Minister for Finance (Ireland)

Minister for Finance
Incumbent
Michael Noonan
since 9 March 2011
Appointer President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holder Eoin MacNeill
Formation 22 January 1919
Website www.finance.gov.ie

The Minister for Finance (Irish: An tAire Airgeadais) is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.

The current Minister for Finance is Michael Noonan, TD. He is assisted by:

Overview

Government Buildings, Dublin, is the location of the Department of Finance

The Minister for Finance holds the second most important ministerial position in the Irish Cabinet after that of the Taoiseach. He or she is in charge of the Department of Finance responsible for all financial matters in the Republic of Ireland. Due to the importance of the cabinet post, the Minister for Finance must be a member of Dáil Éireann. Many Ministers who have held the Finance portfolio have gone on to become Taoiseach, including Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds, John Bruton, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen.

The department and minister are occasionally called the Irish Exchequer (or simply the Exchequer); a term previously used under the Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland.

Budget

One of the most important aspects of the Minister's work is the creation of the annual Budget which is announced to the Dáil in a speech, usually delivered on the first Wednesday of December (although this date may be changed; for instance, the 2009 budget was delivered to the Dáil on Tuesday, 14 October 2008, due to the rapidly deteriorating state of Ireland's public finances at the time). In the budget the Minister details the Government's spending programme for the coming year. The budget consists of:

Minister for Finance 1919–present

  Denotes acting Minister for Finance
No. Name Term of office Party
1. Eoin MacNeill 22 January 1919 1 April 1919 Sinn Féin
2. Michael Collins 2 April 1919 22 August 1922 Sinn Féin
3. W. T. Cosgrave (acting) 17 July 1922 21 September 1923 Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin
4. Ernest Blythe 21 September 1923 9 March 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal
5. Seán MacEntee 9 March 1932 16 September 1939 Fianna Fáil
6. Seán T. O'Kelly 16 September 1939 14 June 1945 Fianna Fáil
7. Frank Aiken 19 June 1945 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil
8. Patrick McGilligan 18 February 1948 13 June 1951 Fine Gael
(5.) Seán MacEntee 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 Fianna Fáil
9. Gerard Sweetman 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Fine Gael
10. James Ryan 20 March 1957 21 April 1965 Fianna Fáil
11. Jack Lynch 21 April 1965 10 November 1966 Fianna Fáil
12. Charles Haughey 10 November 1966 7 May 1970 Fianna Fáil
13. George Colley 9 May 1970 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil
14. Richie Ryan[n 1] 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 Fine Gael
(13.) George Colley[n 1] 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 Fianna Fáil
15. Michael O'Kennedy[n 1] 12 December 1979 16 December 1980 Fianna Fáil
16. Gene Fitzgerald[n 1] 16 December 1980 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil
17. John Bruton 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Fine Gael
18. Ray MacSharry 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil
19. Alan Dukes 14 December 1982 14 February 1986 Fine Gael
(17.) John Bruton[n 1] 14 February 1986 10 March 1987 Fine Gael
(18.) Ray MacSharry[n 1] 10 March 1987 24 November 1988 Fianna Fáil
20. Albert Reynolds 24 November 1988 7 November 1991 Fianna Fáil
Charles Haughey (acting) 7 November 1991 14 November 1991 Fianna Fáil
21. Bertie Ahern 14 November 1991 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil
22. Ruairi Quinn 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 Labour Party
23. Charlie McCreevy 26 June 1997 29 September 2004 Fianna Fáil
24. Brian Cowen 29 September 2004 7 May 2008 Fianna Fáil
25. Brian Lenihan 7 May 2008 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil
26. Michael Noonan 9 March 2011 Incumbent Fine Gael
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ministers who held both the Finance and Public Service portfolios at the same time.

See also

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