Government of the 34th Dáil
Government of Ireland since 2025
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The 35th government of Ireland is the government of Ireland which was formed on 23 January 2025 following the 2024 general election to the 34th Dáil held on 29 November 2024. It is a coalition government of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael with the participation of independent TDs at the rank of minister of state. It has lasted 1 year, 243 days to date.
- Michael D. Higgins (2025)
- Catherine Connolly (2025–present)
Government of the 34th Dáil | |
|---|---|
Cabinet of Ireland | |
| 2025–present | |
.jpg) Martin in 2025 | |
| Date formed | 23 January 2025 |
| People and organisations | |
| |
| Micheál Martin | |
| Simon Harris | |
Member party | Fine Gael |
Status in legislature | Majority Coalition |
Opposition cabinet | Third McDonald front bench |
Opposition party | Sinn Féin |
Opposition leader | Mary Lou McDonald |
| History | |
| Election | 2024 general election |
| Legislature terms | |
| Budget | 2026 |
| Predecessor | 34th government |
Government formation talks
Government formation followed negotiations on a programme for government for a coalition government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group (a group of independent politicians led by former government minister Michael Lowry).[1] Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin will serve as Taoiseach, with Fine Gael leader Simon Harris serving as Tánaiste. It was agreed that the government will last until November 2027, after which the positions will rotate, with the Fine Gael leader forming a new government as Taoiseach, and the Fianna Fáil leader serving as Tánaiste.[2]
It is the second time that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have participated in the same government; the two parties were in government during the lifetime of the previous Dáil, from June 2020 to January 2025, with the Green Party.
Nomination of Taoiseach
The 34th Dáil first met on 18 December. Harris resigned as Taoiseach before the Dáil convened.[3] Under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the members of the government continued to carry out their duties until their successors were appointed.[4] Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald was proposed for nomination as Taoiseach, with other parties abstaining from nomination as the government formation talks had not yet concluded.[5] McDonald failed to obtain majority support.[5]
On 22 January 2025, the Dáil again met to consider nominations for the position of Taoiseach. Opposition parties raised the issue of a technical group supporting the programme for government registering as an opposition group with speaking rights.[6] Amid chaotic scenes, the Dáil was suspended three times before Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy suspended sitting for the day.[7] Micheál Martin said the failure to elect a Taoiseach was "the subversion of the Irish constitution" and a "premeditated" and "coordinated" effort by the opposition, adding it was the first time in over 100 years that the Dáil had failed to elect a government.[8]
On 23 January 2025, following talks between party leaders, the Dáil again sat to consider the nomination of the Taoiseach.[9] Micheál Martin and Mary Lou McDonald were proposed, with the nomination of Martin approved by a vote of 95 to 76. The nomination of Mary Lou McDonald was not considered.[10] President Michael D. Higgins signed the warrant of appointment and presented the seal of Taoiseach and the seal of Government to Martin at Áras an Uachtaráin.[11]
| 23 January 2025 Nomination of Micheál Martin (FF) as Taoiseach Motion proposed by Albert Dolan and seconded by Catherine Ardagh Absolute majority: 88/174[12] | ||
| Vote | Parties | Votes |
 Yes | Fianna Fáil (48), Fine Gael (37), Independents (10) | 95 / 174 |
| No | Sinn Féin (39), Labour (11), Social Democrats (9), Independents (6), Independent Ireland (4), PBP–Solidarity (3), Aontú (2), 100% Redress (1), Green Party (1) | 76 / 174 |
| Absent or not voting | Ceann Comhairle (1), Fine Gael (1), Social Democrats (1) | 3 / 174 |
Government ministers
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Martin proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[13] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[14][3]
Attorney General
Rossa Fanning SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[13][3]
Ministers of state
Appointments on 23 January 2025On 23 January 2025, the government on the nomination of the taoiseach appointed Mary Butler, Hildegarde Naughton, Noel Grealish, and Seán Canney as ministers of state to be in attendance at meetings of the government.[13][3] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Butler | Taoiseach[27] Health[28] |
Government Chief Whip Mental Health |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Hildegarde Naughton | Children, Disability and Equality[29] | Disability | Fine Gael | |
| Noel Grealish | Agriculture, Food and the Marine | Food promotion, new markets, research and development | Independent | |
| Seán Canney | Transport[30] | International and road transport, logistics, rail and ports | Independent | |
Appointments on 29 January 2025On 29 January, a further sixteen ministers of state were appointed by the government.[31][32] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
| Thomas Byrne | Taoiseach Foreign Affairs and Trade Defence |
European affairs Defence |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Michael Moynihan | Education and Youth[33] | Special education and inclusion | Fianna Fáil | |
| Charlie McConalogue | Culture, Communications and Sport | Sport and postal policy | Fianna Fáil | |
| Kevin "Boxer" Moran | Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation | Office of Public Works | Independent | |
| Emer Higgins | Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation | Public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment | Fine Gael | |
| Jennifer Murnane O'Connor | Health[34] | Public health, well-being and drugs | Fianna Fáil | |
| Michael Healy-Rae | Agriculture, Food and the Marine[35] | Forestry, farm safety and horticulture | Independent | |
| Neale Richmond | Foreign Affairs and Trade | International development and diaspora | Fine Gael | |
| Jerry Buttimer | Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht[36] Transport |
Community development, charities, Gaeltacht and the islands Rural transport |
Fine Gael | |
| John Cummins | Housing, Local Government and Heritage | Local government and planning | Fine Gael | |
| Christopher O'Sullivan | Housing, Local Government and Heritage | Nature, heritage and biodiversity | Fianna Fáil | |
| Kieran O'Donnell | Health[37] Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
Older people Housing |
Fine Gael | |
| Robert Troy | Finance[38] | Financial services, credit unions and insurance | Fianna Fáil | |
| Niall Collins | Justice, Home Affairs and Migration[39] | International law, law reform and youth justice | Fianna Fáil | |
| Niamh Smyth | Enterprise, Tourism and Employment[40] | Trade promotion, artificial intelligence and digital transformation | Fianna Fáil | |
| Alan Dillon | Enterprise, Tourism and Employment[41] Climate, Energy and the Environment |
Small businesses and retail Circular economy |
Fine Gael | |
Appointments on 25 February 2025The government appointed three further ministers of state on the enactment of an amendment to the Ministers and Secretaries Acts increasing the number of ministers of state from 20 to 23.[42][43] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
| Timmy Dooley | Agriculture, Food and the Marine[44] Climate, Energy and the Environment |
Fisheries Marine |
Fianna Fáil | |
| Colm Brophy | Justice, Home Affairs and Migration[45] | Migration | Fine Gael | |
| Marian Harkin | Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science[46] | Further education, apprenticeship, construction and climate skills | Independent | |
Changes on 18 November 2025Following the appointment of Hildegarde Naughton to government. Emer Higgins was appointed to attend meetings of the government. Frank Feighan was appointed minister of state to take on Higgins' former brief.[26] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
| Emer Higgins | Children, Disability and Equality | Disability | Fine Gael | |
| Frank Feighan | Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation | Public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment | Fine Gael | |
Resignation on 14 April 2026Resignation of Michael Healy-Rae as minister of state during a debate on a motion of confidence in the government, before he voted against the motion which was held following the Irish fuel protests.[47] | ||||
Changes on 28 May 2026Minor reshuffle following resignation.[48] | ||||
| Name | Department(s) | Responsibility | Party | |
| Catherine Ardagh | Justice, Home Affairs and Migration | International law, law reform and youth justice | Fianna Fáil | |
| Niall Collins | Agriculture, Food and the Marine | Forestry, farm safety and horticulture | Fianna Fáil | |
Events affecting the government
Prior to the nomination of Taoiseach in 2025, a row ensued after four TDs of the Regional Independent Group (Michael Lowry, Gillian Toole, Barry Heneghan and Danny Healy-Rae) sought to be part of a technical group, granting them Dáil speaking rights and positioning itself on the opposition benches, while also supporting the government. This was rejected by opposition parties, resulting in chaotic exchanges in the Dáil.[49] On 3 February 2025, eleven days after the government was formed, Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy ruled that the Regional Group could not form a technical group for the purposes of speaking rights.[50] This was welcomed by opposition parties. The next day, the Regional Independent Group and government parties conceded and said they would not challenge Murphy's ruling.[51]
However, on 25 March, angry and chaotic exchanges broke out in the Dáil again leading Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy to adjourn the session after the government won a vote to change standing orders which allowed the Regional Independents' technical group, coalition backbenchers and government-aligned independents additional speaking time in the Dáil, a reduction in time for debating the order of business and halving Taoiseach's Questions time. Taoiseach Micheál Martin defended the changes, stating that they did not alter Opposition speaking time or reduce government accountability, dismissing Opposition reactions as "wholly disproportionate." Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald strongly criticised the move, calling it an "absurd brazen stroke" that would undermine the Dáil.[52] The following day, the Opposition parties informed Murphy that they had no confidence in her to perform the role of Ceann Comhairle and that she had a week to consider resigning before they tabled an official motion of no confidence in her.[53] The vote was held on 1 April 2025, with Murphy retaining her position as Ceann Comhairle by 96 votes to 71.[54]
On 12 April 2026, a joint motion of no confidence in the government was tabled by opposition parties in the aftermath of fuel protests which had caused widespread disruption to transport networks, fuel supply chains and economic activity in the country. The motion gained support from Labour, the Social Democrats, People Before Profit, the Green Party, Aontú, Independent Ireland, Sinn Féin and 100% Redress.[55][56] Taoiseach Micheál Martin and other ministers faced criticism from backbenchers during a meeting held on the same day, with Martin being described to be "very out of touch" and "very narky".[57] On 14 April, the government moved a counter-motion of confidence. During the debate, Michael Healy-Rae, an independent TD for Kerry, tendered his resignation as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and declared that he would vote against the government, saying that it had "let the people of Ireland down". His brother, Danny Healy-Rae, also voted no confidence in the government.[58][59]
Motions of confidence
On 15 October 2025, a motion of confidence in the Tánaiste Simon Harris proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin was approved with 94 votes in favour to 65 against, with one abstention.[60][61]
On 14 April 2026, a motion of confidence in the government proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin was approved with 92 votes in favour to 78 against.[62]