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Irish Minister for Defence
The Minister for Defence is the senior minister at the Department of Defence (An Roinn Cosanta ) in the Irish Government . The current Minister for Defence is Willie O'Dea , TD ; he is assisted by Minister of State Tom Kitt , TD. The department is responsible for the Irish Defence Forces ; its primary concern is that of ensuring a secure and stable environment for the economic growth and development of the country.
List of Ministers for Defence
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Name
Took Office
Left Office
Party
1. Richard Mulcahy (1st time) 1 January 22 , 1919 April 1 , 1919 Sinn Féin
2. Cathal Brugha 2 April 1 , 1919 January 9 , 1922 Sinn Féin
Richard Mulcahy (2nd time) January 10 , 1922 March 19 , 1924 Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin
3. W.T. Cosgrave (acting) March 20 , 1924 November 21 , 1924 Pro-Treaty Sinn Féin
4. Peter Hughes November 21 , 1924 June 23 , 1927 Cumann na nGaedhael
5. Desmond FitzGerald June 23 , 1927 March 9 , 1932 Cumann na nGaedhael
6. Frank Aiken March 9 , 1932 September 8 , 1939 Fianna Fáil
7. Oscar Traynor (1st time) September 8 , 1939 February 18 , 1948 Fianna Fáil
8. Thomas F. O'Higgins February 18 , 1948 March 7 , 1951 Fine Gael
9. Seán MacEoin (1st time) March 7 , 1951 June 13 , 1951 Fine Gael
Oscar Traynor (2nd time) June 13 , 1951 June 2 , 1954 Fianna Fáil
Seán MacEoin (2nd time) June 2 , 1954 March 20 , 1957 Fine Gael
10. Kevin Boland March 20 , 1957 October 11 , 1961 Fianna Fáil
11. Gerald Bartley October 11 , 1961 April 21 , 1965 Fianna Fáil
12. Michael Hilliard April 21 , 1965 July 2 , 1969 Fianna Fáil
13. Jim Gibbons July 2 , 1969 May 9 , 1970 Fianna Fáil
14. Jerry Cronin May 9 , 1970 March 14 , 1973 Fianna Fáil
15. Paddy Donegan March 14 , 1973 December 2 , 1976 Fine Gael
16. Liam Cosgrave (acting) December 2 , 1976 December 16 , 1976 Fine Gael
17. Oliver J. Flanagan December 16 , 1976 July 5 , 1977 Fine Gael
18. Bobby Molloy July 5 , 1977 December 11 , 1979 Fianna Fáil
19. Pádraig Faulkner December 12 , 1979 October 15 , 1980 Fianna Fáil
20. Sylvester Barret October 15 , 1979 June 30 , 1981 Fianna Fáil
21. James Tully June 30 , 1981 March 9 , 1982 Labour
22. Paddy Power March 9 , 1982 December 14 , 1982 Fianna Fáil
23. Patrick Cooney December 14 , 1982 February 14 , 1986 Fine Gael
24. Paddy O'Toole February 14 , 1982 March 10 , 1987 Fine Gael
25. Michael J. Noonan March 10 , 1987 July 12 , 1989 Fianna Fáil
26. Brian Lenihan July 12 , 1989 October 31 , 1990 Fianna Fáil
27. Charles Haughey (acting) November 1 , 1990 February 5 , 1991 Fianna Fáil
28. Brendan Daly February 5 , 1991 November 14 , 1991 Fianna Fáil
29. Vincent Brady November 14 , 1991 February 11 , 1992 Fianna Fáil
30. John P. Wilson February 11 , 1992 January 12 , 1993 Fianna Fáil
31. David Andrews (1st time) 3 January 12 , 1993 December 15 , 1994 Fianna Fáil
32. Hugh Coveney 3 December 15 , 1994 May 23 , 1995 Fine Gael
33. Seán Barret 3 May 23 , 1995 June 26 , 1997 Fine Gael
34. David Andrews (2nd time) June 26 , 1997 October 8 , 1997 Fianna Fáil
25. Michael Smith October 8 , 1997 September 29 , 2004 Fianna Fáil
26. Willie O'Dea September 29 , 2004 (Current office-holder) Fianna Fáil
Footnotes
On the first occasion he served as defence minister, Mulcahy bore the title of Minister for National Defence .
Brugha bore the title of Secretary of State for Defence .
As Minister for Defence and the Marine .
See also
External link
