16th Taoiseach and 34th Government appointed

On 9 April 2024, Simon Harris TD became the 16th Taoiseach of the 34th Government of Ireland following the third handover of government in the lifetime of the 33rd Dáil. It marks the first time that three Taoisigh have been appointed in a single Dáil term. This followed a cabinet reshuffle predominantly among Fine Gael junior ministers.

Harris’ rise to the top of Fine Gael and the Irish Government immediately makes him the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the State and caps a decade long journey which has seen him rise from the ‘baby of the Dáil’ in 2011 to Taoiseach at the age of just 37.

Since he famously nominated Enda Kenny for Taoiseach following the 2011 general election, Harris has served in roles as Minister for Health, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, and as Minister for Justice when Minister Helen McEntee TD was on maternity leave.

Harris’ leadership ambitions have been well-telegraphed since he entered the Dáil, with rumours abounding as far back as 2016 that, at the age of just 29, he was prepared to oust Enda Kenny as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.

With Harris having resigned his role as Minister for Further and Higher Education, there has been a minor reshuffle in the Cabinet predominantly among Fine Gael ministers and junior ministers.

Cabinet reshuffle

Following the resignation from the frontbench of two of its most senior figures, Leo Varadkar TD and Simon Coveney TD, Fine Gael has appointed two new cabinet ministers and several new ministers of state.

In becoming Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD vacates the role of Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Replacing himself, the Taoiseach has appointed Patrick O’Donovan TD. O’Donovan has held minister of state roles as the Department of Tourism (on two separate occasions), the Department of Public Expenditure, and the Department of Finance. The Limerick County TD has been a member of the Dáil since 2011.

Following Coveney’s resignation as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the new Taoiseach has appointed Longford-Westmeath TD Peter Burke as the new Minister. Burke has been a TD since 2016 and has served in minister of state roles at the Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Defence, and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Aside from Fine Gael ministers, the only party to have carried out any form of reshuffle is Fianna Fáil which expanded Thomas Byrne TD’s portfolio to include the Gaeltacht as a Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Also noteworthy is that, in spite of heavy speculation suggesting otherwise, Helen McEntee TD and Paschal Donohoe TD have remained in their respective roles of Minister for Justice and Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.

New ministers of state

• Alan Dillon TD has been promoted to Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

• Kieran O’Donnell TD has been transferred from Minister of State at the Department of Housing to head of the Office of Public Works.

• Emer Higgins TD is the new Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

• Neale Richmond TD takes on a new role at the Department of Finance and leaves the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

• Cork North Central TD Colm Burke takes on the role of Junior Minister with responsibility for Public Health and Drugs Strategy.

• Fianna Fáil Minister of State Thomas Byrne TD takes on the Gaeltacht portfolio in addition to his role as Sports and Physical Education Minister.