23rd Government of Ireland

The 1992 general election was held on 25 November 1992. 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; on each previous occasion Labour was in government, it was a junior coalition party with Fine Gael. 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 serving again as Tánaiste under Bruton as Taoiseach. This was the only time a new government with a different party composition was formed within a single Dáil term.

23rd Government of Ireland
Date formed	12 January 1993
Date dissolved	15 December 1994
People and organisations
President	Mary Robinson
Taoiseach	Albert Reynolds
Tánaiste	Dick Spring Bertie Ahern from Nov. 1994)
Total no. of members	15
Member parties	Fianna Fáil Labour Party left Nov. 1994)
Status in legislature	Coalition
Opposition party	Fine Gael
Opposition leader	John Bruton
History
Election(s)	1992 general election
Legislature term(s)	27th Dáil 20th Seanad
Predecessor	22nd Government
Successor	24th Government

Nomination of Taoiseach

The members of the 27th Dáil first met on 14 December 1992. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Albert Reynolds, Fine Gael leader John Bruton and Labour Party leader Dick Spring were each proposed. None of these proposals were passed by the Dáil: Reynolds received 68 votes in favour with 94 against, Bruton received 55 in favour to 107 against, and Spring received 39 in favour to 122 against.[1] Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach and continued in a caretaker capacity.[2]

On 12 January 1993, Albert Reynolds and John Bruton were again proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach, and on this occasion, the nomination of Reynolds was successful by 102 votes to 60.[3] Reynolds was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.[4]

12 January 1993 Nomination of Albert Reynolds (FF) as Taoiseach[5] Motion proposed by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and seconded by Dick Spring Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
Yes	Fianna Fáil (68), Labour Party (33), Independent Fianna Fáil (1)	102 / 166
No	Fine Gael (45), Progressive Democrats (10), Democratic Left (4), Green Party (1)	60 / 166
Not voting	Independent (3), Ceann Comhairle (1)	4 / 166

Members of the Government

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Albert Reynolds proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[4] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[6]

Office	Name	Term	Party
Taoiseach	Albert Reynolds	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste	Dick Spring	1993–1994		Labour Party
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Finance	Bertie Ahern	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Social Welfare	Michael Woods	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Justice	Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment[lower-alpha 1]	Ruairi Quinn	1993–1994		Labour
Minister for the Environment	Michael Smith	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Defence	David Andrews	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for the Marine
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry[lower-alpha 2]	Joe Walsh	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Tourism and Trade[lower-alpha 3]	Charlie McCreevy[lower-alpha 4]	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications[lower-alpha 5]	Brian Cowen[lower-alpha 6]	1993–1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform[lower-alpha 7]	Mervyn Taylor	1993–1994		Labour
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht[lower-alpha 8]	Michael D. Higgins	1993–1994		Labour
Minister for Health	Brendan Howlin	1993–1994		Labour
Minister for Education	Niamh Bhreathnach	1993–1994		Labour
Changes 18 November 1994 The Labour Party ministers resigned from government on 17 November 1994. Albert Reynolds resigned as Taoiseach on 18 November and continued to serve in a caretaker capacity.[13]
Minister for Foreign Affairs	Albert Reynolds	1994		Fianna Fáil
Tánaiste	Bertie Ahern	1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Minister for Health	Michael Woods	1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Equality and Law Reform	Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Education	Michael Smith	1994		Fianna Fáil
Minister for Enterprise and Employment	Charlie McCreevy	1994		Fianna Fáil

Notes

1. On 20 January 1993 the Department of Industry and Commerce was renamed as the Department of Enterprise and Employment.[7]
2. On 21 January 1993 the Department of Agriculture and Food was renamed as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.[8]
3. On 22 January 1993 the Department of Energy was renamed as the Department of Tourism and Trade.[9]
4. McCreevy had initially been appointed as Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental function.[6]
5. On 22 January 1993 the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications was renamed as the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications.[10]
6. Cowen had initially been appointed as Minister for Energy and was re-assigned after the transfer of departmental functions.[6]
7. On 21 January 1993 the Department of Labour was renamed as the Department of Equality and Law Reform.[11]
8. On 21 January 1993 the Department of the Gaeltacht was renamed as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht.[12]

Attorney General

On 12 January 1993 Harry Whelehan SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[4][6] He resigned as Attorney General on 11 November 1994 on his nomination as President of the High Court (a position he would serve in for only two days). On 11 November 1994, Eoghan Fitzsimons SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of State

On 12 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Noel Dempsey to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip.[4] On 14 January 1993, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed the other Ministers of State.[6]

Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Noel Dempsey	Taoiseach Defence Finance	Government Chief Whip Office of Public Works		Fianna Fáil
Tom Kitt	Taoiseach Foreign Affairs	European Affairs and Overseas Development Assistance		Fianna Fáil
Noel Treacy	Taoiseach Finance Transport, Energy and Communications	Energy		Fianna Fáil
Mary O'Rourke	Enterprise and Employment	Labour Affairs		Fianna Fáil
Séamus Brennan	Enterprise and Employment	Commerce and Technology		Fianna Fáil
Pat "the Cope" Gallagher	Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht	Gaeltacht		Fianna Fáil
Eithne FitzGerald	Finance	Office of the Tánaiste National Development Plan		Labour
Liam Aylward	Education	Youth and Sport		Fianna Fáil
Liam Hyland	Agriculture, Food and Forestry	Forestry and Rural Development		Fianna Fáil
Brian O'Shea	Agriculture, Food and Forestry	Food and Horticulture		Labour
Willie O'Dea	Justice Health			Fianna Fáil
John Browne	Environment	Environmental Protection		Fianna Fáil
Emmet Stagg	Environment	Housing and Urban Renewal		Labour
Gerry O'Sullivan	Marine	Port Development, Safety and Inland Fisheries		Labour
Joan Burton	Social Welfare	Poverty, including EC Poverty Plans and the Integration of the Tax and Social Welfare Codes		Labour
Change on 17 November 1994 The Ministers of State from the Labour Party resigned on 17 November 1994.[13]

References

1. "Nomination of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 14 December 1992". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
2. "Resignation of Taoiseach – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 15 December 1992". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
3. "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993".
4. "Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of the Government – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
5. "Nomination of Taoiseach (Resumed) – Votes – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 12 January 1993".
6. "Appointment of Members of Government and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Wednesday, 10 February 1993". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
7. "Industry and Commerce (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
8. "Agriculture and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
9. "Energy (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
10. "Tourism, Transport and Communications (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
11. "Labour (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
12. "Gaeltacht (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
13. "Resignation of Taoiseach and Ministerial Changes: Statement – Dáil Éireann (27th Dáil) – Tuesday, 22 November 1994". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 15 August 2019.