Minister for Children, Disability and Equality

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (Template:Langx) is a senior minister in the government of Ireland and leads the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.

The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality since January 2025Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) is Norma Foley, TD. She is assisted by a minister of state:

• Hildegarde Naughton, TD – Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality with responsibility for disability.

Overview

The office was created in 1956 as the Minister for the Gaeltacht. Its title and functions have changed several times, with the current title adopted in 2025. An office of minister of state for children existed from 2005 to 2011.

Responsibility for the Gaeltacht was transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2011 and to the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in 2025.

List of office-holders

Minister for the Gaeltacht 1956–1993
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Richard Mulcahy	2 June 1956	24 October 1956	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	7th
Patrick Lindsay	24 October 1956	20 March 1957	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	7th
Jack Lynch	20 March 1957	26 June 1957	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	8th
Mícheál Ó Móráin (1st time)	26 June 1957	23 July 1959	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	8th • 9th
Gerald Bartley	23 July 1959	11 October 1961	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	9th
Mícheál Ó Móráin (2nd time)	11 October 1961	26 March 1968	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	10th • 11th • 12th
Pádraig Faulkner	27 March 1968	2 July 1969	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	12th
George Colley	2 July 1969	14 March 1973	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	13th
Tom O'Donnell	14 March 1973	5 July 1977	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	14th
Denis Gallagher (1st time)	5 July 1977	11 December 1979	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	15th
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	12 December 1979	30 June 1981	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	16th
Paddy O'Toole (1st time)	30 June 1981	9 March 1982	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	17th
Pádraig Flynn	9 March 1982	11 October 1982	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	18th
Denis Gallagher (2nd time)	11 October 1982	14 December 1982	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	18th
Paddy O'Toole (2nd time)	14 December 1982	10 March 1987	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	19th
Charles Haughey	10 March 1987	11 February 1992	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	20th • 21st
John Wilson	11 February 1992	12 January 1993	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	22nd
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht 1993–1997
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Michael D. Higgins (1st time)	12 January 1993	17 November 1994	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	23rd
Bertie Ahern	18 November 1994	15 December 1994	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	23rd
Michael D. Higgins (2nd time)	15 December 1994	26 June 1997	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	24th
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands 1997–2002
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Síle de Valera	26 June 1997	6 June 2002	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	25th
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 2002–2010
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Éamon Ó Cuív	6 June 2002	23 March 2010	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	26th • 27th • 28th
Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs 2010–2011
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Pat Carey	23 March 2010	9 March 2011	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	28th
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs 2011–2020
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Frances Fitzgerald	9 March 2011	7 May 2014	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	29th
Charles Flanagan	8 May 2014	11 July 2014	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	29th
James Reilly	11 July 2014	6 May 2016	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	29th
Katherine Zappone	6 May 2016	27 June 2020	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	30th • 31st
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 2020–2025
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Roderic O'Gorman	27 June 2020	23 January 2025	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	32nd • 33rd • 34th
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality 2025–present
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Norma Foley	23 January 2025	Incumbent	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	35th