# Minister of State at the Department of Health

The Minister of State at the Department of Health is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Health of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the Minister for Health. A Minister of State does not hold cabinet rank.
As of January 2025, there are three Ministers of State:
* Mary Butler, TD – Minister of State with responsibility for mental health. Butler is also Government Chief Whip;
* Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, TD – Minister of State with responsibility for public health, well-being and drugs; and
* Kieran O'Donnell, TD – Minister of State with responsibility for older people.

## List of parliamentary secretaries

| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government |
| Richard Barry | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | | Fine Gael | 14th |

## List of ministers of state

Department of Health 1980–1997 :
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Tom Nolan | 25 March 1980 | 17 December 1980 | | Fianna Fáil | | 16th |
| Thomas Hussey | 17 December 1980 | 30 June 1981 | | Fianna Fáil | | 16th |
| Donal Creed | 30 June 1981 | 11 November 1981 | | Fine Gael | | 17th |
| Mary Flaherty | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | | Fine Gael | Poverty and the Family | 17th |
| Gerry L'Estrange | 11 November 1981 | 9 March 1982 | | Fine Gael | | 17th |
| Fergus O'Brien | 16 December 1982 | 15 December 1983 | | Fine Gael | Public Health | 19th |
| John Donnellan | 15 December 1983 | 10 March 1987 | | Fine Gael | Public Health | 19th |
| Terry Leyden | 12 March 1987 | 12 July 1989 | | Fianna Fáil | | 20th |
| Noel Treacy | 19 July 1989 | 6 February 1991 | | Fianna Fáil | | 21st |
| Chris Flood | 6 February 1991 | 13 February 1992 | | Fianna Fáil | | 21st |
| Chris Flood | 13 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | | Fianna Fáil | | 22nd |
| Willie O'Dea | 14 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | | Fianna Fáil | | 23rd |
| Brian O'Shea | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | | Labour | Mental handicap, health promotion, food safety and public health | 24th |
| Austin Currie | 20 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | | Fine Gael | | 24th |
| Department of Health and Children 1997–2011 |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Frank Fahey | 8 July 1997 | 1 February 2000 | | Fianna Fáil | Children | 25th |
| Tom Moffatt | 8 July 1997 | 6 June 2002 | | Fianna Fáil | Food safety and Older people | 25th |
| Mary Hanafin | 1 February 2000 | 6 June 2002 | | Fianna Fáil | Children | 25th |
| Ivor Callely | 18 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People | 26th |
| Brian Lenihan | 18 June 2002 | 14 June 2007 | | Fianna Fáil | Children | 26th |
| Tim O'Malley | 18 June 2002 | 14 June 2007 | | Progressive Democrats | Mental Health Services and Food Safety | 26th |
| Seán Power | 29 September 2004 | 14 June 2007 | | Fianna Fáil | Health Promotion | 26th |
| Brendan Smith | 20 June 2007 | 7 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Children | 27th |
| Pat "the Cope" Gallagher | 20 June 2007 | 7 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Health Promotion and Food Safety | 27th |
| Jimmy Devins | 9 July 2007 | 7 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Disability issues and mental health | 27th |
| Máire Hoctor | 9 July 2007 | 7 May 2008 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People | 27th |
| Barry Andrews | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | Children and Youth Affairs | 28th |
| John Moloney | 13 May 2008 | 23 March 2010 | | Fianna Fáil | Equality, Disability Issues and Mental Health | 28th |
| John Moloney | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | Disability Issues and Mental Health | 28th |
| Máire Hoctor | 13 May 2008 | 22 April 2009 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People | 28th |
| Mary Wallace | 13 May 2008 | 22 April 2009 | | Fianna Fáil | Health Promotion and Food Safety | 28th |
| Trevor Sargent | 22 April 2009 | 23 February 2010 | | Green | Food Safety | 28th |
| Áine Brady | 22 April 2009 | 9 March 2011 | | Fianna Fáil | Older People and Health Promotion | 28th |
| Department of Health 2011–present |||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Responsibilities | Government |
| Róisín Shortall | 10 March 2011 | 26 September 2012 | | Labour | Primary Care | 29th |
| Kathleen Lynch | 10 March 2011 | 15 July 2014 | | Labour | Disability, Equality and Mental Health | 29th |
| Kathleen Lynch | 15 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | | Labour | Primary Care, Mental Health and Disability | 29th |
| Alex White | 2 October 2012 | 11 July 2014 | | Labour | Primary Care | 29th |
| Aodhán Ó Ríordáin | 22 April 2015 | 6 May 2016 | | Labour | Drugs strategy | 29th |
| Finian McGrath | 6 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | | Independent | Disability Issues | 30th |
| Helen McEntee | 19 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | | Fine Gael | Mental Health and Older People | 30th |
| Marcella Corcoran Kennedy | 19 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | | Fine Gael | Health Promotion | 30th |
| Catherine Byrne | 19 May 2016 | 14 June 2017 | | Fine Gael | Communities and the National Drugs Strategy | 30th |
| Finian McGrath | 14 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Independent | Disability Issues | 31st |
| Jim Daly | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Fine Gael | Mental Health and Older People | 31st |
| Catherine Byrne | 20 June 2017 | 27 June 2020 | | Fine Gael | Health Promotion and National Drugs Strategy | 31st |
| Frank Feighan | 1 July 2020 | 17 December 2022 | | Fine Gael | Public Health, Well Being, National Drugs Strategy | 32nd |
| Mary Butler | 1 July 2020 | 23 January 2025 | | Fianna Fáil | Mental Health and Older People | 32nd • 33rd • 34th • 35th |
| Anne Rabbitte | 1 July 2020 | 9 April 2024 | | Fianna Fáil | Disability | 32nd • 33rd |
| Hildegarde Naughton | 21 December 2022 | 9 April 2024 | | Fine Gael | Public Health, Well Being, National Drugs Strategy | 33rd |
| Colm Burke | 10 April 2024 | 23 January 2025 | | Fine Gael | Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy | 34th |
| Mary Butler | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | | Fianna Fáil | Mental Health | 35th |
| Jennifer Murnane O'Connor | 29 January 2025 | Incumbent | | Fianna Fáil | Public health, well-being and drugs | 35th |
| Kieran O'Donnell | 29 January 2025 | Incumbent | | Fine Gael | Older people | 35th |