# List of female cabinet ministers of the Republic of Ireland

The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in the Republic of Ireland. Its ministers are collectively responsible for the Departments of State administered by the members of the Government.
As of 2025, twenty-three women have served as cabinet ministers in governments of the Republic of Ireland and its predecessors the Irish Free State (1922–1937) and the Irish Republic (1919–1922). After a 58-year gap between the first and second women ministers, there has been at least one woman in all cabinets since December 1982. No woman has ever been Taoiseach (prime minister), but four women have served as Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).
Other women have served outside the cabinet as junior ministers, known until 1978 as Parliamentary Secretaries, and since then as Ministers of State. For example, five of the twenty Ministers of State appointed by the government of Micheál Martin in June 2020 were women, with two regularly attending cabinet.
The 35th government of Ireland was formed in January 2025 by Taoiseach Micheál Martin. As of 2025 it includes three women as ministers in the cabinet: Norma Foley, Helen McEntee and Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. No more than four women have served in cabinet at any one time. Criticism of the imbalance is defended by pointing to male dominance of the Oireachtas (parliament) from which ministers are appointed.

## Constitution

The 1937 Constitution of Ireland requires the government to consist of between seven and fifteen members, including the Taoiseach (prime minister). The Taoiseach is elected by Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas), and chooses the other ministers including the Tánaiste (deputy prime minister).
Since the formation of the 12th government of Ireland in 1966, all Irish cabinets have been formed with the constitutional maximum of fifteen ministers. The total sometimes falls below this number for brief periods following the resignation of individual ministers or the withdrawal of a party from a coalition. For example, six ministers resigned in January 2011 from the 28th government of Ireland, and were not replaced until March, when the 29th Government was formed after the general election in February.
Only three ministerial offices are specifically identified in the constitution: Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. No woman has ever been appointed as Taoiseach or Minister for Finance. However, four women have served as Tánaiste. The first woman Tánaiste was Mary Harney (1997–2006), who in 1993 had become the first woman to lead a political party in the Dáil. Harney was followed by Mary Coughlan (2008–2011), Joan Burton (2014–2016), and Frances Fitzgerald (2016–2017).
Each minister must be a member of the Oireachtas (the national parliament), whose eligibility criteria for membership are defined as being "without distinction of sex". Up to two members of the Government may be members of Seanad Éireann, the upper house of the Oireachtas, but the only three senators ever appointed as ministers were men. All women in Irish cabinets have been Teachtaí Dála (TDs), i.e. members of Dáil Éireann.

## History

The first woman cabinet minister in Ireland was Constance Markievicz, who in April 1919 became Minister for Labour in the Second Ministry of the revolutionary First Dáil. She was only the second woman minister in the national government of any country, after Alexandra Kollontai's appointment in 1917 as People's Commissar in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic.
When the Second Dáil assembled in August 1921, Markievicz continued as Minister for Labour, but her post was no longer at cabinet level in the Government of the Second Dáil. Markievicz and other ministers opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty resigned from the Government on 9 January 1922.
Only two women were returned to the Third Dáil in the general election in June 1922, down from six at the 1921 election, when 4.7% of TDs were women. The 1920s and 1930s were a conservative period in Ireland, in which women's rights were reversed, and no women were members of the Executive Council of the 1922–1937 Irish Free State. From the 1930s to the 1960s most women TDs were widows or other relatives of deceased TDs, and the 4.7% ratio achieved in 1921 was not equalled again until the 1981 general election returned 11 women, who comprised 6.6% of the 22nd Dáil.
More than 58 years elapsed between Markievicz leaving office and the appointment in December 1979 of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn as the second woman in cabinet. In 1977, Geoghegan-Quinn had become the first woman since Markievicz to serve as a junior minister in the Irish government, when Jack Lynch appointed her as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce. Two years later, aged 29, she was "flabbergasted" to become Minister for the Gaeltacht in the first cabinet of Taoiseach Charles Haughey.
Since then, the only all-male Irish government was the March–December 1982 second government of Charles Haughey. All cabinets since December 1982 have included at least one woman. The first time two women served as ministers simultaneously was in January 1993, when Taoiseach Albert Reynolds included both Máire Geoghegan-Quinn and Niamh Bhreathnach in his cabinet. Bhreathnach was the first woman to be appointed as minister at the start of her first Dáil term, and the only one until Katherine Zappone became Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in May 2016.
Political scientists Yvonne Galligan and Fiona Buckley note that women have been grossly under-represented in Irish politics, with men making up 91% of all cabinet appointments between 1919 and June 2017. They also found that women in the Irish cabinet are twice as likely to hold a social portfolio (48%) than an economic portfolio (24%). By contrast, only 17% of men held social portfolios, and 52% held an economic or foreign affairs portfolio.
All but two of the women who have served as ministers since 1919 are still alive. The first Irish woman minister, Constance Markievicz, died in 1927, and the third, Eileen Desmond, died in 2005. Ireland's oldest living woman former minister is 87-year-old Mary O'Rourke.

### Calls for gender balance

The highest number of women ever in an Irish cabinet is four, a number first reached in 2004–2007, and again in each cabinet from 2014 to the present. However, this amounts to only 27% of the 15 ministers, and has been criticised by the National Women's Council of Ireland as "way off a gender-balanced Cabinet".
In 2014, then Taoiseach Enda Kenny pledged that if re-elected he would appoint a cabinet "50:50 on merit, of men and women". When Kenny formed the 30th Government in May 2016 with four women ministers out of fifteen, he was criticised by women campaigners for the lack of increase. Minister Regina Doherty defended Kenny, saying he had "probably done the best that he can do". TheJournal.ie noted that the "proportion of senior ministers who are women is 27%, higher than the 22% of TDs". In June 2017, Kenny's successor Leo Varadkar also appointed four women to his cabinet. He too was criticised for not including more women, but replied that "your ministerial team generally reflects the composition of the Dáil". Varadkar promised "to make sure we have many more women in our next parliamentary party so that I can promote many more women".
In February 2018, Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan launched a programme of commemoration of the centenary of women's enfranchisement. The Representation of the People Act 1918 gave limited voting rights for women. The right to stand for election was granted later in 1918, by the Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act. Madigan said the Irish State "failed women for far too long," and that it was time to "redouble our efforts" to provide equal opportunities. Former Tánaiste Joan Burton called for the next government to consist of an equal number of men and women.

## List of women ministers

Numerical order represents the order of first appointment to the cabinet. Age represents age on appointment to that office.
| # | Name | Portrait | Office | Party | Appointed | Left office | Age | Taoiseach | Govt |
| 1 | Constance Markievicz (1868–1927) | | Minister for Labour | Sinn Féin | 1 April 1919 | 26 August 1921 | 51 | Éamon de Valera | 2nd DM |
| 2 | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (born 1950) | | Minister for the Gaeltacht | Fianna Fáil | 11 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 29 | Charles Haughey | 16th |
| 2 | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (born 1950) | | Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications | Fianna Fáil | 11 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | 42 | Albert Reynolds | 22nd |
| 2 | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (born 1950) | | Minister for Justice | Fianna Fáil | 4 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | 42 | Albert Reynolds | 23rd |
| 2 | Máire Geoghegan-Quinn (born 1950) | | Minister for Equality and Law Reform | Fianna Fáil | 18 November 1994 | 15 December 1994 | 44 | Albert Reynolds | 23rd |
| 3 | Eileen Desmond (1932–2005) | | Minister for Health | Labour | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 48 | Garret FitzGerald | 17th |
| 3 | Eileen Desmond (1932–2005) | | Minister for Social Welfare | Labour | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 48 | Garret FitzGerald | 17th |
| 4 | Gemma Hussey (1938–2024) | – | Minister for Education | Fine Gael | 14 December 1982 | 14 February 1986 | 44 | Garret FitzGerald | 18th |
| 4 | Gemma Hussey (1938–2024) | – | Minister for Social Welfare | Fine Gael | 14 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | 47 | Garret FitzGerald | 18th |
| 4 | Gemma Hussey (1938–2024) | – | Minister for Labour | Fine Gael | 20 January 1987 | 10 March 1987 | 48 | Garret FitzGerald | 18th |
| 5 | Mary O'Rourke (1937–2024) | | Minister for Education | Fianna Fáil | 10 March 1987 | 11 November 1991 | 49 | Charles Haughey | 20th |
| 5 | Mary O'Rourke (1937–2024) | | Minister for Education | Fianna Fáil | 10 March 1987 | 11 November 1991 | 49 | Charles Haughey | 21st |
| 5 | Mary O'Rourke (1937–2024) | | Minister for Health | Fianna Fáil | 11 November 1991 | 11 February 1992 | 54 | Charles Haughey | 21st |
| 5 | Mary O'Rourke (1937–2024) | | Minister for Public Enterprise | Fianna Fáil | 26 June 1997 | 6 June 2002 | 60 | Bertie Ahern | 25th |
| 6 | Niamh Bhreathnach (1945–2023) | | Minister for Education | Labour | 12 January 1993 | 17 November 1994 | 47 | Albert Reynolds | 22rd |
| 6 | Niamh Bhreathnach (1945–2023) | | Minister for Education | Labour | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 49 | John Bruton | 24th |
| 7 | Nora Owen (born 1945) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 49 | John Bruton | 24th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Tánaiste | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 26 June 1997 | 13 September 2006 | 44 | Bertie Ahern | 25th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Tánaiste | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 26 June 1997 | 13 September 2006 | 44 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 26 June 1997 | 13 September 2004 | 44 | Bertie Ahern | 25th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 26 June 1997 | 13 September 2004 | 44 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Health and Children | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 29 September 2004 | 19 January 2011 | 51 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Health and Children | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 29 September 2004 | 19 January 2011 | 51 | Bertie Ahern | 27th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Health and Children | Progressive Democrats (until 2009) | 29 September 2004 | 19 January 2011 | 51 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 8= | Mary Harney (born 1953) | | Minister for Health and Children | Independent (2009–2011) | 29 September 2004 | 19 January 2011 | 51 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 8= | Síle de Valera (born 1954) | | Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands | Fianna Fáil | 26 June 1997 | 6 June 2002 | 42 | Bertie Ahern | 25th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Social and Family Affairs | Fianna Fáil | 17 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | 37 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Fianna Fáil | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | 39 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | Fianna Fáil | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | 39 | Bertie Ahern | 27th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Tánaiste | Fianna Fáil | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | 42 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment | Fianna Fáil | 7 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | 42 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Education and Skills | Fianna Fáil | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | 44 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 10 | Mary Coughlan (born 1965) | | Minister for Health and Children | Fianna Fáil | 20 January 2011 | 9 March 2011 | 51 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 11 | Mary Hanafin (born 1959) | | Minister for Education and Science | Fianna Fáil | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | 45 | Bertie Ahern | 26th |
| 11 | Mary Hanafin (born 1959) | | Minister for Education and Science | Fianna Fáil | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | 45 | Bertie Ahern | 27th |
| 11 | Mary Hanafin (born 1959) | | Minister for Social and Family Affairs | Fianna Fáil | 7 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | 48 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 11 | Mary Hanafin (born 1959) | | Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport | Fianna Fáil | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | 50 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 11 | Mary Hanafin (born 1959) | | Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation | Fianna Fáil | 20 January 2011 | 9 March 2011 | 51 | Brian Cowen | 28th |
| 12= | Joan Burton (born 1949) | | Minister for Social Protection | Labour | 9 March 2011 | 6 May 2016 | 62 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 12= | Joan Burton (born 1949) | | Tánaiste | Labour | 4 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | 65 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Minister for Children and Youth Affairs | Fine Gael | 9 March 2011 | 7 May 2014 | 60 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 8 May 2014 | 14 June 2017 | 63 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 8 May 2014 | 14 June 2017 | 63 | Enda Kenny | 30th |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Tánaiste | Fine Gael | 6 May 2016 | 28 November 2017 | 65 | Enda Kenny | 30th |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Tánaiste | Fine Gael | 6 May 2016 | 28 November 2017 | 65 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 12= | Frances Fitzgerald (born 1950) | | Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 28 November 2017 | 66 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 14= | Jan O'Sullivan (born 1950) | | Minister for Education and Skills | Labour | 11 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | 53 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Fine Gael | 11 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | 54 | Enda Kenny | 29th |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs | Fine Gael | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | 55 | Enda Kenny | 30th |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 30 November 2017 | 57 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation | Fine Gael | 30 November 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 57 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Rural and Community Development | Fine Gael | 27 June 2020 | 17 December 2022 | 60 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Social Protection | Fine Gael | 27 June 2020 | 17 December 2022 | 60 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 27 April 2021 | 1 November 2021 | 61 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 25 November 2022 | 17 December 2022 | 59 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Rural and Community Development | Fine Gael | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 59 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Social Protection | Fine Gael | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 59 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 14= | Heather Humphreys (born 1960) | | Minister for Social Protection | Fine Gael | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 59 | Simon Harris | 34th |
| 16= | Mary Mitchell O'Connor (born 1959) | | Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation | Fine Gael | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | 56 | Enda Kenny | 30th |
| 16= | Katherine Zappone (born 1953) | | Minister for Children and Youth Affairs | Independent | 6 May 2016 | 27 June 2020 | 62 | Enda Kenny | 30th |
| 16= | Katherine Zappone (born 1953) | | Minister for Children and Youth Affairs | Independent | 6 May 2016 | 27 June 2020 | 62 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 18 | Regina Doherty (born 1971) | | Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection | Fine Gael | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 46 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 19 | Josepha Madigan (born 1970) | | Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht | Fine Gael | 30 November 2017 | 27 June 2020 | 48 | Leo Varadkar | 31st |
| 20= | Norma Foley (born 1970) | | Minister for Education | Fianna Fáil | 27 June 2020 | 17 December 2022 | 50 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 20= | Norma Foley (born 1970) | | Minister for Education | Fianna Fáil | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 53 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 20= | Norma Foley (born 1970) | | Minister for Education | Fianna Fáil | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 53 | Simon Harris | 34th |
| 20= | Norma Foley (born 1970) | | Minister for Children, Disability and Equality | Fianna Fáil | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | 55 | Micheál Martin | 35th |
| 20= | Catherine Martin (born 1972) | | Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Green | 27 June 2020 | 17 December 2022 | 47 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 20= | Catherine Martin (born 1972) | | Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Green | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 50 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 20= | Catherine Martin (born 1972) | | Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media | Green | 17 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | 50 | Simon Harris | 34th |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 27 June 2020 | 27 April 2021 | 34 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister without portfolio | Fine Gael | 27 April 2021 | 1 November 2021 | 34 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 1 November 2021 | 25 November 2022 | 35 | Micheál Martin | 32nd |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister without portfolio | Fine Gael | 25 November 2022 | 1 June 2023 | 36 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 1 June 2023 | 23 January 2025 | 36 | Leo Varadkar | 33rd |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister for Justice | Fine Gael | 1 June 2023 | 23 January 2025 | 36 | Simon Harris | 34th |
| 20= | Helen McEntee (born 1986) | | Minister for Education and Youth | Fine Gael | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | 38 | Micheál Martin | 35th |
| 23 | Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (born 1980) | | Minister for Health | Fine Gael | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | 44 | Micheál Martin | 35th |

## Number of women ministers in each Cabinet

Key to parties
  SF = Sinn Féin
  PT-SF = Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty)
  CnaG = Cumann na nGaedheal
  FF = Fianna Fáil
  FG = Fine Gael
  Lab = Labour
  CnaP = Clann na Poblachta
  CnaT = Clann na Talmhan
  NLP = National Labour Party
  Ind = Independent
  PDs = Progressive Democrats
  DL = Democratic Left
  GP = Green :
| State | Dáil | Election/Formed | Cabinet | No. of women in cabinet | Party composition | Head | Deputy |
| Irish Republic | 1st | 1918 election | 1st Ministry | 0 | SF | Cathal Brugha | N/A |
| Irish Republic | 1st | 1919 | 2nd Ministry | 1 | SF | Éamon de Valera | N/A |
| Irish Republic | 2nd | 1921 elections | 3rd Ministry | 0 | SF | Éamon de Valera | N/A |
| Irish Republic | 2nd | 1922 (Jan) | 4th Ministry | 0 | SF (PT) | Arthur Griffith | N/A |
| Southern Ireland | 2nd | 1922 election | 1st Provisional Government | 0 | SF (PT) | Michael Collins | N/A |
| Southern Ireland | 3rd | 1922 (Aug) | 2nd Provisional Government | 0 | SF (PT) (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | N/A |
| Irish Free State | 3rd | 1922 (Dec) | 1st Executive Council | 0 | SF (PT) (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Kevin O'Higgins |
| Irish Free State | 4th | 1923 election | 2nd Executive Council | 0 | CNG (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Kevin O'Higgins |
| Irish Free State | 5th | 1927 (Jun) election | 3rd Executive Council | 0 | CNG (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Kevin O'Higgins |
| Irish Free State | 5th | 1927 (Jun) election | 3rd Executive Council | 0 | CNG (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Ernest Blythe |
| Irish Free State | 6th | 1927 (Sep) election | 4th Executive Council | 0 | CNG (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Ernest Blythe |
| Irish Free State | 6th | 1930 | 5th Executive Council | 0 | CNG (minority) | W. T. Cosgrave | Ernest Blythe |
| Irish Free State | 7th | 1932 election | 6th Executive Council | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Irish Free State | 8th | 1933 election | 7th Executive Council | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Irish Free State | 9th | 1937 election | 8th Executive Council | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Ireland | 9th | 1937 | 1st Government | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Ireland | 10th | 1938 election | 2nd Government | 0 | FF | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Ireland | 11th | 1943 election | 3rd Government | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Ireland | 12th | 1944 election | 4th Government | 0 | FF | Éamon de Valera | Seán T. O'Kelly |
| Ireland | 13th | 1948 election | 5th Government | 0 | FG–Lab–CNP–CNT–NLP–Ind | John A. Costello | William Norton |
| Ireland | 14th | 1951 election | 6th Government | 0 | FF (minority) | Éamon de Valera | Seán Lemass |
| Ireland | 15th | 1954 election | 7th Government | 0 | FG–Lab–CNT | John A. Costello | William Norton |
| Ireland | 16th | 1957 election | 8th Government | 0 | FF | Éamon de Valera | Seán Lemass |
| Ireland | 16th | 1959 | 9th Government | 0 | FF | Seán Lemass | Seán MacEntee |
| Ireland | 17th | 1961 election | 10th Government | 0 | FF (minority) | Seán Lemass | Seán MacEntee |
| Ireland | 18th | 1965 election | 11th Government | 0 | FF | Seán Lemass | Frank Aiken |
| Ireland | 18th | 1966 | 12th Government | 0 | FF | Jack Lynch | Frank Aiken |
| Ireland | 19th | 1969 election | 13th Government | 0 | FF | Jack Lynch | Erskine H. Childers |
| Ireland | 20th | 1973 election | 14th Government | 0 | FG–Lab | Liam Cosgrave | Brendan Corish |
| Ireland | 21st | 1977 election | 15th Government | 0 | FF | Jack Lynch | George Colley |
| Ireland | 21st | 1979 | 16th Government | 1 | FF | Charles Haughey | George Colley |
| Ireland | 22nd | 1981 election | 17th Government | 0 | FG–Lab (minority) | Garret FitzGerald | Michael O'Leary |
| Ireland | 23rd | 1982 (Feb) election | 18th Government | 0 | FF (minority) | Charles Haughey | Ray MacSharry |
| Ireland | 24th | 1982 (Nov) election | 19th Government | 1 | FG–Lab FG (minority) from Jan. 1987 | Garret FitzGerald | Dick Spring |
| Ireland | 24th | 1982 (Nov) election | 19th Government | 1 | FG–Lab FG (minority) from Jan. 1987 | Garret FitzGerald | Peter Barry |
| Ireland | 25th | 1987 election | 20th Government | 1 | FF (minority) | Charles Haughey | Brian Lenihan |
| Ireland | 26th | 1989 election | 21st Government | 1 | FF–PD | Charles Haughey | Brian Lenihan |
| Ireland | 26th | 1989 election | 21st Government | 1 | FF–PD | Charles Haughey | John Wilson |
| Ireland | 26th | 1992 | 22nd Government | 1 | FF–PD | Albert Reynolds | John Wilson |
| Ireland | 27th | 1992 election | 23rd Government | 2 | FF–Lab FF (minority) from Nov. 1994 | Albert Reynolds | Dick Spring |
| Ireland | 27th | 1992 election | 23rd Government | 1 | FF–Lab FF (minority) from Nov. 1994 | Albert Reynolds | Bertie Ahern |
| Ireland | 27th | 1994 | 24th Government | 2 | FG–Lab–DL | John Bruton | Dick Spring |
| Ireland | 28th | 1997 election | 25th Government | 3 | FF–PD (minority) | Bertie Ahern | Mary Harney |
| Ireland | 29th | 2002 election | 26th Government | 2 | FF–PD | Bertie Ahern | Mary Harney |
| Ireland | 29th | 2004 | 26th Government | 4 | FF–PD | Bertie Ahern | Mary Harney |
| Ireland | 30th | 2007 election | 27th Government | 3 | FF–GP–PD | Bertie Ahern | Brian Cowen |
| Ireland | 30th | 2008 | 28th Government | 3 | FF–GP–PD FF–GP–Ind from Nov. 2009 FF (minority) from Jan. 2011 | Brian Cowen | Mary Coughlan |
| Ireland | 31st | 2011 election | 29th Government | 2 | FG–Lab | Enda Kenny | Eamon Gilmore |
| Ireland | 31st | 2014 | 29th Government | 4 | FG–Lab | Enda Kenny | Joan Burton |
| Ireland | 32nd | 2016 election | 30th Government | 4 | FG–Ind (minority) | Enda Kenny | Frances Fitzgerald |
| Ireland | 32nd | 2017 (June) | 31st Government | 4 | FG–Ind (minority) | Leo Varadkar | Frances Fitzgerald |
| Ireland | 32nd | 2017 (November) | 31st Government | 4 | FG–Ind (minority) | Leo Varadkar | Simon Coveney |
| Ireland | 33rd | 2020 election | 32nd Government | 4 | FF–FG–GP | Micheál Martin | Leo Varadkar |
| Ireland | 33rd | 2020 election | 33rd Government | 4 | FF–FG–GP | Leo Varadkar | Micheál Martin |
| Ireland | 33rd | 2020 election | 34th Government | 4 | FF–FG–GP | Simon Harris | Micheál Martin |
| Ireland | 34th | 2024 election | 35th Government | 3 | FF–FG–Ind | Micheál Martin | Simon Harris |