# Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs

The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
There are currently two Ministers of State:
* Neale Richmond, TD – Minister of State with special responsibility for International development and the diaspora; and
* Thomas Byrne, TD – Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs.

## List of parliamentary secretaries

Department of External Affairs 1933–1943 :
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government |
| Patrick Little | 1 March 1933 | 27 September 1939 | | Fianna Fáil | 7th EC • 8th EC • 1st • 2nd |
| Paddy Smith | 27 September 1939 | 1 July 1943 | | Fianna Fáil | 2nd |
| Department of Foreign Affairs 1977–1978 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government |
| David Andrews | 5 July 1977 | 1 January 1978 | | Fianna Fáil | 15th |

## List of ministers of state

Department of Foreign Affairs 1978–2011 :
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| David Andrews | 1 January 1978 | 11 December 1979 | | Fianna Fáil | | 15th |
| Jim O'Keeffe | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | | Fine Gael | Overseas development | 17th |
| Jim O'Keeffe | 16 December 1982 | 13 February 1986 | | Fine Gael | Overseas development | 19th |
| George Birmingham | 13 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs and Development Co-operation | 19th |
| Seán Calleary | 12 March 1987 | 12 July 1989 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas Aid | 20th |
| Seán Calleary | 19 July 1989 | 11 February 1992 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas Aid | 21st |
| Brendan Daly | 13 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | | Fianna Fáil | | 22nd |
| Tom Kitt | 14 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs and Overseas development assistance | 23rd |
| Joan Burton | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | | Labour | Overseas development assistance | 24th |
| Gay Mitchell | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 24th |
| Liz O'Donnell | 1 July 1997 | 6 June 2002 | | Progressive Democrats | Overseas development assistance and Human rights | 25th |
| Dick Roche | 6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 26th |
| Tom Kitt | 19 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development and Human rights | 26th |
| Conor Lenihan | 5 October 2004 | 20 June 2007 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | 26th |
| Noel Treacy | 29 September 2004 | 20 June 2007 | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 26th |
| Michael Kitt | 20 June 2007 | 13 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | 27th |
| Dick Roche | 14 June 2007 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 27th • 28th |
| Peter Power | 13 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | Overseas development | 28th |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2011–2020 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Jan O'Sullivan | 10 March 2011 | 20 December 2011 | | Labour | Trade and Development | 29th |
| Lucinda Creighton | 10 March 2011 | 11 July 2013 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 29th |
| Joe Costello | 20 December 2011 | 15 July 2014 | | Labour | Trade and Development | 29th |
| Paschal Donohoe | 12 July 2013 | 11 July 2014 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 29th |
| Seán Sherlock | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | | Labour | Overseas development aid, Trade promotion and North–South co-operation | 29th |
| Jimmy Deenihan | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | | Fine Gael | Diaspora | 29th |
| Dara Murphy | 15 July 2014 | 20 June 2017 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 29th • 30th |
| Joe McHugh | 19 May 2016 | 16 June 2017 | | Fine Gael | Diaspora and Overseas development aid | 30th |
| Ciarán Cannon | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Fine Gael | Diaspora and International development | 31st |
| Helen McEntee | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 31st |
| Department of Foreign Affairs 2020–2025 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Colm Brophy | 1 July 2020 | 17 December 2022 | | Fine Gael | Overseas development aid and the Diaspora | 32nd |
| Thomas Byrne | 1 July 2020 | 17 December 2022 | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 32nd |
| Peter Burke | 21 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 33rd |
| Seán Fleming | 21 December 2022 | 23 January 2025 | | Fianna Fáil | International development and the Diaspora | 33rd • 34th |
| Jennifer Carroll MacNeill | 9 April 2024 | 23 January 2025 | | Fine Gael | European Affairs | 34th |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2025–present |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Thomas Byrne | 29 January 2025 | Incumbent | | Fianna Fáil | European Affairs | 35th |
| Neale Richmond | 29 January 2025 | Incumbent | | Fine Gael | International development and diaspora | 35th |