Fine Gael Front Bench
Fine Gael is the third largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. When Fine Gael was in opposition, the front bench areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. Fine Gael has been in Government since March 2011 and accordingly their front bench consists of the ministerial officeholders. In 2020 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.
Fine Gael ministers
On 9 April 2024, six Fine Gael TDs were appointed to the 34th government of Ireland and the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton as a minister of state in attendance at cabinet. On 10 April 2024, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed 7 further Fine Gael ministers of state.[1]
| Name | Elected office | Portfolio | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Harris | TD for Wicklow | 2024– | |
| Helen McEntee | TD for Meath East |
|
|
| Heather Humphreys | TD for Cavan–Monaghan |
|
|
| Paschal Donohoe | TD for Dublin Central | Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform | 2022– |
| Peter Burke | TD for Longford–Westmeath | Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment | 2024– |
| Patrick O'Donovan | TD for Limerick County | Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science | 2024– |
| Hildegarde Naughton | TD for Galway West | Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion | 2022– 2024– |
| Jennifer Carroll MacNeill | TD for Dún Laoghaire | Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for EU Affairs; and the Department of Defence | 2024– |
| Kieran O'Donnell | TD for Limerick City | Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works | 2024– |
| Colm Burke | TD for Cork North-Central | Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs | 2024– |
| Martin Heydon | TD for Kildare South | Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development | 2020– |
| Alan Dillon | TD for Mayo | Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning | 2024– |
| Neale Richmond | TD for Dublin Rathdown | Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance | 2024– |
| Emer Higgins | TD for Dublin Mid-West | Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment with special responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail; and the Department of Social Protection | 2024– |
Fine Gael party spokespeople
Seanad spokespeople
| Name[2] | Elected office | Portfolio | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seán Kyne | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach | Deputy Leader of the Seanad Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Gaeltacht |
2024– 2020– |
| Joe O'Reilly | Senator for the Labour Panel | Deputy Government Whip Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs & Defence |
2023– 2020– |
| Garret Ahearn | Senator for the Administrative Panel | Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment | 2020– |
| Paddy Burke | Senator for the Agricultural Panel | Spokesperson on Social Protection, Rural & Community Development & The Islands | 2023– |
| Maria Byrne | Senator for the Agricultural Panel | Spokesperson on Finance | 2023– |
| Micheál Carrigy | Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel | Spokesperson on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, and Media | 2020– |
| Martin Conway | Senator for the Administrative Panel | Spokesperson on Health | 2020– |
| John Cummins | Senator for the Labour Panel | Spokesperson on Housing, Local Government, and Heritage | 2020– |
| Emer Currie | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach | Spokesperson on Special Education and Inclusion & Northern Ireland | 2023– |
| Aisling Dolan | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach | Spokesperson on Education and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science | 2020– |
| Mary Seery Kearney | Senator nominated by the Taoiseach | Spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth | 2020– |
| Tim Lombard | Senator for the Agricultural Panel | Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Marine | 2020– |
| John McGahon | Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel | Spokesperson on Environment, Climate and Communications | 2020– |
| Barry Ward | Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel | Spokesperson on Justice | 2020– |
References
- ^ "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces Seanad Spokespersons".