The head of government of the Republic of Ireland has gone by several different titles since the formation of the country in 1919. Under the short-lived Irish Republic of 1919–1922, the head of government was known first as the President of Dáil Éireann and later as the President of the Republic. Under the Irish Free State of 1922–1937, the head of government was the President of the Executive Council. There also briefly existed, immediately before the creation of the Irish Free State, an interim office of Chairman of the Provisional Government. For a brief period in 1921, the offices of President of the Republic and Chairman of the Provisional Government existed simultaneously. Since 1937, the Taoiseach heads a cabinet called the Government.
Offices Head Deputy Cabinet State Constitution Date President of Dáil Éireann /President of the Irish Republic rowspan=2 Ministry Irish Republic Dáil Constitution 21 January 1919 – 6 December 1922 /26 August 1921 – 6 December 1922 Chairman of the Provisional Government Provisional Government Southern Ireland Irish Free State (Agreement) Act 1922 3 May 1921 – 6 December 1922 President of the Executive Council Vice-President Executive Council Irish Free State Constitution of the Irish Free State Taoiseach Tánaiste Government Ireland Constitution of Ireland Since 29 December 1937
List of officeholders Portrait Name Term of office Political party Election Government Took office Left office Time in office 1 Cathal Brugha 21 January 1919 1 April 1919 Sinn Féin 1918 1st Ministry 2 Éamon de Valera 1 April 1919 9 January 1922 Sinn Féin — 2nd Ministry 1921 3rd Ministry 3 Arthur Griffith 10 January 1922 12 August 1922 Sinn Féin(Pro-Treaty faction) — 4th Ministry 4 Michael Collins 16 January 1922 22 August 1922 Sinn Féin(Pro-Treaty faction) 1922 1st Provisional Government 5 W. T. Cosgrave 22 August 1922 9 March 1932 Sinn Féin(Pro-Treaty faction) — 1st Provisional Government — 2nd Provisional Government — 1st Executive Council Cumann na nGaedheal 1923 2nd Executive Council 1927 (Jun) 3rd Executive Council 1927 (Sep) 4th Executive Council — 5th Executive Council (2) Éamon de Valera 9 March 1932 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil 1932 6th Executive Council 1933 7th Executive Council 1937 8th Executive Council — 1st Government 1938 2nd Government 1943 3rd Government 1944 4th Government 6 John A. Costello 18 February 1948 13 June 1951 Fine Gael 1948 5th Government (2) Éamon de Valera 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 Fianna Fáil 1951 6th Government (6) John A. Costello 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Fine Gael 1954 7th Government (2) Éamon de Valera 20 March 1957 23 June 1959 Fianna Fáil 1957 8th Government 7 Seán Lemass 23 June 1959 10 November 1966 Fianna Fáil — 9th Government 1961 10th Government 1965 11th Government 8 Jack Lynch 10 November 1966 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil — 12th Government 1969 13th Government 9 Liam Cosgrave 14 March 1973 5 July 1977 Fine Gael 1973 14th Government (8) Jack Lynch 5 July 1977 11 December 1979 Fianna Fáil 1977 15th Government 10 Charles Haughey 11 December 1979 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil — 16th Government 11 Garret FitzGerald 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Fine Gael 1981 17th Government (10) Charles Haughey 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil 1982 (Feb) 18th Government (11) Garret FitzGerald 14 December 1982 10 March 1987 Fine Gael 1982 (Nov) 19th Government (10) Charles Haughey 10 March 1987 11 February 1992 Fianna Fáil 1987 20th Government 1989 21st Government 12 Albert Reynolds 11 February 1992 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil — 22nd Government 1992 23rd Government 13 John Bruton 15 December 1994 26 June 1997 Fine Gael — 24th Government 14 Bertie Ahern 26 June 1997 7 May 2008 Fianna Fáil 1997 25th Government 2002 26th Government 2007 27th Government 15 Brian Cowen 7 May 2008 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil — 28th Government 16 Enda Kenny 9 March 2011 14 June 2017 Fine Gael 2011 29th Government 2016 30th Government 17 Leo Varadkar 14 June 2017 27 June 2020 Fine Gael — 31st Government 18 Micheál Martin 27 June 2020 17 December 2022 Fianna Fáil 2020 32nd Government (17) Leo Varadkar 17 December 2022 9 April 2024 Fine Gael — 33rd Government 19 Simon Harris 9 April 2024 23 January 2025 Fine Gael — 34th Government (18) Micheál Martin 23 January 2025 Incumbent Fianna Fáil 2024 35th Government
Timeline
Notes
See also List of heads of state of Ireland Irish head of state from 1922 to 1949 President of Ireland Irish cabinets since 1919 History of the Republic of Ireland Politics of the Republic of Ireland Records of Irish heads of government since 1922 List of heads of government of Northern Ireland
References