23rd Government of Ireland

Government of the 27th Dáil
23rd Government of Ireland
Date formed 12 January 1993
Date dissolved 15 December 1994
People and organisations
Head of government Albert Reynolds
Deputy head of government Dick Spring
Bertie Ahern
Head of state Mary Robinson
Total number of ministers 16
Member parties Fianna Fáil
Labour Party
Status in legislature Coalition
Opposition leader John Bruton (Fine Gael)
History
Election(s) 1992 general election
Legislature term(s) 27th Dáil
Predecessor 22nd Government
Successor 24th Government

The 23rd Government of Ireland, the first government of the 27th Dáil, was a coalition of Fianna Fáil (with leader Albert Reynolds as Taoiseach) and the Labour Party (with leader Dick Spring as Tánaiste). It was the first time that these two parties were in government together, as traditionally Fine Gael was the coalition partner of the Labour Party. The 1992 general election had been held on 25 November 1992 and the 27th Dáil first met on 14 December 1992, while post-election negotiations between the parties were still ongoing. A new Taoiseach was not elected, and hence a new government not appointed, until 12 January 1993. The 27th Dáil lasted until 1997, but its first government fell in 1994 after the breakdown of relations between the two parties. It was succeeded by the 24th Government, a coalition of Labour with Fine Gael under John Bruton and Democratic Left under Proinsias De Rossa, with Spring remaining as Tánaiste under Bruton as Taoiseach. This is the only time an Irish government has fallen without precipitating a general election.[fn 1]

Ministers

Office Name Term Party
Taoiseach Albert Reynolds 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste Dick Spring[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry[fn 3] Joe Walsh 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Defence David Andrews 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Marine
Minister for Education Niamh Bhreathnach[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Energy Brian Cowen 1993 Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Environment Michael Smith 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Finance Bertie Ahern 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Industry and Commerce[fn 4] 1993
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht[fn 5] Michael D. Higgins[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Health Brendan Howlin[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Enterprise and Employment[fn 4] Ruairi Quinn[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Justice Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform[fn 6] Mervyn Taylor[fn 2] 1993–94 Labour Party
Minister for Social Welfare Michael Woods 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications Charlie McCreevy 1993 Fianna Fáil
Office Name Term Party
Minister for Tourism and Trade[fn 7] Charlie McCreevy 1993–94 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications[fn 8] Brian Cowen 1993–94 Fianna Fáil

Changes 18 November 1994

The Labour Party ministers resigned from the government on 17 November 1994.
No new members joined the Cabinet and their portfolios were reassigned to Fianna Fáil ministers

Office Name Term Party
Tánaiste Bertie Ahern 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Minister for Education Michael Smith 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Foreign Affairs Albert Reynolds 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Health Michael Woods 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment Charlie McCreevy 1994 Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform Máire Geoghegan-Quinn 1994 Fianna Fáil

Footnotes

  1. ↑ There have been occasions when a single-party caretaker government has existed for a few weeks prior to the dissolution of the Dáil, after another party left a coalition: in 1987, 1992–3, and 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 On 17 November 1994 the Labour Party ministers resigned from the government and their portfolios were reassigned to Fianna Fáil ministers.
  3. ↑ On 21 January 1993 the Department of Agriculture and Food was renamed as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
  4. 1 2 On 21 January 1993 the Department of Industry and Commerce was renamed as the Department of Enterprise and Employment.
  5. ↑ On 21 January 1993 the Department of the Gaeltacht was renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.
  6. ↑ On 21 January 1993 the Department of Labour was renamed as the Department of Equality and Law Reform.
  7. ↑ On 22 January 1993 the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade.
  8. ↑ On 22 January 1993 the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications was renamed as the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications.

See also

Sources

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