Opposition Front Bench (Ireland) - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Fine Gael

Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...

is the largest political party

Political party

A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...

in the Oireachtas

Oireachtas

The Oireachtas , sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann, is the "national parliament" or legislature of Ireland. The Oireachtas consists of:*The President of Ireland*The two Houses of the Oireachtas :**Dáil Éireann...

. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of TDs

Teachta Dála

A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...

and Senators

Seanad Éireann

Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...

to speak for the party on different issues. Their areas of responsibility broadly correspond to those of Government ministers.

Fine Gael Front Bench

Portfolio	Name	Since
Taoiseach Taoiseach The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is... , Spokeperson on Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...	Enda Kenny Enda Kenny Enda Kenny is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and has been the Taoiseach since 2011. He has led Fine Gael since 2002. He served as Minister for Tourism and Trade from 1994 to 1997. He is also a two-term Vice President of the European People's Party.Kenny has been a Teachta Dála for Mayo since...	2011
Deputy Leader, Minister for Health	James Reilly	2011
Minister for Finance Minister for Finance (Ireland) The Minister for Finance is the title held by the Irish government minister responsible for all financial and monetary matters. The office-holder controls the Department of Finance and is considered one of the most important members of the Government of Ireland.The current Minister for Finance is...	Michael Noonan Michael Noonan Michael Noonan is an Irish Fine Gael politician and has been the Minister for Finance since March 2011. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Limerick East and later Limerick City constituencies since 1981....	2011
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport	Leo Varadkar Leo Varadkar Leo Varadkar is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin West constituency since June 2007. He is currently the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, being appointed on 9 March 2011....	2011
Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation	Richard Bruton Richard Bruton Richard Bruton is an Irish Fine Gael politician and has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin North Central constituency since 1982. He was appointed as Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation on 9 March 2011...	2011
Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government	Phil Hogan Phil Hogan Phil Hogan is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Carlow–Kilkenny constituency since 1989, and is the current Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.-Early and private life:...	2011
Minister for Justice and Equality	Alan Shatter Alan Shatter Alan Joseph Shatter is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South constituency and has been the Minister for Justice and Equality and Minister for Defence since March 2011.-Background and early life:...	2011
Minister for Defence Minister for Defence (Ireland) The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence in the Government of Ireland. Under new arrangements this department is being merged with the Department of Justice over which Mr. Shatter will also preside....		2011
Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs	Jimmy Deenihan Jimmy Deenihan -Club:Deenihan had much success at club and divisional level with his local teams. At under-age level he won an under-14 North Kerry Championship with Finuge in 1963. Five years later in 1968 he won an under-16 North Kerry Championship with the famous Listowel Emmet's club...	2011
Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food	Simon Coveney Simon Coveney Simon Coveney is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has served as a Teachta Dála for Cork South Central since 1998. In March 2011 he became Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Enda Kenny's coalition government....	2011
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs	Frances Fitzgerald Frances Fitzgerald (Irish politician) Frances Fitzgerald is an Irish Fine Gael politician, and is the current Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. She has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin Mid West constituency since February 2011...	2011
Minister of State for Defence and Chief Whip Chief Whip The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...	Paul Kehoe Paul Kehoe Paul Kehoe is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Wexford constituency since 2002, and is the current Government Chief Whip.-Early and private life:...	2011
Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil This is a list of Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil. On 9 March 2011, the 29th Government of Ireland was nominated by Dáil Éireann on the advice of the Taoiseach, and then appointed by the President...	Dinny McGinley Dinny McGinley Denis "Dinny" McGinley is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Donegal South West constituency since February 1982. He was appointed Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs by Taoiseach Enda Kenny on 10 March 2011.-Background:McGinley was born and brought up in...	2011
Minister of State for Small Business Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil This is a list of Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil. On 9 March 2011, the 29th Government of Ireland was nominated by Dáil Éireann on the advice of the Taoiseach, and then appointed by the President...	John Perry John Perry (Irish politician) John Perry is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Sligo–North Leitrim constituency, and the Minister of State for Small Business....	2011
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil This is a list of Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil. On 9 March 2011, the 29th Government of Ireland was nominated by Dáil Éireann on the advice of the Taoiseach, and then appointed by the President...	Michael Ring Michael Ring Michael Ring is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Mayo constituency since June 1994, and is the current Minister of State for Tourism and Sport....	2011
Minister of State for the NewEra Project Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil This is a list of Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil. On 9 March 2011, the 29th Government of Ireland was nominated by Dáil Éireann on the advice of the Taoiseach, and then appointed by the President...	Fergus O'Dowd Fergus O'Dowd Fergus O'Dowd is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Louth constituency, and the Minister of State for the NewEra Project....	2011
Minister of State at the Department of Finance	Brian Hayes Brian Hayes (politician) Brian Hayes is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South West constituency and also the Minister of State at the Department of Finance.-Early life:...	2011
Minister of State for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety	Shane McEntee Shane McEntee Shane McEntee is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Meath East constituency, and the Minister of State for Food, Horticulture and Food Safety....	2011
Minister of State for European Affairs	Lucinda Creighton Lucinda Creighton Lucinda Creighton is an Irish Fine Gael politician. She has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency since 2007. She was appointed the Minister of State for European Affairs in March 2011.-Early and private life:...	2011
Minister of State for Training and Skills Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil This is a list of Ministers of State of the 31st Dáil. On 9 March 2011, the 29th Government of Ireland was nominated by Dáil Éireann on the advice of the Taoiseach, and then appointed by the President...	Ciarán Cannon Ciarán Cannon Ciarán Cannon is an Irish politician and the current Minister of State for Training and Skills. He is a Fine Gael Teachta Dála for Galway East since the 2011 general election. He is a former leader of the Progressive Democrats party.Before entering politics he was CEO and secretary of IHCPT –...	2011

Fine Gael Front Bench

See also