proposed in the government. This was then debated on 30 June 2000 as a motion of confidence in the government, proposed by the Taoiseach. It was approved by the Dáil.

Dissolution

On 25 April 2002, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, and a general election was held on 17 May. The 29th Dáil met on 6 June and Bertie Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach and formed a new government.