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The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence (An Roinn Cosanta) in the Irish Government. The current Minister for Defence is Willie O'Dea, TD; he is assisted by Minister of State Tom Kitt, TD. The department is responsible for the Irish Defence Forces; its primary concern is that of ensuring a secure and stable environment for the economic growth and development of the country.
The Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924 assigned the minister the additional title of Commander-in-Chief as the Chairman of the Council of Defence. The Defense Act, 1954 removed this title as a result of the reconstitution of the Council of Defense.
[edit] List of Ministers for Defence
| # |
Name |
Took Office |
Left Office |
Party |
| 1. |
Richard Mulcahy (1st time) 1 |
January 22, 1919 |
April 1, 1919 |
Sinn Féin |
| 2. |
Cathal Brugha 2 |
April 1, 1919 |
January 9, 1922 |
Sinn Féin |
|
Richard Mulcahy (2nd time) |
January 10, 1922 |
March 19, 1924 |
Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin |
| 3. |
W.T. Cosgrave (acting) |
March 20, 1924 |
November 21, 1924 |
Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin |
| 4. |
Peter Hughes |
November 21, 1924 |
June 23, 1927 |
Cumann na nGaedhael |
| 5. |
Desmond FitzGerald |
June 23, 1927 |
March 9, 1932 |
Cumann na nGaedhael |
| 6. |
Frank Aiken |
March 9, 1932 |
September 8, 1939 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 7. |
Oscar Traynor (1st time) |
September 8, 1939 |
February 18, 1948 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 8. |
Thomas F. O'Higgins |
February 18, 1948 |
March 7, 1951 |
Fine Gael |
| 9. |
Seán MacEoin (1st time) |
March 7, 1951 |
June 13, 1951 |
Fine Gael |
|
Oscar Traynor (2nd time) |
June 13, 1951 |
June 2, 1954 |
Fianna Fáil |
|
Seán MacEoin (2nd time) |
June 2, 1954 |
March 20, 1957 |
Fine Gael |
| 10. |
Kevin Boland |
March 20, 1957 |
October 11, 1961 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 11. |
Gerald Bartley |
October 11, 1961 |
April 21, 1965 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 12. |
Michael Hilliard |
April 21, 1965 |
July 2, 1969 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 13. |
Jim Gibbons |
July 2, 1969 |
May 9, 1970 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 14. |
Jerry Cronin |
May 9, 1970 |
March 14, 1973 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 15. |
Paddy Donegan |
March 14, 1973 |
December 2, 1976 |
Fine Gael |
| 16. |
Liam Cosgrave (acting) |
December 2, 1976 |
December 16, 1976 |
Fine Gael |
| 17. |
Oliver J. Flanagan |
December 16, 1976 |
July 5, 1977 |
Fine Gael |
| 18. |
Bobby Molloy |
July 5, 1977 |
December 11, 1979 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 19. |
Pádraig Faulkner |
December 12, 1979 |
October 15, 1980 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 20. |
Sylvester Barret |
October 15, 1979 |
June 30, 1981 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 21. |
James Tully |
June 30, 1981 |
March 9, 1982 |
Labour |
| 22. |
Paddy Power |
March 9, 1982 |
December 14, 1982 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 23. |
Patrick Cooney |
December 14, 1982 |
February 14, 1986 |
Fine Gael |
| 24. |
Paddy O'Toole |
February 14, 1982 |
March 10, 1987 |
Fine Gael |
| 25. |
Michael J. Noonan |
March 10, 1987 |
July 12, 1989 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 26. |
Brian Lenihan |
July 12, 1989 |
October 31, 1990 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 27. |
Charles Haughey (acting) |
November 1, 1990 |
February 5, 1991 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 28. |
Brendan Daly |
February 5, 1991 |
November 14, 1991 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 29. |
Vincent Brady |
November 14, 1991 |
February 11, 1992 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 30. |
John P. Wilson |
February 11, 1992 |
January 12, 1993 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 31. |
David Andrews (1st time) 3 |
January 12, 1993 |
December 15, 1994 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 32. |
Hugh Coveney 3 |
December 15, 1994 |
May 23, 1995 |
Fine Gael |
| 33. |
Seán Barrett 3 |
May 23, 1995 |
June 26, 1997 |
Fine Gael |
| 34. |
David Andrews (2nd time) |
June 26, 1997 |
October 8, 1997 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 25. |
Michael Smith |
October 8, 1997 |
September 29, 2004 |
Fianna Fáil |
| 26. |
Willie O'Dea |
September 29, 2004 |
(Current incumbent) |
Fianna Fáil |
[edit] Footnotes
- On the first occasion he served as defence minister, Mulcahy bore the title of Minister for National Defence.
- Brugha bore the title of Secretary of State for Defence.
- As Minister for Defence and the Marine.
[edit] See also
[edit] External link
