Minister for Health (Ireland)

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use Hiberno-English The Minister for Health (Template:Langx) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Health. The Minister for Health is responsible for healthcare in Ireland and related services.

The current Minister for Health is Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD. She is assisted by:

• Mary Butler, TD – Minister of State for mental health
• Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, TD – Minister of State for public health, well-being and drugs; and
• Kieran O'Donnell, TD – Minister of State for older people

History

Health care formed part of the portfolio of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health until 22 January 1947. On that date, the new position of Minister for Health was created, with control of policy regarding health care provision in Ireland. In the past, it was common for the minister to also hold the position of Minister for Social Welfare.

In recent years, and especially since the tenure of Michael Noonan in 1994–1997, being appointed as minister has become somewhat of a "poisoned chalice" in government circles and a portfolio to be avoided by aspiring politicians, during his tenure Brian Cowen referred to the Department of Health as Angola because there were landmines everywhere. A number of scandals, mostly due to medical negligence, have meant that the minister immediately becomes identified with the scandal. For instance, the Hepatitis C scandal, the withholding of baby organs without parental consent or knowledge, the Michael Neary saga in Drogheda and other high-profile medical scandals have dogged the minister and department. Additionally the minister has to deal with logistic issues not seen in other departments such as strikes, shortages and queues which are all too familiar in clinics and hospitals around the country.

Overview

The Minister's duties include the creation and assessment of policy for health services. The main policy sections of the department, together with their responsibilities, are:

Continuing Care

• Services for homeless adults
• Services for people with disabilities
• Services for the elderly and palliative care

Finance

• Health insurance
• Hospital planning
• Public-Private Partnerships

Personnel Management and Development

• Nursing policy
• Personnel management and development

Primary Care

• Community health (child health, dental services, AIDS, reproductive health)
• General medical services

Secondary Care

• Blood policy
• Hospital services

Strategic Policy and Corporate Services

• Corporate Services
• Health promotion
• Health Strategy Legislation

List of office-holders

  Denotes acting Minister

Minister for Health 1947–1997
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
James Ryan (1st time)Template:Efn	22 January 1947	18 February 1948	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	4th
Noël Browne	18 February 1948	11 April 1951	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	5th
John A. Costello (acting)	12 April 1951	13 June 1951	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	5th
James Ryan (2nd time)Template:Efn	13 June 1951	2 June 1954	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	6th
Tom O'Higgins	2 June 1954	20 March 1957	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	7th
Seán MacEnteeTemplate:Efn	20 March 1957	21 April 1965	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	8th • 9th • 10th
Donogh O'Malley	21 April 1965	13 July 1966	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	11th
Seán Flanagan	13 July 1966	2 July 1969	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	12th
Erskine H. Childers	2 July 1969	14 March 1973	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	13th
Brendan CorishTemplate:Efn	14 March 1973	5 July 1977	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	14th
Charles HaugheyTemplate:Efn	5 July 1977	11 December 1979	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	15th
Michael Woods (1st time)Template:Efn	12 December 1979	30 June 1981	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	16th
Eileen DesmondTemplate:Efn	30 June 1981	9 March 1982	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	17th
Michael Woods (2nd time)Template:Efn	9 March 1982	14 December 1982	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	18th
Barry DesmondTemplate:Efn	14 December 1982	20 January 1987	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	19th
John BolandTemplate:Efn	20 January 1987	10 March 1987	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	19th
Rory O'Hanlon	10 March 1987	14 November 1991	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	20th • 21st
Mary O'Rourke	14 November 1991	11 February 1992	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	21st
John O'Connell	11 February 1992	12 January 1993	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	22nd
Brendan Howlin	12 January 1993	17 November 1994	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	23rd
Michael Woods (3rd time)Template:Efn	17 November 1994	15 December 1994	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	23rd
Michael Noonan	15 December 1994	26 June 1997	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	24th
Minister for Health and Children 1997–2011
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
Brian Cowen	26 June 1997	27 January 2000	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	25th
Micheál Martin	27 January 2000	29 September 2004	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	25th • 26th
Mary Harney	29 September 2004	19 January 2011	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	PD / IndTemplate:Efn	26th • 27th • 28th
Mary CoughlanTemplate:Efn	20 January 2011	9 March 2011	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	28th
Minister for Health 2011–present
Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
James Reilly	9 March 2011	11 July 2014	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	29th
Leo Varadkar	11 July 2014	6 May 2016	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	29th
Simon Harris	6 May 2016	27 June 2020	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	30th • 31st
Stephen Donnelly	27 June 2020	23 January 2025	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	32nd • 33rd  • 34th
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill	23 January 2025	Incumbent	REDIRECT Template:Party name with color	35th

Notes

External links

• Health Information and Quality Authority