# Government of the 24th Dáil

The 19th government of Ireland (14 December 1982 – 10 March 1987) was the government of Ireland formed after the November 1982 general election to the 24th Dáil. It was a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach and lasted for 4 years, 86 days.

## Nomination of Taoiseach

The 24th Dáil first met on 14 December 1982. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, the Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Charles Haughey, and Fine Gael leader Garret FitzGerald were both proposed. The nomination of Haughey was defeated with 77 votes in favour to 88 against, while the nomination of FitzGerald was carried with 85 in favour and 79 against. FitzGerald was then appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.
14 December 1982 Nomination of Garret FitzGerald (FG) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by Kieran Crotty and seconded by Nora Owen Absolute majority: 84/166 :
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
| Y Yes | Fine Gael (69), Labour Party (16) | 85 / 166 |
| No | Fianna Fáil (75), Workers' Party (2), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1) | 79 / 166 |
| Not voting | Ceann Comhairle (1), Independent (1) | 2 / 166 |

## Government ministers

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Garret FitzGerald proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.
| Office | Name | Term | Party | Party |
| Taoiseach | Garret FitzGerald | 1982–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Tánaiste | Dick Spring | 1982–1987 | | Labour |
| Minister for the Environment | Dick Spring | 1982–1983 | | Labour |
| Minister for Agriculture | Austin Deasy | 1982–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Defence | Patrick Cooney | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Education | Gemma Hussey | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Finance | Alan Dukes | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Fisheries and Forestry | Paddy O'Toole | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for the Gaeltacht | Paddy O'Toole | 1982–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | Peter Barry | 1982–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Health | Barry Desmond | 1982–1987 | | Labour |
| Minister for Social Welfare | Barry Desmond | 1982–1986 | | Labour |
| Minister for Industry and Energy | John Bruton | 1982–1983 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Justice | Michael Noonan | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Labour | Liam Kavanagh | 1982–1983 | | Labour |
| Minister for Posts and Telegraphs | Jim Mitchell | 1982–1984 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Transport | Jim Mitchell | 1982–1984 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for the Public Service | John Boland | 1982–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism | Frank Cluskey | 1982–1983 | | Labour |
| Changes 13 December 1983 Reshuffle on the resignation of Frank Cluskey. |||||
| Office | Name | Term | Party | Party |
| Minister for Energy | Dick Spring | 1983–1987 | | Labour |
| Minister for the Environment | Liam Kavanagh | 1983–1986 | | Labour |
| Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism | John Bruton | 1983–1986 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Labour | Ruairi Quinn | 1983–1987 | | Labour |
| Changes 2 January 1984 On the abolition of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the Department of Transport and the establishment of the Department of Communications. |||||
| Office | Name | Term | Party | Party |
| Minister for Communications | Jim Mitchell | 1984–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Changes 14 February 1986 Reshuffle. |||||
| Office | Name | Term | Party | Party |
| Minister for Education | Patrick Cooney | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for the Environment | John Boland | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Defence | Paddy O'Toole | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Finance | John Bruton | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Industry and Commerce | Michael Noonan | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Justice | Alan Dukes | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for the Public Service | Ruairi Quinn | 1986–1987 | | Labour |
| Minister for Social Welfare | Gemma Hussey | 1986–1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | Liam Kavanagh | 1986–1987 | | Labour |
| Changes 20 January 1987 On 20 January 1987, Dick Spring, Barry Desmond, Liam Kavanagh and Ruairi Quinn, the Labour Party ministers, resigned from the government. No new members joined the cabinet and their portfolios were redistributed. |||||
| Office | Name | Term | Party | Party |
| Tánaiste | Peter Barry | 1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Energy | Michael Noonan | 1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Health | John Boland | 1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Labour | Gemma Hussey | 1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for the Public Service | John Bruton | 1987 | | Fine Gael |
| Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | Paddy O'Toole | 1987 | | Fine Gael |

### Notes

* ↑ Garret FitzGerald was acting Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism from 8 to 13 December 1983 following the resignation of Frank Cluskey.
* ↑ The Department of Industry and Energy was renamed as the Department of Energy on 17 December 1983.
* ↑ The Department of Trade, Commerce and Tourism was renamed as the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism on 17 December 1983.
* ↑ The Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the Department of Transport were abolished and replaced by the Department of Communications on 2 January 1984.
* ↑ The Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism was renamed as the Department of Industry and Commerce on 19 February 1986.
* ↑ The Department of Fisheries and Forestry was renamed as the Department of Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry on 19 February 1986.

## Attorney General

On 14 December 1982, Peter Sutherland SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach. He resigned as Attorney General on 12 December 1984 on his nomination as European Commissioner. On 13 December 1984, John Rogers SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

## Ministers of state

On 14 December 1982, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Seán Barrett to the post of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip. On 16 December 1982, the Government appointed the other Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | Party |
| Seán Barrett | Taoiseach Defence | Government Chief Whip | | Fine Gael |
| Nuala Fennell | Taoiseach | Women's Affairs and Family Law Reform | | Fine Gael |
| Ted Nealon | Taoiseach | Arts and Culture | | Fine Gael |
| Ruairi Quinn | Environment | Urban Affairs and Housing | | Labour |
| Jim O'Keeffe | Foreign Affairs | Overseas Development | | Fine Gael |
| Patrick Hegarty | Agriculture | Production | | Fine Gael |
| Paul Connaughton Snr | Agriculture | Land Structure and Development | | Fine Gael |
| Joseph Bermingham | Finance | Office of Public Works | | Labour |
| Edward Collins | Industry and Energy | Energy Affairs | | Fine Gael |
| John Donnellan | Posts and Telegraphs Transport | Posts and Telegraphs Service | | Fine Gael |
| Michael Moynihan | Trade, Commerce and Tourism | Tourism | | Labour |
| George Birmingham | Labour | Youth Affairs | | Fine Gael |
| Fergus O'Brien | Health Social Welfare | Public Health and Social Welfare Information | | Fine Gael |
| Donal Creed | Education | School Buildings and Sport | | Fine Gael |
| Michael D'Arcy | Fisheries and Forestry Gaeltacht | Fisheries and Forestry | | Fine Gael |
| Changes 7 January 1983 Nuala Fennell was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for Family Law Reform in addition to her existing post. |||||
| Changes 18 February 1983 Ted Nealon was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs with responsibility for broadcasting in addition to his existing post. |||||
| Changes 15 December 1983 Reshuffle on the appointment of Ruairi Quinn to cabinet. |||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | Party |
| Edward Collins | Trade, Commerce and Tourism | Commercial Affairs | | Fine Gael |
| John Donnellan | Health Social Welfare | Public Health and Social Welfare Information | | Fine Gael |
| George Birmingham | Education | Co-ordination of Education and Training | | Fine Gael |
| Fergus O'Brien | Environment | Urban Affairs, Housing and Local Government Reform | | Fine Gael |
| Séamus Pattison | Social Welfare | Social Welfare Administration | | Labour |
| Changes 2 January 1984 Ted Nealon was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Communications with responsibility for radio and television on the creation of the new department. |||||
| Changes 13 February 1986 Reshuffle, including the resignation of Joseph Bermingham. |||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | Party |
| Fergus O'Brien | Taoiseach Defence Environment | Government Chief Whip Urban Development | | Fine Gael |
| Seán Barrett | Taoiseach Education | Dáil Reform Sport | | Fine Gael |
| Jim O'Keeffe | Public Service | | | Fine Gael |
| Patrick Hegarty | Agriculture Industry and Commerce | Food Sector | | Fine Gael |
| George Birmingham | Foreign Affairs | European Affairs and Development Co-operation | | Fine Gael |
| Toddy O'Sullivan | Environment | Grants Administration | | Labour |
| Edward Collins | Industry and Commerce Energy | Commerce and Services | | Fine Gael |
| John Donnellan | Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | Fisheries | | Fine Gael |
| Michael Moynihan | Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry | Tourism | | Labour |
| Changes 18 February 1986 Following the dismissal from office of Donal Creed and Michael D'Arcy, who had refused to resign in order to facilitate the reshuffle. |||||
| Enda Kenny | Labour Education | Youth Affairs | | Fine Gael |
| Avril Doyle | Finance Environment | Office of Public Works and Environmental Protection | | Fine Gael |
| Changes 23 September 1986 Following the dismissal of Edward Collins. |||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | Party |
| Richard Bruton | Energy Industry and Commerce | Energy Affairs | | Fine Gael |
| Changes 20 January 1987 On 20 January 1987, Michael Moynihan, Séamus Pattison and Toddy O'Sullivan, the Labour Party ministers of state, resigned their positions. Their positions were not reassigned. |||||

## Confidence in the government

After the February 1986 reshuffle, including the failure of FitzGerald to move Barry Desmond from the Department of Health and having misinformed the Dáil about the resignation of ministers of state who were subsequently sacked, Charles Haughey sought to move a motion of no confidence in the government. This was debated as a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach, proposed by Tánaiste Dick Spring. The motion of confidence was carried on 21 February 1986 by a vote of 82 to 77.
In June 1986, Joseph Bermingham had resigned from the Labour Party, leaving the coalition parties in a minority. In October 1986, moved a motion of no confidence in the government. This was debated as a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government, proposed by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald. The motion of confidence was carried on 23 October 1986 by a vote of 83 to 81. Bermingham voted with the government; Seán Treacy, who had resigned from Labour in February 1985, voted with the opposition.

## Government policy

The "republican crusade" flagged by Garret Fitzgerald when he was previously in government in 1981 was progressed with some changes in policy on Northern Ireland and social issues.

### Economics

The government resorted to high marginal tax rates to curb the national debt, which had increased when spending commitments accrued under the 1977–81 government's expansion of the public sector became unsustainable after the 1979 energy crisis. High taxes and high unemployment brought a return to high net emigration, a long-established Irish flow which had temporarily reversed in the 1970s. An economic policy document, "Building on reality", was published in 1984.

### Constitutional referendums

The Eighth Amendment to recognise the right to life of the unborn had been proposed by the previous government. It was adopted by the FitzGerald government, but not supported by Labour. An attempt to amend the wording was unsuccessful. The amendment was approved in a referendum in September 1983.
The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland permitted legislation to allow non-Irish citizens to vote in Dáil elections.
A referendum to ease the ban on divorce was defeated in 1986.

### Contraception

A bill to ease restrictions on contraception was passed in 1985. The failure of Desmond O'Malley to vote against this legislation led to his expulsion from Fianna Fáil. O'Malley later established the Progressive Democrats in December 1985.

### Northern Ireland

The government's New Ireland Forum was a prelude to the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed in 1985.