Minister for Foreign Affairs (Ireland)
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The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs (An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha) in the Irish Government. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.
The current Minister for Foreign Affairs is Dermot Ahern, TD. He is assisted by:
- Conor Lenihan, TD - Minister of State with special responsibility for Overseas Development and Human Rights;
- Noel Treacy, TD - Minister of State with special reponsibility for European Affairs.
Contents
Overview
Within the department there are a number of divisions:- Anglo-Irish Division - deals with Anglo-Irish relations and Northern Ireland.
- Cultural Division - administers the state's Cultural Relations Programme.
- European Union Division - coordinates the state's approach within the European Union (EU).
- Passport and Consular Division - is responsible for the issuing of passports to Irish citizens.
- Political Division - is responsible for international political issues and manages the state's participation in the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy.
- Protocol Division - is responsible for the organisation and management of visits of VIPs to the state and of visits abroad by the Irish President.
List of office-holders
Ministers for Foreign Affairs (1919-1922)
{| class="wikitable" |- bgcolor="CCCCCC" ! width="1%"| ! width="2%"|# ! width="15%"|Name ! width="16%"|Took Office ! width="16%"|Left Office ! width="18%"| Party |- |bgcolor="(1st time) |August 26, 1921 |January 9, 1922 |Sinn Féin |- |bgcolor=
(2nd time) |July 26, 1922 |August 12, 1922 |Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin |- |bgcolor=
Ministers for External Affairs (1922-1971)
{| class="wikitable" |- bgcolor="CCCCCC" ! width="1%"| ! width="2%"|# ! width="15%"|Name ! width="16%"|Took Office ! width="16%"|Left Office ! width="18%"| Party |- |bgcolor=(acting) |July 10, 1927 |October 11, 1927 |Cumann na nGaedhael |- |bgcolor=
(1st time) |June 13, 1951 |June 2, 1954 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(2nd time) |March 20, 1957 |July 2, 1969 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
Ministers for Foreign Affairs (1971-present)
{| class="wikitable" |- bgcolor="CCCCCC" ! width="1%"| ! width="2%"|# ! width="15%"|Name ! width="16%"|Took Office ! width="16%"|Left Office ! width="18%"| Party |- |bgcolor=(1st time) |January 3, 1973 |March 14, 1973 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(2nd time) |December 12, 1979 |June 30, 1981 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(1st time) |March 9, 1982 |December 14, 1982 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(3rd time) |March 10, 1987 |July 12, 1989 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(2nd time) |July 12, 1989 |February 11, 1992 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
(1st time) |February 11, 1992 |January 12, 1993 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor="
(1st time) |January 12, 1993 |November 17, 1994 |Labour Party |- |bgcolor=
(acting) |November 18, 1994 |December 15, 1994 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor="
(2nd time) |December 15, 1994 |June 26, 1997 |Labour Party |- |bgcolor=
(2nd time) |October 8, 1997 |January 27, 2000 |Fianna Fáil |- |bgcolor=
Footnotes
- On the first occasion he held the foreign affairs portfolio, Arthur Griffith's official title was Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
- Eamon de Valera, who was head of government (President of the Executive Council until 1937, renamed Taoiseach in 1937) served as his own foreign minister.
- When Garret FitzGerald formed a government in mid 1981 he announced that he would be appointing James Dooge to be a senator and once in office would make him minister. However as the appointment could not be made until Seanad Éireann's general election had taken place (which would be a few weeks), in the interim the Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism, John Kelly, would act as minister.
- When Labour withdrew from cabinet in early 1987, a new interim cabinet, made up simply of the outgoing Fine Gael ministers, was formed. Peter Barry continued on as Foreign Minister in that shortlived Fine Gael cabinet.
See also
External link
| Government of Ireland Rialtas na hÉireann |
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| An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) | An Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) | ||
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| Former Government Positions: Communications | Co-ordination of Defensive Measures | Economic Affairs | Fine Arts | Irish | Labour | Posts & Telegraphs | Public Service | Publicity | Supplies | [http://encycl.opentopia.com/ edit] |
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