The 29th government of Ireland (9 March 2011 – 6 May 2016) was the government of Ireland which was formed following the 2011 general election to the 31st Dáil on 25 February 2011. It was a coalition government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party led by Enda Kenny as Taoiseach. From 2011 to 2014, Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore served as Tánaiste, and from 2014 to 2016, the new Labour leader Joan Burton served as Tánaiste.
It lasted from its appointment until its resignation, and continued to carry out its duties for a further 57 days until the appointment of the successor government, giving a total of in office.
Nomination of Taoiseach The 31st Dáil first met on 9 March 2011. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, only Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny was proposed. This proposal was carried with 117 votes in favour and 27 votes against, the greatest number of votes cast in the Dáil in favour of the nomination of a candidate for Taoiseach. Kenny was appointed as Taoiseach by president Mary McAleese.
9 March 2011Nomination of Enda Kenny (FG) as TaoiseachMotion proposed by Simon Harris and seconded by Ciara ConwayAbsolute majority: 84/166 Vote Parties Votes Yes Fine Gael (76), Labour Party (37), Independent (5) No Sinn Féin (14), Independent (8), People Before Profit (2), Socialist Party (2), Workers and Unemployed Action (1) Not voting Fianna Fáil (20), Ceann Comhairle (1), Independent (1)
Government ministers
After his appointment by the president, Enda Kenny proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.
OfficeNameTermPartyTaoiseachEnda Kenny2011–2016 TánaisteEamon Gilmore2011–2014 Minister for Foreign AffairsMinister for FinanceMichael Noonan2011–2016 Minister for Education and SkillsRuairi Quinn2011–2014 Minister for Public Expenditure and ReformBrendan Howlin2011–2016Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and InnovationRichard Bruton Minister for Social ProtectionJoan Burton Minister for Arts, Heritage and the GaeltachtJimmy Deenihan2011–2014 Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural ResourcesPat Rabbitte Minister for the Environment, Community and Local GovernmentPhil HoganFine GaelMinister for Justice and EqualityAlan Shatter2011–2014Minister for DefenceMinister for Agriculture, Food and the MarineSimon Coveney2011–2016Minister for Children and Youth AffairsFrances Fitzgerald2011–2014Minister for HealthJames ReillyMinister for Transport, Tourism and SportLeo VaradkarChanges 8 May 2014 Following the resignation of Alan Shatter on 7 May.Minister for Justice and EqualityFrances Fitzgerald2014–2016Fine GaelMinister for DefenceEnda Kenny (acting)2014Minister for Children and Youth AffairsCharles Flanagan2014Changes 11 July 2014 Following the election of Joan Burton as leader of the Labour Party, Eamon Gilmore, Pat Rabbitte and Ruairi Quinn resigned from cabinet. Phil Hogan resigned on his nomination as European Commissioner.TánaisteJoan Burton2014–2016 Minister for DefenceSimon Coveney Minister for Children and Youth AffairsJames Reilly Minister for HealthLeo Varadkar Minister for Foreign Affairs and TradeCharles Flanagan Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural ResourcesAlex White Minister for Education and SkillsJan O'Sullivan Minister for the Environment, Community and Local GovernmentAlan Kelly Minister for Transport, Tourism and SportPaschal Donohoe Minister for Arts, Heritage and the GaeltachtHeather Humphreys
Changes to departments
Attorney General On 9 March 2011, Máire Whelan SC was appointed as Attorney General by the president on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
Ministers of state On 9 March 2011, Paul Kehoe and Willie Penrose were appointed by the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach as ministers of state who would attend cabinet without a vote. On 10 March 2011, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed 13 further ministers of state.
NameDepartment(s)ResponsibilityTermPartyPaul KehoeTaoiseachDefenceGovernment Chief WhipDefence2011–2016 Willie PenroseEnvironment, Community and Local GovernmentHousing and Planning2011 Dinny McGinleyArts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; Gaeltacht Affairs2011–2014 Róisín ShortallHealthPrimary care2011–2012 John PerryJobs, Enterprise and InnovationSmall Business2011–2014 Michael RingTransport, Tourism and SportTourism and Sport2011–2016 Jan O'SullivanForeign Affairs and TradeTrade and Development2011 Kathleen LynchJustice and EqualityHealthDisability, Equality and Mental Health2011–2014 Fergus O'DowdEnvironment, Community and Local GovernmentCommunications, Energy and Natural ResourcesNewERA ProjectGovernment economic stimulus plan2011–2014 Brian HayesPublic Expenditure and ReformFinancePublic Service Reform and the Office of Public Works2011–2014 Shane McEnteeAgriculture, Food and the MarineFood, Horticulture and Food Safety2011–2012 Lucinda CreightonTaoiseachForeign Affairs and TradeEuropean Affairs2011–2013 Seán SherlockJobs, Enterprise and InnovationEducation and SkillsResearch and Innovation2011–2014 Ciarán CannonEducation and SkillsTraining and Skills2011–2014 Alan KellyTransport, Tourism and SportPublic and Commuter Transport2011–2014 Changes on 20 December 2011 Following the resignation of Willie Penrose on 15 November 2011.Jan O'SullivanEnvironment, Community and Local Government; Housing and Planning Joe CostelloForeign Affairs and TradeTrade and Development2011–2014 Change on 2 October 2012 Following the resignation of Róisín Shortall on 26 September 2012.Alex WhiteHealthPrimary care Change on 5 June 2013 Following the death of Shane McEntee on 21 December 2012.Tom HayesAgriculture, Food and the MarineForestry, Horticulture, the Greyhound Industry and Food Safety Change on 12 July 2013 Following the resignation of Lucinda Creighton on 11 July 2013.Paschal DonohoeTaoiseachForeign Affairs and TradeEuropean Affairs Changes on 11 July 2014 Following the appointment of Jan O'Sullivan to cabinet and the demotion of Jimmy Deenihan from cabinet.Ged NashJobs, Enterprise and Innovation; Business and Employment Jimmy DeenihanTaoiseachForeign Affairs and TradeDiaspora2014–2016 Changes on 15 July 2014 Brian Hayes was elected as an MEP on 23 May. Dinny McGinley, John Perry, Fergus O'Dowd, Ciarán Cannon and Joe Costello resigned on the request of the party leaders to facilitate a wider reshuffle. Kathleen LynchHealthPrimary Care, Mental Health and Disability2014–2016 Seán SherlockForeign Affairs and TradeOverseas Development Assistance, Trade Promotion and North/South Cooperation2014–2016 Damien EnglishEducation and SkillsJobs, Enterprise and InnovationSkills, Research and Innovation2014–2016 Joe McHughArts, Heritage and the GaeltachtGaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources2014–2016 Paudie CoffeyEnvironment, Community and Local GovernmentHousing, Planning and Construction 2020 Strategy2014–2016 Simon HarrisFinancePublic Expenditure and ReformTaoiseachOffice of Public Works, Public Procurement and International Banking2014–2016 Kevin HumphreysSocial Protection; ; Employment, Community and Social Support2014–2016 Dara MurphyTaoiseachForeign Affairs and TradeJustice and EqualityEuropean Affairs and Data Protection2014–2016 Justice and EqualityArts, Heritage and the GaeltachtNew communities, culture and equality2014–2016 Ann PhelanAgriculture, Food and the MarineTransport, Tourism and SportRural economic development and rural transport2014–2016 Change on 22 April 2015 Additional responsibilities.Aodhán Ó RíordáinHealthDrugs strategy2015–2016
Economic Management Council The Economic Management Council was a cabinet subcommittee of senior ministers formed to co-ordinate the response to the Irish financial crisis and the government's dealings with the troika of the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Its members were the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. It was supported by the Department of the Taoiseach, led by Dermot McCarthy. Brigid Laffan compared it to a war cabinet. Opposition parties suggested the Council represented a dangerous concentration of power.
Following the formation of a government in 2016, Shane Ross, an incoming member of the new 30th Government of Ireland, confirmed in the Dáil that the subcommittee would not form part of the new government. Ross told the Dáil on 6 May 2016: "I had a conversation last night with the Taoiseach. I was talking to him about Dáil reform and I asked him about an issue – a last point I had forgotten to ask about earlier – which was the abolition of the Economic Management Council. I thought it was going to be like one of these thorny topics which we had been through over the last few weeks. He told me okay, it is gone, that it had been needed for a particular time and it is not needed any more and I was to consider it gone. To me that was very encouraging because it meant that one of those obstacles to Dáil reform, one of those rather secretive bodies that had dictated to the Cabinet and to the Dáil the agenda of what came out to the country, was now a thing of the past."
Budgets The Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, delivered the following budgets: 2012 budget, on 5 and 6 December 2011 2013 budget, on 5 December 2012 2014 budget, on 15 October 2013 2015 budget, on 14 October 2014 2016 budget, on 13 October 2015
Motions of confidence On 18 September 2012, Fianna Fáil TD Billy Kelleher proposed a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health, James Reilly. The debate was noted for the contribution on the second day of debate of Róisín Shortall, a Minister of State at the Department of Health, who voted with the government, but did not mention the minister. Following amendment, this was debated a motion commending the work of the minister, and was approved by a vote of 99 to 50. Those voting against the government included Tommy Broughan and Patrick Nulty, who had been elected as Labour Party TDs, and Denis Naughten, who had been elected as a Fine Gael TD and had left in protest at closure of services at the Roscommon University Hospital. Shortall resigned as a junior minister and from the Labour Parliamentary Party the following week.
On 11 December 2012, Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty proposed a motion of no confidence in the government, stating that it had "failed to fulfil its obligations to make political decisions and choices which benefit the citizens of this State". Brendan Howlin, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, proposed an amendment such that the motion read, "That Dáil Éireann has confidence in the Government as it deals with the current economic crisis in as fair a manner as possible, while prioritising economic recovery and job creation". Debate continued the following day. The amended motion was carried by a vote of 88 to 51. Those voting against the government included Róisín Shortall.
On 1 April 2014, Fiann Fáil TD Niall Collins proposed a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality, Alan Shatter. Following amendment, this was debated a motion commending the work of the minister. Debate continued on 2 April, and the amended motion was carried by a vote of 95 to 51. This was just over a month before Shatter resigned on the submission of the Guerin Report to the Taoiseach.
On 9 December 2014, the Dáil debated a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and in the government. This motion was proposed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in response to a motion of no confidence proposed by Sinn Féin, which referred to "the widespread public opposition to domestic water charges and to Irish Water". The vote of confidence was carried by a vote of 86 to 55. Those voting against included Lucinda Creighton, Peter Mathews and Billy Timmins, who had been elected as Fine Gael TDs.
Dissolution and resignation