Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

{{Infobox official post

|post = Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine

|insignia =

|insigniasize = 230px

|image = Martin Heydon, Dec 2024 (54186959926) (cropped).jpg

|alt =

|imagesize =

|incumbent = Martin Heydon

|incumbentsince = 23 January 2025

|department = Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine

|member_of = {{Ubl|Government of Ireland|Council of the European Union|Dáil Éireann}}

|reports_to = Taoiseach

|seat = Dublin, Ireland

|appointer = President of Ireland {{small|on the nomination of the Taoiseach}}

|formation = 2 April 1919

|inaugural = Robert Barton {{small|as Director of Agriculture}}

|website = {{official website}}

}}

The Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine ({{langx|ga|An tAire Talmhaíochta, Bia, Iascaigh agus Mara}}) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine.

The current Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine is Martin Heydon. He is assisted by three ministers of state:

Noel Grealish, TD – Minister of State for food promotion, new markets, research and development
Michael Healy-Rae, TD – Minister of State for forestry, farm safety and horticulture
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

{| class ="wikitable"

|colspan="6"|

=Director of Agriculture 1919–1921=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s){{efn|Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; PG – Provisional Government; EC – Executive Council.}}

|Robert Barton

|2 April 1919

|26 August 1921

| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}

|2nd DM

|colspan="6"|

=Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Art O'Connor

|26 August 1921

|9 January 1922

| {{party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}

|3rd DM

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture 1922–1924=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Patrick Hogan

|11 January 1922

|2 June 1924

| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}

|4th DM{{•}}1st PG{{•}}2nd PG{{•}}5th DM{{•}}1st EC{{•}}2nd EC

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Lands and Agriculture 1924–1928=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Patrick Hogan

|2 June 1924

|1 September 1928

| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}

|2nd EC{{•}}3rd EC{{•}}4th EC

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture 1928–1965=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Patrick Hogan

|1 September 1928

|9 March 1932

| {{party name with colour|Cumann na nGaedheal}}

|4th EC{{•}}5th EC

|James Ryan

|9 March 1932

|21 January 1947

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|6th EC{{•}}7th EC{{•}}8th EC{{•}}1st{{•}}2nd{{•}}3rd{{•}}4th

|Paddy Smith
(1st time)

|21 January 1947

|18 February 1948

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|4th

|James Dillon
(1st time)

|18 February 1948

|13 June 1951

| {{party name with colour|Independent politician (Ireland)}}

|5th

|Thomas Walsh

|13 June 1951

|2 June 1954

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|6th

|James Dillon
(2nd time)

|2 June 1954

|20 March 1957

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|7th

|Frank Aiken
(1st time)

|20 March 1957

|16 May 1957

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th

|Seán Moylan

|16 May 1957

|16 November 1957

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th

|Frank Aiken
(2nd time)

|16 November 1957

|27 November 1957

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th

|Paddy Smith
(2nd time)

|27 November 1957

|8 October 1964

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|8th{{•}}9th{{•}}10th

|Charles Haughey

|8 October 1964

|6 July 1965

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|10th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries 1965–1977=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Charles Haughey

|6 July 1965

|10 November 1966

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|10th{{•}}11th

|Neil Blaney

|10 November 1966

|7 May 1970

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|12th{{•}}13th

|Jim Gibbons
(1st time)

|7 May 1970

|14 March 1973

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|13th

|Mark Clinton

|14 March 1973

|9 February 1977

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|14th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture 1977–1987=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Mark Clinton

|9 February 1977

|5 July 1977

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|14th

|Jim Gibbons
(2nd time)

|5 July 1977

|11 December 1979

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|15th

|Ray MacSharry

|12 December 1979

|30 June 1981

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|16th

|Alan Dukes

|30 June 1981

|9 March 1982

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|17th

|Brian Lenihan

|9 March 1982

|14 December 1982

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|18th

|Austin Deasy

|14 December 1982

|10 March 1987

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|19th

|Michael O'Kennedy

|10 March 1987

|31 March 1987

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|20th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture and Food 1987–1993=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Michael O'Kennedy

|31 March 1987

|14 November 1991

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|20th{{•}}21st

|Michael Woods

|14 November 1991

|11 February 1992

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|21st

|Joe Walsh
(1st time)

|11 February 1992

|21 January 1993

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|22nd

|colspan="6|

=Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1993–1997=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Joe Walsh
(1st time)

|21 January 1993

|15 December 1994

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|22nd{{•}}23rd

|Ivan Yates

|15 December 1994

|26 June 1997

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|24th

|Joe Walsh
(2nd time)

|26 June 1997

|12 July 1997

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|25th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–1999=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Joe Walsh
(2nd time)

|12 July 1997

|27 September 1999

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|25th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1999–2002=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Joe Walsh
(2nd time)

|29 September 1999

|19 June 2002

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|25th{{•}}26th

|colspan="7"|

=Minister for Agriculture and Food 2002–2007=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Joe Walsh
(2nd time)

|19 June 2002

|29 September 2004

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|26th

|Mary Coughlan

|29 September 2004

|20 October 2007

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|26th{{•}}27th

|colspan="6"|

=Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2007–2011=

!Name

!colspan="2"|Term of office

!colspan="2"|Party

!Government(s)

|Mary Coughlan

|20 October 2007

|7 May 2008

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|27th

|Brendan Smith

|7 May 2008

|9 March 2011

| {{party name with colour|Fianna Fáil}}

|28th

|Simon Coveney

|9 March 2011

|17 October 2011

| {{party name with colour|Fine Gael}}

|29th

|colspan="6"|