The Taoiseach (plural: Taoisigh) is the head of government of Ireland. Prior to the enactment of the Constitution of Ireland in 1937, the head of government was referred to as the President of the Executive Council. This office was first held by W. T. Cosgrave from 1922 to 1932, and then by Éamon de Valera from 1932 to 1937. By convention Taoisigh are numbered to include Cosgrave, for example Micheál Martin is considered the 15th Taoiseach.
Electoral history No.NameBornFirst elected PartyConstituencyLeft Dáil12345678Dublin South-East910Meath1112Laois–Offaly1314Dublin West15Cork South-Central16Wicklow
Periods in office No.NameEntered officeLeft officeDáil(s)Period Party13rd, 4th, 5th,6th–27th, 8th, 9th10th, 11th, 12th1st time313th1st time (2)14th2nd time(3)15th2nd time(2)16th3rd time416th, 17th, 18th–518th, 19th1st time620th–(5)21st2nd time721st1st time822nd1st time(7)23rd2nd time(8)24th2nd time(7)25th, 26th3rd time926th, 27th–1027th–1128th, 29th, 30th–1230th–1331st, 32nd–1432nd1st time1533rd1st time(14)33rd2nd time1633rd–(15)Incumbent34th2nd time
Cumulative days served No.NameFirst entered officeFinally left office PeriodsCumulative days2Éamon de Valera9 March 193223 June 195937,735 (21 years, 2 months)11Bertie Ahern26 June 19977 May 200813,968 (10 years, 10 months)1W. T. Cosgrave6 December 19229 March 193213,381 (9 years, 3 months)5Jack Lynch10 November 196611 December 197923,205 (8 years, 9 months)4Seán Lemass23 June 195910 November 196612,697 (7 years, 5 months)7Charles Haughey11 December 197911 February 199232,646 (7 years, 3 months)13Enda Kenny9 March 201114 June 201712,289 (6 years, 3 months)3John A. Costello18 February 194820 March 195722,233 (6 years, 1 month)8Garret FitzGerald30 June 198110 March 198721,799 (4 years, 11 months)14Leo Varadkar14 June 20179 April 202421,589 (4 years, 4 months)6Liam Cosgrave14 March 19735 July 197711,574 (4 years, 4 months)15Micheál Martin27 June 2020Incumbent2 ()9Albert Reynolds11 February 199215 December 199411,038 (2 years, 10 months)12Brian Cowen7 May 20089 March 201111,036 (2 years, 10 months)10John Bruton15 December 199426 June 19971924 (2 years, 6 months)16Simon Harris9 April 202423 January 20251289 (9 months, 14 days)
Length of individual periods No.NameEntered officeLeft officePeriod No.Period lengthLengthin days2Éamon de Valera9 March 193218 February 1948115 years, 11 months, 16 days5,82411Bertie Ahern26 June 19977 May 2008110 years, 10 months, 11 days3,9681W. T. Cosgrave6 December 19229 March 193219 years, 3 months, 4 days3,3814Seán Lemass23 June 195911 November 196617 years, 4 months, 17 days2,6975Jack Lynch11 November 196614 March 197316 years, 4 months, 4 days2,31613Enda Kenny9 March 201114 June 201716 years, 3 months, 5 days2,2897Charles Haughey10 March 198711 February 199234 years, 11 months, 1 day1,7996Liam Cosgrave14 March 19735 July 197714 years, 3 months, 22 days1,5748Garret FitzGerald14 December 198210 March 198724 years, 2 months, 27 days1,5473John A. Costello18 February 194813 June 195113 years, 3 months, 24 days1,21114Leo Varadkar14 June 201727 June 202013 years and 13 days1,109Éamon de Valera13 June 19512 June 195422 years, 11 months, 19 days1,0859Albert Reynolds11 February 199215 December 199412 years, 10 months, 4 days1,03812Brian Cowen7 May 20089 March 201112 years, 10 months, 2 days1,036John A. Costello2 June 195420 March 195722 years, 9 months, 18 days1,02210John Bruton15 December 199426 June 199712 years, 6 months, 11 days92415Micheál Martin27 June 202017 December 202212 years, 5 months, 21 days904Jack Lynch5 July 197711 December 197922 years, 5 months, 6 days889Éamon de Valera20 March 195723 June 195932 years, 3 months, 3 days825Micheál Martin23 January 2025Incumbent2Charles Haughey11 December 197930 June 198111 year, 6 months, 19 days567Leo Varadkar17 December 20229 April 202421 year, 3 months, 23 days47916Simon Harris9 April 202423 January 202519 months, 14 days289Charles Haughey9 March 198214 December 198229 months, 5 days280Garret FitzGerald30 June 19819 March 198218 months, 9 days252
Longevity No.NameBornDiedAge as of6Liam Cosgrave13 April 19204 October 20172Éamon de Valera14 October 188229 August 19751W. T. Cosgrave6 June 188016 November 19658Garret FitzGerald9 February 192619 May 2011 3John A. Costello20 June 18915 January 19765Jack Lynch15 August 191720 October 19999Albert Reynolds3 November 193221 August 20147Charles Haughey16 September 192513 June 200610John Bruton18 May 1947 6 February 202413Enda Kenny24 April 195111Bertie Ahern12 September 1951 4Seán Lemass12 July 189911 May 197112Brian Cowen10 January 1960 15Micheál Martin1 August 1960 14Leo Varadkar18 January 1979 16Simon Harris17 October 1986
Age on entering/leaving office No.NameBornEntered officeAgeLeft officeAge16Simon Harris17 October 19869 April 202423 January 202514Leo Varadkar18 January 197914 June 20179 April 20241W. T. Cosgrave6 June 18806 December 19229 March 193211Bertie Ahern12 September 195126 June 19977 May 200810John Bruton18 May 194715 December 199426 June 199712Brian Cowen10 January 19607 May 20089 March 20115Jack Lynch15 August 191710 November 196611 December 19792Éamon de Valera14 October 18829 March 193223 June 19596Liam Cosgrave13 April 192014 March 19735 July 19777Charles Haughey16 September 192511 December 197911 February 19928Garret FitzGerald9 February 192630 June 198110 March 19873John A. Costello20 June 189118 February 194820 March 19579Albert Reynolds3 November 193211 February 199215 December 199413Enda Kenny24 April 19519 March 201114 June 201715Micheál Martin1 August 196027 June 2020Incumbent–4Seán Lemass12 July 189923 June 195910 November 1966
Cabinet positions Listed here are cabinet positions held either before or during holding the office of Taoiseach or President of the Executive Council. No.NameBefore or after position of TaoiseachWhile Taoiseach1W. T. CosgraveMinister for Local Government Minister for Finance Chairman of the Provisional Government President of Dáil Éireann Minister for Finance Minister for Defence Minister for External Affairs 2Éamon de ValeraPresident of Dáil Éireann Minister for External Affairs Minister for Education Minister for Local Government and Public Health 3John A. CostelloAttorney General Minister for Health 4Seán LemassMinister for Industry and CommerceMinister for Supplies Tánaiste Minister for Justice 5Jack LynchMinister for the Gaeltacht Minister for Education Minister for Industry and Commerce Minister for Finance Minister for Education 6Liam CosgraveMinister for External Affairs Minister for Defence 7Charles HaugheyMinister for Justice Minister for Agriculture Minister for Finance Minister for Health Minister for Social Welfare Minister for Education Minister for the Gaeltacht Minister for Defence 8Garret FitzGeraldMinister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism 9.Albert ReynoldsMinister for Posts and Telegraphs Minister for Transport Minister for Industry and Energy Minister for Industry and Commerce Minister for Finance Minister for Energy 10John BrutonMinister for Finance Minister for Industry and Energy Minister for Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism Minister for the Public Service Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications 11Bertie AhernMinister for Labour Minister for Finance Minister for Industry and Commerce Tánaiste Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht 12Brian CowenMinister for Labour Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications Minister for Health and Children Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Finance Tánaiste Minister for Foreign Affairs 13Enda KennyMinister for Tourism and Trade Minister for Defence Minister for Defence 14Leo VaradkarMinister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Minister for Health Minister for Social Protection Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Tánaiste Minister for Defence 15Micheál MartinMinister for Education and Science Minister for Health and Children Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Defence Tánaiste Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (July 2020 and Aug. 2020)16Simon HarrisMinister for Health Minister for Justice Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Tánaiste Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister for Defence Minister for Finance
Education No.NameSecond levelThird level1W. T. CosgraveSt. Joseph's Secondary, FairviewNone 2Éamon de Valera3John A. CostelloUniversity College Dublin4Seán LemassO'Connell SchoolUniversity College Cork5Jack LynchNorth Monastery6Liam CosgraveKing's Inns7Charles HaugheySt. Joseph's Secondary, FairviewUniversity College Dublin8Garret FitzGeraldBelvedere CollegeUniversity College Dublin9Albert ReynoldsSummerhill CollegeNone10John BrutonClongowes Wood College11Bertie AhernSt Aidan's C.B.S.College of Commerce, Rathmines12Brian CowenCistercian College, Roscrea13Enda KennySt Gerald's College, Castlebar14Leo VaradkarThe King's HospitalTrinity College Dublin15Micheál MartinColáiste Chríost RíUniversity College Cork16Simon HarrisSt David's Holy Faith, GreystonesDublin Institute of Technology (attended)
Living officeholders There are currently five living former Taoisigh: TaoiseachTerm of officeDate of birthBertie Ahern 1997–2008Brian Cowen 2008–2011Simon Harris2024–2025Enda Kenny2011–2017Leo Varadkar
Timeline of living/deceased officeholders DateLivingDeceasedNotes9 April 2024610Simon Harris accedes6 February 2024510John Bruton dies27 June 202069Micheál Martin accedes4 October 201759Liam Cosgrave dies14 June 201768Leo Varadkar accedes21 August 201458Albert Reynolds dies19 May 201167Garret FitzGerald dies9 March 201176Enda Kenny accedes7 May 200866Brian Cowen accedes13 June 200656Charles Haughey dies20 October 199965Jack Lynch dies26 June 199774Bertie Ahern accedes15 December 199464John Bruton accedes11 February 199254Albert Reynolds accedes30 June 198144Garret FitzGerald accedes11 December 197934Charles Haughey accedes6 January 197624John A. Costello dies29 August 197533Éamon de Valera dies14 March 197342Liam Cosgrave accedes16 May 197132Seán Lemass dies10 November 196641Jack Lynch accedes11 May 196531W. T. Cosgrave dies23 June 195940Seán Lemass accedes18 February 194830John A. Costello accedes9 March 193220Éamon de Valera accedes6 December 192210W. T. Cosgrave accedes
See also History of the Republic of Ireland List of Irish heads of government Politics of the Republic of Ireland Records of members of the Oireachtas
Notes
References
External links Official website of the Taoiseach