Irish heads of government since 1919

Ireland

The head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland is known as the Taoiseach and heads a cabinet called the Government. However, since 1919, heads of government in the Irish state have borne a number of titles. Under the short-lived Irish Republic of 1919–22 the head of government was known first as the President of Dáil Éireann and later as the President of the Republic. Under the Irish Free State of 1922–37 the head of government was the President of the Executive Council. There also briefly existed, immediately before the creation of the Irish Free State, an interim office of Chairman of the Provisional Government. For a brief period in 1921 the offices of President of the Republic and Chairman of the Provisional Government existed simultaneously.

=Offices=

class="wikitable"

style="text-align: center; background: #efefef; border-bottom: 2px solid gray;"

! Head

! Deputy

! Cabinet

! State

! Constitution

! Date

President of Dáil Éireann /
President of the Irish Republic{{efn|The President of Dáil Éireann, also known as the Príomh Aire, was upgraded to a head of state-level President of the Irish Republic in August 1921.}}

| N/A

| Ministry

| Irish Republic

| Dáil Constitution

| 21 January 1919 – 6 December 1922 /
26 August 1921 – 6 December 1922

Chairman of the Provisional Government

| N/A

| Provisional Government

| Southern Ireland

| Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922

| 3 May 1921 – 6 December 1922

President of the Executive Council

| Vice-President

| Executive Council

| Irish Free State

| Constitution of the Irish Free State

| 6 December 1922 – 29 December 1937

Taoiseach

| Tánaiste

| Government

| Ireland

| Constitution of Ireland

| 29 December 1937 – present

=List of officeholders=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" \| {{Abbr\|No.\|Number}} ! rowspan="2" width="70px" \| Portrait ! rowspan="2" \| Name {{small\|(Birth–Death) Constituency}} ! colspan="3" \| Term ! rowspan="2" \| Political party ! rowspan="2" \| Election ! rowspan="2" \| Government
Took office ! Left office ! Duration
style="background:{{party color\|Sinn Féin}};" \| {{color\|white\|1}} \| 70px \| Cathal Brugha {{small\|(1874–1922) MP for Waterford County}} \| 21 January 1919 \| 1 April 1919 \| {{Age in years and days\|1919\|1\|21\|1919\|4\|1}} \| Sinn Féin \| 1918 \| 1st Ministry
style="background:{{party color\|Sinn Féin}};" \| {{color\|white\|2}} \| 70px \| Éamon de Valera {{small\|(1882–1975) MP for Clare East and Mayo East until 1921 TD for Clare from 1921}} \| 1 April 1919 \| 9 January 1922 \| {{Age in years and days\|1919\|4\|1\|1922\|1\|9}} \| Sinn Féin \| 1921 \| 2nd Ministry {{small\|(1919–1921)}} 3rd Ministry {{small\|(1921–1922)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Cumann na nGaedhael}};" \| {{color\|white\|3}} \| 70px \| Arthur Griffith{{efn\|name="admins"\|From January to August 1922 there were two administrations operating in parallel, the Ministry of the self-declared independent Irish Republic and the Provisional Government accepted by the United Kingdom, and each cabinet had an overlapping membership. De Valera had filled both posts, but after his resignation there were two heads of government, Arthur Griffith, as President of the Republic, and Michael Collins as Chairman of the Provisional Government of Southern Ireland. This anomalous situation came about because the British Government would only recognise the parliament that it had established through the Government of Ireland Act, so Sinn Féin participated in the charade to move matters along. To add to the confusion, Collins was Griffith's Minister of Finance, while Griffith was Collins's Minister for Foreign Affairs. The dual leadership came to an end when W. T. Cosgrave assumed both offices on the deaths of Griffith, on 12 August 1922, and Collins, on 22 August, and merged the two parallel administrations.}} {{small\|(1872–1922) TD for Cavan}} \| 10 January 1922 \| 12 August 1922 \| {{Age in years and days\|1922\|1\|10\|1922\|8\|12}} \| Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty faction) \| — \| 4th Ministry
style="background:{{party color\|Cumann na nGaedhael}};" \| {{color\|white\|4}} \| 70px \| Michael Collins{{efn\|name="admins"}} {{small\|(1890–1922) TD for Cork Mid, North, South, South East and West}} \| 16 January 1922 \| 22 August 1922 \| {{Age in years and days\|1922\|1\|16\|1922\|8\|22}} \| Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty faction) \| 1922 \| 1st Provisional Government
style="background:{{party color\|Cumann na nGaedhael}};" \| {{color\|white\|5}} \| 70px \| W. T. Cosgrave {{small\|(1880–1965) TD for Carlow–Kilkenny until 1927 TD for Cork Borough from 1927}} \| 22 August 1922 \| 9 March 1932 \| {{Age in years and days\|1922\|8\|22\|1932\|3\|9}} \| Sinn Féin (Pro-Treaty faction) Cumann na nGaedheal \| 1923 1927 (Jun) 1927 (Sep) \| 1st Provisional Government {{small\|(1922)}} 2nd Provisional Government {{small\|(1922)}} 1st Executive Council {{small\|(1922–1923)}} 2nd Executive Council {{small\|(1923–1927)}} 3rd Executive Council {{small\|(1927)}} 4th Executive Council {{small\|(1927–1930)}} 5th Executive Council {{small\|(1930–1932)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(2)}}}} \| 70px \| Éamon de Valera {{small\|(1882–1975) TD for Clare}} \| 9 March 1932 \| 18 February 1948 \| {{Age in years and days\|1932\|3\|9\|1948\|2\|18}} \| Fianna Fáil{{efn\|Successor of the Sinn Féin Anti-Treaty faction.}} \| 1932 1933 1937 1938 1943 1944 \| 6th Executive Council {{small\|(1932–1933)}} 7th Executive Council {{small\|(1933–1937)}} 8th Executive Council {{small\|(1937)}} 1st Government {{small\|(1937–1938)}} 2nd Government {{small\|(1938–1943)}} 3rd Government {{small\|(1943–1944)}} 4th Government {{small\|(1944–1948)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|6}} \| 70px \| John A. Costello {{small\|(1891–1976) TD for Dublin South-East}} \| 18 February 1948 \| 13 June 1951 \| {{Age in years and days\|1948\|2\|18\|1951\|6\|13}} \| Fine Gael{{efn\|Successor of Cumann na nGaedheal and two more parties.}} \| 1948 \| 5th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(2)}}}} \| 70px \| Éamon de Valera {{small\|(1882–1975) TD for Clare}} \| 13 June 1951 \| 2 June 1954 \| {{Age in years and days\|1951\|6\|13\|1954\|6\|2}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1951 \| 6th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(6)}}}} \| 70px \| John A. Costello {{small\|(1891–1976) TD for Dublin South-East}} \| 2 June 1954 \| 20 March 1957 \| {{Age in years and days\|1954\|6\|2\|1957\|3\|20}} \| Fine Gael \| 1954 \| 7th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(2)}}}} \| 70px \| Éamon de Valera {{small\|(1882–1975) TD for Clare}} \| 20 March 1957 \| 23 June 1959 \| {{Age in years and days\|1957\|3\|20\|1959\|6\|23}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1957 \| 8th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|7}} \| 70px \| Seán Lemass {{small\|(1899–1971) TD for Dublin South-Central}} \| 23 June 1959 \| 10 November 1966 \| {{Age in years and days\|1959\|6\|23\|1966\|11\|10}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1961 1965 \| 9th Government {{small\|(1959–1961)}} 10th Government {{small\|(1961–1965)}} 11th Government {{small\|(1965–1966)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|8}} \| 70px \| Jack Lynch {{small\|(1917–1999) TD for Cork Borough until 1969 TD for Cork City North-West from 1969}} \| 10 November 1966 \| 14 March 1973 \| {{Age in years and days\|1966\|11\|10\|1973\|3\|14}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1969 \| 12th Government {{small\|(1966–1969)}} 13th Government {{small\|(1969–1973)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|9}} \| 70px \| Liam Cosgrave {{small\|(1920–2017) TD for Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown}} \| 14 March 1973 \| 5 July 1977 \| {{Age in years and days\|1973\|3\|14\|1977\|7\|5}} \| Fine Gael \| 1973 \| 14th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(8)}}}} \| 70px \| Jack Lynch {{small\|(1917–1999) TD for Cork City}} \| 5 July 1977 \| 11 December 1979 \| {{Age in years and days\|1977\|7\|5\|1979\|12\|11}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1977 \| 15th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|10}} \| 70px \| Charles Haughey {{small\|(1925–2006) TD for Dublin Artane}} \| 11 December 1979 \| 30 June 1981 \| {{Age in years and days\|1979\|12\|11\|1981\|6\|30}} \| Fianna Fáil \| — \| 16th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|11}} \| 70px \| Garret FitzGerald {{small\|(1926–2011) TD for Dublin South-East}} \| 30 June 1981 \| 9 March 1982 \| {{Age in years and days\|1981\|6\|30\|1982\|3\|9}} \| Fine Gael \| 1981 \| 17th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(10)}}}} \| 70px \| Charles Haughey {{small\|(1925–2006) TD for Dublin North-Central}} \| 9 March 1982 \| 14 December 1982 \| {{Age in years and days\|1982\|3\|9\|1982\|12\|14}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1982 (Feb) \| 18th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(11)}}}} \| 70px \| Garret FitzGerald {{small\|(1926–2011) TD for Dublin South-East}} \| 14 December 1982 \| 10 March 1987 \| {{Age in years and days\|1982\|12\|14\|1987\|3\|10}} \| Fine Gael \| 1982 (Nov) \| 19th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(10)}}}} \| 70px \| Charles Haughey {{small\|(1925–2006) TD for Dublin North-Central}} \| 10 March 1987 \| 11 February 1992 \| {{Age in years and days\|1987\|3\|10\|1992\|2\|11}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1987 1989 \| 20th Government {{small\|(1987–1989)}} 21st Government {{small\|(1989–1992)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|12}} \| 70px \| Albert Reynolds {{small\|(1932–2014) TD for Longford–Roscommon}} \| 11 February 1992 \| 15 December 1994 \| {{Age in years and days\|1992\|2\|11\|1994\|12\|15}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1992 \| 22nd Government {{small\|(1992–1993)}} 23rd Government {{small\|(1993–1994)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|13}} \| 70px \| John Bruton {{small\|(1947–2024) TD for Meath}} \| 15 December 1994 \| 26 June 1997 \| {{Age in years and days\|1994\|12\|15\|1997\|6\|26}} \| Fine Gael \| — \| 24th Government {{small\|(1994–1997)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|14}} \| 70px \| Bertie Ahern {{small\|(born 1951) TD for Dublin Central}} \| 26 June 1997 \| 7 May 2008 \| {{Age in years and days\|1997\|6\|26\|2008\|5\|6}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 1997 2002 2007 \| 25th Government {{small\|(1997–2002)}} 26th Government {{small\|(2002–2007)}} 27th Government {{small\|(2007–2008)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|15}} \| 70px \| Brian Cowen {{small\|(born 1960) TD for Laois–Offaly}} \| 7 May 2008 \| 9 March 2011 \| {{Age in years and days\|2008\|5\|7\|2011\|3\|9}} \| Fianna Fáil \| — \| 28th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|16}} \| 70px \| Enda Kenny {{small\|(born 1951) TD for Mayo}} \| 9 March 2011 \| 14 June 2017 \| {{Age in years and days\|2011\|3\|9\|2017\|6\|14}} \| Fine Gael \| 2011 2016 \| 29th Government {{small\|(2011–2016)}} 30th Government {{small\|(2016–2017)}}
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|17}} \| 70px \| Leo Varadkar {{small\|(born 1979) TD for Dublin West}} \| 14 June 2017 \| 27 June 2020 \| {{Age in years and days\|2017\|6\|14\|2020\|6\|27}} \| Fine Gael \| — \| 31st Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|18}} \| 70px \| Micheál Martin {{small\|(born 1960) TD for Cork South-Central}} \| 27 June 2020 \| 17 December 2022 \| {{Age in years and days\|2020\|6\|27\|2022\|12\|17}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 2020 \| 32nd Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|(17)}} \| 70px \| Leo Varadkar {{small\|(born 1979) TD for Dublin West}} \| 17 December 2022 \| 9 April 2024 \| {{Age in years and days\|2022\|12\|17\|2024\|4\|9}} \| Fine Gael \| — \| 33rd Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fine Gael}};" \| {{color\|white\|19}} \| 70px \| Simon Harris {{small\|(born 1986) TD for Wicklow}} \| 9 April 2024 \| 23 January 2025 \| {{Age in years and days\|2024\|4\|9\|2025\|01\|23}} \| Fine Gael \| — \| 34th Government
style="background:{{party color\|Fianna Fáil}};" \| {{color\|white\|{{small\|(18)}}}} \| 70px \| Micheál Martin {{small\|(born 1960) TD for Cork South-Central}} \| 23 January 2025 \| Incumbent \| {{Age in years and days\|2025\|01\|23}} \| Fianna Fáil \| 2024 \| 35th Government

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rowspan="2" | {{Abbr|No.|Number}}

! rowspan="2" width="70px" | Portrait

! rowspan="2" | Name
{{small|(Birth–Death)
Constituency}}

! colspan="3" | Term

! rowspan="2" | Political party

! rowspan="2" | Election

! rowspan="2" | Government

Took office

! Left office

! Duration

style="background:{{party color|Sinn Féin}};" | {{color|white|1}}

Irish heads of government since 1919

Ireland

=Offices=

=List of officeholders=

= Timeline =

Northern Ireland

=Offices=

=List of officeholders=

= Timeline =

See also

Notes

References