Government of the 31st Dáil

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search
Government of the 31st Dáil
29th Government of Ireland
EndaKenny.jpg
Date formed 9 March 2011
Date dissolved 10 March 2016
People and organisations
Head of government Enda Kenny
Deputy head of government Eamon Gilmore (2011–14)
Joan Burton (2014–16)
Head of state Mary McAleese (2011)
Michael D. Higgins (2011–16)
Number of ministers 15
Member party Fine Gael
Labour Party
Status in legislature Majority Coalition
Opposition cabinet Fianna Fáil Front Bench
Opposition party Fianna Fáil
Opposition leader Micheál Martin
History
Election(s) 2011 general election
Legislature term(s) 31st Dáil
Budget(s) 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Predecessor 28th Government of Ireland
Successor 30th Government of Ireland

The Government of the 31st Dáil is the previous Government of Ireland, formed after the 2011 general election to Dáil Éireann on 25 February 2011. Fine Gael entered into discussions with the Labour Party which culminated in a joint programme for government. The 31st Dáil first met on 9 March 2011 when it nominated Seán Barrett to be the Ceann Comhairle. Following this, the house nominated Enda Kenny, the leader of Fine Gael, to be the 13th Taoiseach. Kenny then went to the Áras an Uachtaráin where President Mary McAleese appointed him as Taoiseach. On the nomination of the Taoiseach, and following the Dáil's approval the 29th Government of Ireland was appointed by the President.[1][2][3]

29th Government of Ireland

Members of the Government of the 31st Dáil

The 29th Government of Ireland (9 March 2011 – 10 March 2016) was composed of Fine Gael and the Labour Party.[4]

Nomination of Taoiseach vote

9 March 2011
Nomination of Taoiseach vote for Enda Kenny (FG)
Motion proposed by Simon Harris and seconded by Ciara Conway
Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote Parties Votes
YesY Yes Fine Gael (76), Labour Party (37), Independent (5)
117 / 166
No Sinn Féin (14), Independent (8), People Before Profit Alliance (2), Socialist Party (2),
Workers and Unemployed Action Group (1)
27 / 166
Abstentions Fianna Fáil (20), Ceann Comhairle (1), Independent (1)
22 / 166
Source: Oireachtas Debates

Composition

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Enda Kenny 2011–16 Fine Gael
Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore 2011–14 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 2011–14
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney 2011–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan 2011–14 Fine Gael
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Frances Fitzgerald 2011–14 Fine Gael
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte 2011–14 Labour Party
Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn 2011–14 Labour Party
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan 2011–14 Fine Gael
Minister for Finance Michael Noonan 2011–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Health James Reilly 2011–14 Fine Gael
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton 2011–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Justice and Equality Alan Shatter 2011–14 Fine Gael
Minister for Defence
Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin 2011–16 Labour Party
Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton 2011–16 Labour Party
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar 2011–14 Fine Gael

Changes May 2014
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Justice and Equality Frances Fitzgerald 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Defence Enda Kenny (acting) 2014 Fine Gael
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Charles Flanagan 2014 Fine Gael

Changes July 2014

Following the election of Joan Burton as Leader of the Labour Party, a cabinet reshuffle took place on 11 July 2014.[5][6]
Office Name Term Party
Tánaiste Joan Burton 2014–16 Labour Party
Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs James Reilly 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Alex White 2014–16 Labour Party
Minister for Defence Simon Coveney 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Education and Skills Jan O'Sullivan 2014–16 Labour Party
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Alan Kelly 2014–16 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charles Flanagan 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar 2014–16 Fine Gael
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Paschal Donohoe 2014–16 Fine Gael

The following attend cabinet meetings, but do not have a vote:

Attorney General Máire Whelan 2011–16 Labour Party
Government Chief Whip Paul Kehoe 2011–16 Fine Gael
Minister of State for Housing and Planning Jan O'Sullivan 2011–14 Labour Party
Minister of State for Business and Employment Ged Nash[7] 2014–16 Labour Party

The government positions are listed in alphabetical order, rather than in terms of seniority.

Economic Management Council

The Economic Management Council was a cabinet subcommittee of senior ministers formed to co-ordinate the response to the Irish financial crisis and the government's dealings with the troika (European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund).[8] Its members were the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.[9] It was supported by the Department of the Taoiseach, led by Dermot McCarthy.[8][10] Brigid Laffan compared it to a war cabinet.[11] Opposition parties suggested the Council represented a dangerous concentration of power.[12]

Following the formation of a government in 2016, Shane Ross, a member of the Government of the 32nd Dáil, confirmed in an address to the Dáil that the subcommittee would not form part of the new government. Ross told the Dáil on 6 May 2016: "I had a conversation last night with the Taoiseach. I was talking to him about Dáil reform and I asked him about an issue - a last point I had forgotten to ask about earlier - which was the abolition of the Economic Management Council. I thought it was going to be like one of these thorny topics which we had been through over the last few weeks. He told me okay, it is gone, that it had been needed for a particular time and it is not needed any more and I was to consider it gone. To me that was very encouraging because it meant that one of those obstacles to Dáil reform, one of those rather secretive bodies that had dictated to the Cabinet and to the Dáil the agenda of what came out to the country, was now a thing of the past."[13]

See also

References

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

Cite error: Invalid <references> tag; parameter "group" is allowed only.

Use <references />, or <references group="..." />

External links

  1. ↑ Under Article 13.1.1 of the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, the Dáil nominates a person whom it instructs the President to appoint as Taoiseach. The Taoiseach, following his appointment, then nominates his ministerial team en bloc to the Dáil for approval, in accordance with Article 13.1.2. If the Dáil duly approves the list, the President proceeds to appoint them. Though it is often said that the Taoiseach and government are elected by the Dáil that is technically incorrect. They only become ministers when the President appoints them and they receive their seal of office, not by means of the parliamentary vote, although the President's appointment is automatic when they have been duly approved.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Nash is described as a "Super junior" minister, because unlike other Ministers of State, he attends cabinet meetings.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 State's most senior civil servant to step down
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Government_of_the_31st_Dáil&oldid=720359633"