The 19th government of Ireland (14 December 1982 – 10 March 1987) was the government of Ireland formed after the November 1982 general election to the 24th Dáil. It was a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Garret FitzGerald as Taoiseach and lasted for .
Nomination of Taoiseach The 24th Dáil first met on 14 December 1982. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, the Fianna Fáil leader and outgoing Taoiseach Charles Haughey, and Fine Gael leader Garret FitzGerald were both proposed. The nomination of Haughey was defeated with 77 votes in favour to 88 against, while the nomination of FitzGerald was carried with 85 in favour and 79 against. FitzGerald was then appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.
14 December 1982Nomination of Garret FitzGerald (FG) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Kieran Crotty and seconded by Nora OwenAbsolute majority: 84/166VotePartiesVotes Yes Fine Gael (69), Labour Party (16) No Fianna Fáil (75), Workers' Party (2), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1) Not voting Ceann Comhairle (1), Independent (1)
Government ministers After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Garret FitzGerald proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day. OfficeNameTermPartyTaoiseachGarret FitzGerald1982–1987 TánaisteDick Spring1982–1987 Minister for the Environment1982–1983Minister for AgricultureAustin Deasy1982–1987 Minister for DefencePatrick Cooney1982–1986 Minister for EducationGemma Hussey1982–1986 Minister for FinanceAlan Dukes1982–1986 Minister for Fisheries and ForestryPaddy O'Toole1982–1986 Minister for the Gaeltacht1982–1987Minister for Foreign AffairsPeter Barry1982–1987 Minister for HealthBarry Desmond1982–1987 Minister for Social Welfare1982–1986Minister for Industry and EnergyJohn Bruton1982–1983 Minister for JusticeMichael Noonan1982–1986 Minister for LabourLiam Kavanagh1982–1983 Minister for Posts and TelegraphsJim Mitchell1982–1984Fine GaelMinister for TransportMinister for the Public ServiceJohn Boland1982–1986 Minister for Trade, Commerce and TourismFrank Cluskey1982–1983 Changes 13 December 1983 Reshuffle on the resignation of Frank Cluskey.OfficeNameTermPartyMinister for EnergyDick Spring1983–1987 Minister for the EnvironmentLiam Kavanagh1983–1986 Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and TourismJohn Bruton1983–1986 Minister for LabourRuairi Quinn1983–1987 Changes 2 January 1984 On the abolition of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the Department of Transport and the establishment of the Department of Communications.OfficeNameTermPartyMinister for CommunicationsJim Mitchell1984–1987 Changes 14 February 1986 Reshuffle.OfficeNameTermPartyMinister for EducationPatrick Cooney1986–1987 Minister for the EnvironmentJohn Boland1986–1987 Minister for DefencePaddy O'Toole1986–1987 Minister for FinanceJohn Bruton1986–1987 Minister for Industry and CommerceMichael Noonan1986–1987 Minister for JusticeAlan Dukes1986–1987 Minister for the Public ServiceRuairi Quinn1986–1987 Minister for Social WelfareGemma Hussey1986–1987 Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and ForestryLiam Kavanagh1986–1987 Changes 20 January 1987 On 20 January 1987, Dick Spring, Barry Desmond, Liam Kavanagh and Ruairi Quinn, the Labour Party ministers, resigned from the government. No new members joined the cabinet and their portfolios were redistributed.OfficeNameTermPartyTánaistePeter Barry1987 Minister for EnergyMichael Noonan1987 Minister for HealthJohn Boland1987 Minister for LabourGemma Hussey1987 Minister for the Public ServiceJohn Bruton1987 Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and ForestryPaddy O'Toole1987 Notes
Attorney General On 14 December 1982, Peter Sutherland SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach. He resigned as Attorney General on 12 December 1984 on his nomination as European Commissioner. On 13 December 1984, John Rogers SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
Ministers of state On 14 December 1982, the Government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Seán Barrett to the post of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip. On 16 December 1982, the Government appointed the other Ministers of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
Name Department(s)ResponsibilityParty Seán BarrettTaoiseachDefenceGovernment Chief Whip Nuala FennellTaoiseachWomen's Affairs and Family Law Reform Ted NealonTaoiseachArts and Culture Ruairi QuinnEnvironmentUrban Affairs and Housing Jim O'KeeffeForeign AffairsOverseas Development Patrick HegartyAgricultureProduction Paul Connaughton SnrAgricultureLand Structure and Development Joseph BerminghamFinanceOffice of Public Works Edward CollinsIndustry and EnergyEnergy Affairs John DonnellanPosts and TelegraphsTransportPosts and Telegraphs Service Michael MoynihanTrade, Commerce and TourismTourism George BirminghamLabourYouth Affairs Fergus O'BrienHealthSocial WelfarePublic Health and Social Welfare Information Donal CreedEducationSchool Buildings and Sport Michael D'ArcyFisheries and ForestryGaeltachtFisheries and Forestry Changes 7 January 1983 Nuala Fennell was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice with responsibility for Family Law Reform in addition to her existing post.Changes 18 February 1983 Ted Nealon was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Posts and Telegraphs with responsibility for broadcasting in addition to his existing post.Changes 15 December 1983 Reshuffle on the appointment of Ruairi Quinn to cabinet.Name Department(s)ResponsibilityParty Edward CollinsTrade, Commerce and TourismCommercial Affairs John DonnellanHealthSocial WelfarePublic Health and Social Welfare Information George BirminghamEducationCo-ordination of Education and Training Fergus O'BrienEnvironmentUrban Affairs, Housing and Local Government Reform Séamus PattisonSocial WelfareSocial Welfare Administration Changes 2 January 1984 Ted Nealon was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Communications with responsibility for radio and television on the creation of the new department.Changes 13 February 1986 Reshuffle, including the resignation of Joseph Bermingham.Name Department(s)ResponsibilityParty Fergus O'BrienTaoiseachDefenceEnvironmentGovernment Chief WhipUrban Development Seán BarrettTaoiseachEducationDáil ReformSport Jim O'KeeffePublic Service Patrick HegartyAgricultureIndustry and CommerceFood Sector George BirminghamForeign AffairsEuropean Affairs and Development Co-operation Toddy O'SullivanEnvironmentGrants Administration Edward CollinsIndustry and CommerceEnergyCommerce and Services John DonnellanTourism, Fisheries and ForestryFisheries Michael MoynihanTourism, Fisheries and ForestryTourism Changes 18 February 1986 Following the dismissal from office of Donal Creed and Michael D'Arcy, who had refused to resign in order to facilitate the reshuffle.Enda KennyLabourEducationYouth Affairs Avril DoyleFinanceEnvironmentOffice of Public Worksand Environmental Protection Changes 23 September 1986 Following the dismissal of Edward Collins.Name Department(s)ResponsibilityParty Richard BrutonEnergyIndustry and CommerceEnergy Affairs Changes 20 January 1987 On 20 January 1987, Michael Moynihan, Séamus Pattison and Toddy O'Sullivan, the Labour Party ministers of state, resigned their positions. Their positions were not reassigned.
Confidence in the government After the February 1986 reshuffle, including the failure of FitzGerald to move Barry Desmond from the Department of Health and having misinformed the Dáil about the resignation of ministers of state who were subsequently sacked, Charles Haughey sought to move a motion of no confidence in the government. This was debated as a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach, proposed by Tánaiste Dick Spring.; ; The motion of confidence was carried on 21 February 1986 by a vote of 82 to 77.
In June 1986, Joseph Bermingham had resigned from the Labour Party, leaving the coalition parties in a minority. In October 1986, moved a motion of no confidence in the government. This was debated as a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government, proposed by Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald.; ; The motion of confidence was carried on 23 October 1986 by a vote of 83 to 81. Bermingham voted with the government; Seán Treacy, who had resigned from Labour in February 1985, voted with the opposition.
Government policy
The "republican crusade" flagged by Garret Fitzgerald when he was previously in government in 1981 was progressed with some changes in policy on Northern Ireland and social issues.
Economics The government resorted to high marginal tax rates to curb the national debt, which had increased when spending commitments accrued under the 1977–81 government's expansion of the public sector became unsustainable after the 1979 energy crisis. High taxes and high unemployment brought a return to high net emigration, a long-established Irish flow which had temporarily reversed in the 1970s. An economic policy document, "Building on reality", was published in 1984.
Constitutional referendums The Eighth Amendment to recognise the right to life of the unborn had been proposed by the previous government. It was adopted by the FitzGerald government, but not supported by Labour. An attempt to amend the wording was unsuccessful. The amendment was approved in a referendum in September 1983.
The Ninth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland permitted legislation to allow non-Irish citizens to vote in Dáil elections.
A referendum to ease the ban on divorce was defeated in 1986.
Contraception A bill to ease restrictions on contraception was passed in 1985. The failure of Desmond O'Malley to vote against this legislation led to his expulsion from Fianna Fáil. O'Malley later established the Progressive Democrats in December 1985.
Northern Ireland The government's New Ireland Forum was a prelude to the Anglo-Irish Agreement signed in 1985.
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