Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Irish: An tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia agus Mara) is the senior minister at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the Government of Ireland. Historically, the agriculture portfolio has gone under a number of different names; the holder has often borne the title of simply Minister for Agriculture.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Incumbent Charlie McConalogue since 2 September 2020
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Member of	Cabinet Council of the European Union Dáil Éireann
Reports to	Taoiseach
Seat	Dublin, Ireland
Appointer	President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holder	Robert Barton as Director of Agriculture
Formation	2 April 1919
Website	Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

The current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is Charlie McConalogue. He is assisted by two Ministers of State:

• Senator Pippa Hackett – Minister of State for Land Use and Biodiversity; and
• Martin Heydon, TD – Minister of State for Research & Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development.[1][2]

Functions

The department's functions include:

• Policy advice and development on all areas of departmental responsibility
• Representation in international especially European Union and national negotiations;
• Development and implementation of national and EU schemes in support of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development.
• Monitoring and controlling aspects of food safety.
• Control and audit of public expenditure under its control.
• Regulation of the agriculture, fisheries and food industries through national and EU law.
• Monitoring and controlling animal and plant health and animal welfare.
• Monitoring and direction of state bodies engaged in the following areas:
  • Research training and advice.
  • Market development and promotion.
  • Industry regulation and development.
  • Commercial activities.
• Direct provision of support services to agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

List of office-holders

  Denotes acting Minister

Director of Agriculture 1919–1921
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)[lower-alpha 1]
1	Robert Barton	2 April 1919	26 August 1921		Sinn Féin	2nd DM
Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
2	Art O'Connor	26 August 1921	9 January 1922		Sinn Féin	3rd DM
Minister for Agriculture 1922–1924
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
3	Patrick Hogan	11 January 1922	2 June 1924		Cumann na nGaedheal	4th DM · 1st PG · 2nd PG · 5th DM · 1st EC · 2nd EC
Minister for Lands and Agriculture 1924–1928
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Patrick Hogan	2 June 1924	1 September 1928		Cumann na nGaedheal	3rd EC · 4th EC
Minister for Agriculture 1928–1965
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Patrick Hogan	1 September 1928	9 March 1932		Cumann na nGaedheal	4th EC · 5th EC
4	James Ryan	9 March 1932	21 January 1947		Fianna Fáil	6th EC · 7th EC · 8th EC · 1st · 2nd · 3rd · 4th
5	Paddy Smith (1st time)	21 January 1947	18 February 1948		Fianna Fáil	4th
6	James Dillon (1st time)	18 February 1948	13 June 1951		Independent	5th
7	Thomas Walsh	13 June 1951	2 June 1954		Fianna Fáil	6th
	James Dillon (2nd time)	2 June 1954	20 March 1957		Fine Gael	7th
8	Frank Aiken (1st time)	20 March 1957	16 May 1957		Fianna Fáil	8th
9	Seán Moylan	16 May 1957	16 November 1957		Fianna Fáil	8th
	Frank Aiken (2nd time)	16 November 1957	27 November 1957		Fianna Fáil	8th
	Paddy Smith (2nd time)	27 November 1957	8 October 1964		Fianna Fáil	8th · 9th · 10th
10	Charles Haughey	8 October 1964	6 July 1965		Fianna Fáil	10th
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries 1965–1977
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Charles Haughey	6 July 1965	10 November 1966		Fianna Fáil	10th · 11th
11	Neil Blaney	10 November 1966	7 May 1970		Fianna Fáil	12th · 13th
12	Jim Gibbons (1st time)	7 May 1970	14 March 1973		Fianna Fáil	13th
13	Mark Clinton	14 March 1973	9 February 1977		Fine Gael	14th
Minister for Agriculture 1977–1987
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Mark Clinton	9 February 1977	5 July 1977		Fine Gael	14th
	Jim Gibbons (2nd time)	5 July 1977	11 December 1979		Fianna Fáil	15th
14	Ray MacSharry	12 December 1979	30 June 1981		Fianna Fáil	16th
15	Alan Dukes	30 June 1981	9 March 1982		Fine Gael	17th
16	Brian Lenihan	9 March 1982	14 December 1982		Fianna Fáil	18th
17	Austin Deasy	14 December 1982	10 March 1987		Fine Gael	19th
18	Michael O'Kennedy	10 March 1987	31 March 1987		Fianna Fáil	20th
Minister for Agriculture and Food 1987–1993
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Michael O'Kennedy	31 March 1987	14 November 1991		Fianna Fáil	20th · 21st
19	Michael Woods	14 November 1991	11 February 1992		Fianna Fáil	21st
20	Joe Walsh (1st time)	11 February 1992	21 January 1993		Fianna Fáil	22nd
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1993–1997
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Joe Walsh (1st time)	21 January 1993	15 December 1994		Fianna Fáil	22nd · 23rd
21	Ivan Yates	15 December 1994	26 June 1997		Fine Gael	24th
	Joe Walsh (2nd time)	26 June 1997	12 July 1997		Fianna Fáil	25th
Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–1999
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Joe Walsh (2nd time)	12 July 1997	27 September 1999		Fianna Fáil	25th
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1999–2002
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Joe Walsh (2nd time)	29 September 1999	19 June 2002		Fianna Fáil	25th · 26th
Minister for Agriculture and Food 2002–2007
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Joe Walsh (2nd time)	19 June 2002	29 September 2004		Fianna Fáil	26th
22	Mary Coughlan	29 September 2004	20 October 2007		Fianna Fáil	26th · 27th
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2007–2011
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Mary Coughlan	20 October 2007	7 May 2008		Fianna Fáil	27th
23	Brendan Smith	7 May 2008	9 March 2011		Fianna Fáil	28th
24	Simon Coveney	9 March 2011	17 October 2011		Fine Gael	29th
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2011–present
No.	Name	Term of office		Party		Government(s)
	Simon Coveney	17 October 2011	6 May 2016		Fine Gael	29th
25	Michael Creed	6 May 2016	27 June 2020		Fine Gael	30th · 31st
26	Barry Cowen	27 June 2020	14 July 2020		Fianna Fáil	32nd
27	Micheál Martin (acting)	14 July 2020	15 July 2020		Fianna Fáil	32nd
28	Dara Calleary	15 July 2020	21 August 2020		Fianna Fáil	32nd
	Micheál Martin (acting)	21 August 2020	2 September 2020		Fianna Fáil	32nd
29	Charlie McConalogue	2 September 2020	Incumbent		Fianna Fáil	32nd

Note

1. Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; PG – Provisional Government; EC – Executive Council.

References

1. "List of Ministers and Ministers of State", Government of Ireland, retrieved 4 August 2020
2. "Ministers". Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Retrieved 4 August 2020.

External links

• Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine