# List of presidential appointees to the Council of State (Ireland)

The President of Ireland has the right to appoint a maximum of seven members of the Council of State, which advises the President in exercising certain reserve powers. As well as the seven (or fewer) appointees, the Council has seven ex officio members and a variable number of life members by right of former office. An appointed member's term ends when the President's term ends, although a new or re-elected President may re-appoint members. If an appointed member accedes to one of the positions conferring ex officio membership of the Council, this creates a vacancy which the President may fill via another appointment.

## History

The first President, Douglas Hyde, who took office in 1938, did not nominate members till the Council first met in January 1940; all six nominees were Oireachtas members, and not members of the Fianna Fáil government party.
For long, Presidents included senior serving politicians on the Council. Éamon de Valera said during the 1937 debate on the proposed Constitution, "this Council of State ... will ordinarily contain the leaders of the big Parties in the Dáil." Upon Richard Mulcahy's 1971 death, de Valera invited Fine Gael leader Liam Cosgrave to join but Cosgrave declined. Fine Gael objected in 1991 that Mary Robinson had become the first President not to have the Leader of the Opposition in the Council. Robinson had promised to appoint two representatives of the Opposition, but the practice of including the Leader was not a fixed rule. In early 1995, after the Fianna Fáil-led government was replaced by a Fine Gael-led government without a general election, Mary Robinson asked Monica Barnes of Fine Gael to resign from the council of state to allow Mary O'Rourke of Fianna Fáil to be appointed instead to increase the Opposition voice. The Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution issued a 1998 report dealing with the Presidency, which recommended that the President be "empowered to nominate two members of the Dáil who belong to parties other than the party or parties that form the government for the life of that government".
Early Presidents included one or two representatives of minorities; there were several of Anglo-Irish, Protestant, or ex-Unionist backgrounds, and the Jewish Bob Briscoe. In campaigning in the 1990 presidential election, Mary Robinson promised to reform the Council of State. She criticised it for consisting "mainly of senior or retired politicians" and promised to make it "truly representative of the community as a whole". Prior to 1990, Presidents generally reappointed members from the previous term; new members were appointed only when a vacancy arose by a previous appointee's death or accession to ex-officio membership. Patrick Hillery considered new appointees upon assuming office in 1976, and was advised there was no precedent for informing former Councillors of their exclusion; Hillery decided "it would be too hurtful to drop any of the members". Robinson abandoned this practice by appointing seven new members; Mary McAleese did likewise at both her first and second terms. Michael D. Higgins appointed six first-timers and Catherine McGuinness, who had served under Patrick Hillery. For his second term he appointed seven first-timers.
During the 2011 presidential election campaign, candidate Mary Davis, best known for her Special Olympics activism, pledged to nominate a person with intellectual disability to the Council. This proposal attracted some criticism as tokenism, but was endorsed by Fergus Finlay. During a debate on The Late Late Show, candidates were later asked whether they thought Denis O'Brien would be "a suitable person to be on the Council of State". After the victory of Labour Party candidate Michael D. Higgins, the party denied that its leader Eamon Gilmore had suggested nominees to Higgins.

## List

| Appointee | Term | President appointing | Date appointed | Date ceased | Role on appointment; notes |
| James Dillon | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 24 June 1945? | TD, initially for Fine Gael, later Independent |
| Robert Farnan | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 24 June 1945? | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach |
| John Keane | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 24 June 1945? | Independent Senator. Anglo-Irish Baronet. |
| Richard Mulcahy | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 24 June 1945? | Fine Gael TD |
| William Norton | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 24 June 1945? | Labour Party leader |
| Michael Tierney | 1 | Douglas Hyde | 8 January 1940 | 1944 | Independent Senator and University College Dublin professor of Greek |
| Joseph Blowick | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 24 June 1952? | Clann na Talmhan leader |
| Bernard Forbes | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 10 September 1948 | Anglo-Irish, 8th Earl of Granard. Died in office. |
| Richard Mulcahy | 2 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 24 June 1952? | Leader of the Opposition |
| Robert Farnan | 2 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 24 June 1952? | |
| Thomas Foran | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 18 March 1951 | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach. Died in office. |
| John Keane | 2 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 24 June 1952? | |
| William Norton | 2 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 22 August 1946 | 18 February 1948 | Tánaiste, and ex officio member of the Council, after the 1948 general election. |
| Seán MacEntee | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 1948 | 24 June 1952? | Fianna Fáil minister. |
| Robert Farnan | 3 | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 1953 | 24 June 1959 | |
| John Keane | 3 | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 1953 | 30 January 1956 | Died in office |
| Seán MacEntee | 2 | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 1953 | 23 June 1959 | Made Tánaiste, and ex officio member of the Council, the day before O'Kelly's term expired |
| Richard Mulcahy | 3 | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 1953 | 24 June 1959 | |
| William Norton | 3 | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 1953 | 2 June 1954 | Tánaiste, and ex officio member of the Council, in the 1954–57 government. |
| Cecil Stafford-King-Harman | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 1956 | 24 June 1959 | Anglo-Irish, grandson of Edward King-Harman; owned the Rockingham Estate, now Lough Key Forest Park |
| William Norton | 4 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 1957 | 24 June 1959 | Tánaiste, and ex officio member of the Council, till after the 1957 general election. |
| Patrick Little | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | July 1957 | 24 June 1959 | Fianna Fáil TD |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 1 | Seán T. O'Kelly | 1958? | 24 June 1959 | Anglo-Irish Fine Gael TD |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 2 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 24 June 1966? | |
| Robert Farnan | 4 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 7 January 1962 | Died in office |
| Patrick Little | 2 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 16 May 1963 | Died in office |
| Richard Mulcahy | 4 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 24 June 1966? | |
| William Norton | 5 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 4 December 1963 | Died in office |
| Stephen M. O'Mara | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 11 November 1959 | Former Mayor of Limerick. Died in office. |
| Domhnall Ua Buachalla | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 23 September 1959 | 30 October 1963 | Former Governor-General of the Irish Free State. Died in office. |
| James Dillon | 2 | Éamon de Valera | March 1960 | 24 June 1966? | Fine Gael Leader of the Opposition. Replaced Stephen O'Mara. |
| Robert Briscoe | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 1962 | 24 June 1966? | Jewish Fianna Fáil TD. Replaced Robert Farnan. |
| Brendan Corish | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1964 | 24 June 1966? | Labour Party leader. Replaced William Norton. |
| Honor Crowley | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1964 | 24 June 1966? | Fianna Fáil TD |
| Jane Dowdall | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1964 | 24 June 1966? | Fianna Fáil former Senator and Lord Mayor of Cork |
| Robert Briscoe | 2 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 29 May 1969 | Died in office |
| Brendan Corish | 2 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 14 March 1973 | Became Tánaiste, and ex-officio member of the Council, after the 1973 general election. |
| James Dillon | 3 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 24 June 1973? | |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 3 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 24 June 1973? | |
| Jane Dowdall | 2 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 24 June 1973? | |
| Richard Mulcahy | 5 | Éamon de Valera | 13 January 1967 | 16 December 1971 | Died in office |
| Seán MacEntee | 3 | Éamon de Valera | 16 February 1968 | 24 June 1973? | |
| Frank Aiken | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 3 July 1969 | 24 June 1973? | Fianna Fáil TD. Tánaiste, and ex officio member of the Council, till after the 1969 general election. Replaced Bob Briscoe. |
| Albert Joseph McConnell | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 2 January 1973 | 24 June 1973? | Provost of Trinity College Dublin. Replaced Richard Mulcahy. |
| Barry Desmond | 1 | Éamon de Valera | 11 April 1973 | 24 June 1973 | Labour Party minister. Replaced Brendan Corish. |
| Frank Aiken | 2 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| Barry Desmond | 2 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| James Dillon | 4 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 4 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| Jane Dowdall | 3 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | Died on 12 December 1974, before the newly elected President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh had appointed nominees to the Council. |
| Seán MacEntee | 4 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| Albert Joseph McConnell | 2 | Erskine Childers | 1973 | 17 November 1974 | |
| Frank Aiken | 3 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| Barry Desmond | 3 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| James Dillon | 5 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 5 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| Seán MacEntee | 5 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| Albert Joseph McConnell | 3 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | |
| Siobhán McKenna | 1 | Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh | 2 January 1975 | 22 October 1976 | Actress. Replaced Jane Dowdall. |
| Frank Aiken | 4 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 19 May 1983 | Died in office |
| Barry Desmond | 4 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| James Dillon | 6 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 6 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| Seán MacEntee | 6 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| Albert Joseph McConnell | 4 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| Siobhán McKenna | 2 | Patrick Hillery | 24 March 1977 | 2 December 1983 | |
| Máirín Bean Uí Dhálaigh | 1 | Patrick Hillery | June 1983 | 2 December 1983 | Widow of President Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh. Replaced Frank Aiken. |
| Barry Desmond | 5 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 2 December 1990 | |
| James Dillon | 7 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 10 February 1986 | Died in office |
| Maurice E. Dockrell | 7 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 9 December 1986 | Died in office |
| Seán MacEntee | 7 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 10 January 1984 | Died in office |
| Albert Joseph McConnell | 5 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 2 December 1990 | |
| Siobhán McKenna | 3 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 16 November 1986 | Died in office |
| Máirín Bean Uí Dhálaigh | 2 | Patrick Hillery | 16 December 1983 | 2 December 1990 | |
| Pádraig Faulkner | 1 | Patrick Hillery | 1984 | 2 December 1990 | Former Fianna Fáil minister and Ceann Comhairle. Replaced Seán MacEntee. |
| Alan Dukes | 1 | Patrick Hillery | 2 May 1988 | 2 December 1990 | Fine Gael leader of the Opposition |
| Catherine McGuinness | 1 | Patrick Hillery | 2 May 1988 | 2 December 1990 | Barrister and former Independent Senator |
| Gemma Hussey | 1 | Patrick Hillery | 8 September 1989 | 2 December 1990 | Fine Gael TD |
| Monica Barnes | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | April 1995 | Fine Gael TD. Resigned to make way for Mary O'Rourke. |
| Emer Colleran | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | An Taisce |
| Patricia O'Donovan | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | Trade union barrister |
| Quintin Oliver | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | Director of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action |
| Rosemarie Smith | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | Irish Farmers' Association official |
| Donal Toolan | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | Disabled journalist |
| T. K. Whitaker | 1 | Mary Robinson | 20 February 1991 | 12 September 1997 | Former civil servant and Senator |
| Mary O'Rourke | 1 | Mary Robinson | April 1995 | 12 September 1997 | Fianna Fáil TD. Replaced Monica Barnes. |
| Gordon Brett | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Psychologist |
| Brian Crowley | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Fianna Fáil MEP |
| Christina Carney Flynn | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Irish Municipal, Public and Civil Trade Union official |
| Ruth Curtis | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | NUI Galway psychology professor |
| Stanislaus Kennedy | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Nun, Focus Ireland campaigner |
| Martin Naughton | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Businessman |
| Noel Stewart | 1 | Mary McAleese | 16 December 1997 | 10 November 2004 | Belfast accountant |
| Harvey Bicker | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Former British Army colonel and Ulster Unionist Party councillor |
| Anastasia Crickley | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Chair of the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism |
| Mary Davis | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Special Olympics activist |
| Martin Mansergh | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Fianna Fáil Senator |
| Enda Marren | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Fine Gael activist |
| Denis Moloney | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Northern Irish lawyer |
| Daráine Mulvihill | 1 | Mary McAleese | 22 November 2004 | 10 November 2011 | Meningitis survivor |
| Michael Farrell | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Solicitor and human/civil rights campaigner |
| Deirdre Heenan | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Provost and Dean of Academic Development, Magee College, University of Ulster |
| Catherine McGuinness | 2 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Former Senator, Supreme Court judge and President, Law Reform Commission |
| Ruairí McKiernan | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Community activist; Social entrepreneur; founder SpunOut.ie |
| Sally Mulready | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Hackney borough councillor and advocate for Irish people in Great Britain |
| Gearóid Ó Tuathaigh | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Professor Emeritus, NUI Galway; Former Cathaoirleach, Údarás na Gaeltachta |
| Gerard Quinn | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 6 January 2012 | 10 November 2018 | Director, Centre for Disability Law and Policy, NUI Galway |
| Cara Augustenborg | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Fellow in environmental policy at University College Dublin |
| Sinéad Burke | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Disability activist |
| Sindy Joyce | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Irish Travellers' rights activist |
| Maurice Malone | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Chief executive of the Birmingham Irish Association |
| Johnston McMaster | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Methodist minister and academic at the Irish School of Ecumenics |
| Mary Murphy | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Social policy academic at NUI Maynooth |
| Seán Ó Cuirreáin [ga] | 1 | Michael D. Higgins | 4 April 2019 | Incumbent | Journalist and former Coimisinéir Teanga |
* ↑ e.g. a value of 3 indicates that the relevant term was the 3rd time the person served on the Council of State.