Fianna Fáil Front Bench

Fianna Fáil is the third largest political party in the Oireachtas. On 12 April 2011 party leader Micheál Martin appointed a front bench consisting of all 20 of the party's Teachtaí Dála (TDs) and one councillor to be spokespersons on areas corresponding to the various government departments. This was the second front bench appointed by Martin in 10 weeks: on 31 January 2011 he had appointed a team of TDs, senators, councillors and Fianna Fáil election candidates to speak for the party on different issues in advance of the 2011 general election.^[1] The reshuffle became necessary when six sitting front bench TDs, including the deputy leader Mary Hanafin, were not re-elected. It also reflected the restructuring of government departments by the incoming Fine Gael-Labour Party coalition.

Overview

Fianna Fáil is the largest opposition party in the Dáil and therefore that party's leader takes the title Leader of the Opposition, a largely nominal role. The other parties that occupy the opposition benches include Sinn Féin and the United Left Alliance.

The "Official Opposition" is viewed as the party tasked with keeping the government in check. It is also generally viewed as the alternative government. The Official Opposition maintains a Front bench of TDs that often have the same portfolios as actual ministers. They are known as opposition "spokespersons".

The title of "the Opposition" is held by the largest party in Dáil Éireann which is not in government, and sometimes the Opposition may even be the largest party in the Dáil. The latter situation almost always occurred when Fianna Fáil were in opposition. This is due to the existence of the multi-party system where Fine Gael usually forms a coalition with the Labour Party.

Official Opposition		Years
	Labour Party	1922–1927
	Fianna Fáil	1927–1932
	Cumann na nGaedheal	1932–1933
	Fine Gael	1933–1948
	Fianna Fáil	1948–1951
	Fine Gael	1951–1954
	Fianna Fáil	1954–1957
	Fine Gael	1957–1973
	Fianna Fáil	1973–1977
	Fine Gael	1977–1981
	Fianna Fáil	1981–1982
	Fine Gael	1982
	Fianna Fáil	1982–1987
	Fine Gael	1987–1994
	Fianna Fáil	1994–1997
	Fine Gael	1997–2011
	Fianna Fáil	2011–

Fianna Fáil Front Bench

Portfolio	Spokesperson[2]
Leader of the Opposition, Spokesperson on Northern Ireland	Micheál Martin
Agriculture and Food, and Community Affairs	Éamon Ó Cuív
Children	Robert Troy
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources	Michael Moynihan
Constitutional reform, Arts and Culture, Defence and Party whip	Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Education and Skills	Charlie McConalogue
Environment and Local Government	Barry Cowen
Finance	Michael McGrath
Foreign Affairs and Trade and Border Region Development	Brendan Smith
Health	Billy Kelleher
Horticulture and Rural Affairs	Séamus Kirk
Housing, Planning and Gaeltacht Affairs	Michael Kitt
Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	Dara Calleary
Justice and Equality	Niall Collins
Marine and Fisheries	John Browne
Public Expenditure and Reform	Seán Fleming
Small Business and Regulatory Framework	John McGuinness
Social Protection and Social Equality	Willie O'Dea
Transport, Tourism and Sport	Timmy Dooley
Mental Health and Special Needs	Colm Keaveney

See also

• Fine Gael Front Bench
• Labour Party (Ireland) Front Bench
• Sinn Féin Front Bench

Footnotes

References

1. "Mary Hanafin named new FF Deputy Leader". RTÉ News. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 31 January 2011.
2. "Fianna Fáil reshuffles frontbench". The Irish Times. 12 July 2012.

External links

• Fianna Fáil spokespersons