Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Irish government cabinet minister
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Irish: An tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia, Iascaigh agus Mara)[2] is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
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| Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine | |
|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine | |
| Type | Agriculture minister |
| Status | Cabinet minister |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Taoiseach |
| Seat | Dublin, Ireland |
| Nominator | Taoiseach |
| Appointer | President of Ireland (on the advice of the Taoiseach) |
| Inaugural holder | Robert Barton as Director of Agriculture |
| Formation | 2 April 1919 |
| Salary | €210,750 (2025) (including €115,953 TD salary)[1] |
| Website | Official website  |
The current Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is Martin Heydon. He is assisted by two ministers of state:
- Noel Grealish, TD – Minister of State for food promotion, new markets, research and development
- Timmy Dooley, TD – Minister of State for the marine
Functions
The department's functions include:
- Policy advice and development on all areas of departmental responsibility
- Representation in international especially European Union and national negotiations;
- Development and implementation of national and EU schemes in support of agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development.
- Monitoring and controlling aspects of food safety.
- Control and audit of public expenditure under its control.
- Regulation of the agriculture, fisheries and food industries through national and EU law.
- Monitoring and controlling animal and plant health and animal welfare.
- Monitoring and direction of state bodies engaged in the following areas:
- Research training and advice.
- Market development and promotion.
- Industry regulation and development.
- Commercial activities.
- Direct provision of support services to agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
List of office-holders
Director of Agriculture 1919–1921 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s)[a] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Barton | 2 April 1919 | 26 August 1921 | Sinn Féin | 2nd DM | ||
Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Art O'Connor | 26 August 1921 | 9 January 1922 | Sinn Féin | 3rd DM | ||
Minister for Agriculture 1922–1924 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Patrick Hogan | 11 January 1922 | 2 June 1924 | Cumann na nGaedheal | 4th DM • 1st PG • 2nd PG • 5th DM • 1st EC • 2nd EC | ||
Minister for Lands and Agriculture 1924–1928 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Patrick Hogan | 2 June 1924 | 1 September 1928 | Cumann na nGaedheal | 2nd EC • 3rd EC • 4th EC | ||
Minister for Agriculture 1928–1965 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Patrick Hogan | 1 September 1928 | 9 March 1932 | Cumann na nGaedheal | 4th EC • 5th EC | ||
| James Ryan | 9 March 1932 | 21 January 1947 | Fianna Fáil | 6th EC • 7th EC • 8th EC • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th | ||
| Paddy Smith (1st time) |
21 January 1947 | 18 February 1948 | Fianna Fáil | 4th | ||
| James Dillon (1st time) |
18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | Independent | 5th | ||
| Thomas Walsh | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | Fianna Fáil | 6th | ||
| James Dillon (2nd time) |
2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | Fine Gael | 7th | ||
| Frank Aiken (1st time) |
20 March 1957 | 16 May 1957 | Fianna Fáil | 8th | ||
| Seán Moylan | 16 May 1957 | 16 November 1957 | Fianna Fáil | 8th | ||
| Frank Aiken (2nd time) |
16 November 1957 | 27 November 1957 | Fianna Fáil | 8th | ||
| Paddy Smith (2nd time) |
27 November 1957 | 8 October 1964 | Fianna Fáil | 8th • 9th • 10th | ||
| Charles Haughey | 8 October 1964 | 21 April 1965 | Fianna Fáil | 10th | ||
Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries 1965–1977 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Charles Haughey | 21 April 1965 | 10 November 1966 | Fianna Fáil | 11th | ||
| Neil Blaney | 10 November 1966 | 7 May 1970 | Fianna Fáil | 12th • 13th | ||
| Jim Gibbons (1st time) |
7 May 1970 | 14 March 1973 | Fianna Fáil | 13th | ||
| Mark Clinton | 14 March 1973 | 9 February 1977 | Fine Gael | 14th | ||
Minister for Agriculture 1977–1987 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Mark Clinton | 9 February 1977 | 5 July 1977 | Fine Gael | 14th | ||
| Jim Gibbons (2nd time) |
5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | Fianna Fáil | 15th | ||
| Ray MacSharry | 12 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | Fianna Fáil | 16th | ||
| Alan Dukes | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | Fine Gael | 17th | ||
| Brian Lenihan | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | Fianna Fáil | 18th | ||
| Austin Deasy | 14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | Fine Gael | 19th | ||
Minister for Agriculture and Food 1987–1993 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Michael O'Kennedy | 10 March 1987 | 14 November 1991 | Fianna Fáil | 20th • 21st | ||
| Michael Woods | 14 November 1991 | 11 February 1992 | Fianna Fáil | 21st | ||
| Joe Walsh (1st time) |
11 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | Fianna Fáil | 22nd | ||
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1993–1997 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Joe Walsh (1st time) |
12 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | Fianna Fáil | 23rd | ||
| Ivan Yates | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | Fine Gael | 24th | ||
Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–1999 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Joe Walsh (2nd time) |
26 June 1997 | 27 September 1999 | Fianna Fáil | 25th | ||
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1999–2002 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Joe Walsh (2nd time) |
29 September 1999 | 6 June 2002 | Fianna Fáil | 25th | ||
Minister for Agriculture and Food 2002–2007 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Joe Walsh (2nd time) |
6 June 2002 | 29 September 2004 | Fianna Fáil | 26th | ||
| Mary Coughlan | 29 September 2004 | 14 June 2007 | Fianna Fáil | 26th | ||
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2007–2011 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Mary Coughlan | 14 June 2007 | 7 May 2008 | Fianna Fáil | 27th | ||
| Brendan Smith | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | Fianna Fáil | 28th | ||
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 2011–2025 | ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |||
| Simon Coveney | 9 March 2011 | 6 May 2016 | Fine Gael | 29th | ||
| Michael Creed | 6 May 2016 | 27 June 2020 | Fine Gael | 30th • 31st | ||
| Barry Cowen | 27 June 2020 | 14 July 2020 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd | ||
| Micheál Martin (acting) | 14 July 2020 | 15 July 2020 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd | ||
| Dara Calleary | 15 July 2020 | 21 August 2020 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd | ||
| Micheál Martin (acting) | 21 August 2020 | 2 September 2020 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd | ||
| Charlie McConalogue | 2 September 2020 | 23 January 2025 | Fianna Fáil | 32nd • 33rd • 34th | ||
| Martin Heydon | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | Fine Gael | 35th | ||
- Notes
- Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; PG – Provisional Government; EC – Executive Council.