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Minister for Finance (Ireland)
Irish government cabinet minister
Irish government cabinet minister
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | Minister for Finance |
| insignia | Irish Department of Finance.png |
| insigniasize | 230px |
| image | Simon Harris at the Special European Council - 2024 (cropped).jpg |
| imagesize | 200px |
| incumbent | Simon Harris |
| incumbentsince | 18 November 2025 |
| department | Department of Finance |
| type | Finance minister |
| status | Cabinet minister |
| member_of | |
| reports_to | Taoiseach |
| seat | Dublin, Ireland |
| nominator | Taoiseach |
| appointer | President of Ireland |
| appointer_qualified | (on the advice of the Taoiseach) |
| formation | 22 January 1919 |
| inaugural | Eoin MacNeill |
| salary | €210,750 (2025) |
| (including €115,953 TD salary) | |
| website |
(including €115,953 TD salary) The Minister for Finance () is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland. The Minister for Finance leads the Department of Finance and is responsible for all financial and monetary matters of the state; and is considered the second most important member of the Government of Ireland, after the Taoiseach.
The current office holder is Simon Harris, TD; he is assisted by one Minister of State Robert Troy, TD.
Overview
The Minister for Finance holds the second most important ministerial position in the Irish Cabinet after that of the Taoiseach. The minister is responsible for all financial matters in Ireland. For this reason, the Minister for Finance is one of three positions in the government which the Constitution requires to be held by a member of Dáil Éireann, the other two being Taoiseach and Tánaiste. Ministers for finance who later became Taoiseach include Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds, John Bruton, Bertie Ahern, and Brian Cowen.
The department and minister are occasionally called the Irish Exchequer (or simply the Exchequer), a term previously used under the Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland (disestablished in 1817).
Budget
One of the most important aspects of the Minister's work is the creation of the annual budget which is delivered to the Dáil in a speech, which must be given before 15 October due to the Two-Pack agreement. In the budget, the minister details the government's spending programme for the coming year. The budget consists of:
- a financial statement to the Dáil,
- Budgetary measures (a list of budgetary changes detailing the cost/yield of same),
- Budget statistics, and
- financial resolutions.
Minister for Finance since 1919
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eoin MacNeill | 22 January 1919 | 1 April 1919 | ||
| Michael Collins | 2 April 1919 | 22 August 1922 | ||
| W. T. Cosgrave (acting) | 17 July 1922 | 21 September 1923 | Cumann na nGaedheal}}" | |
| Ernest Blythe | 21 September 1923 | 9 March 1932 | ||
| Seán MacEntee | 9 March 1932 | 16 September 1939 | ||
| Seán T. O'Kelly | 16 September 1939 | 14 June 1945 | ||
| Frank Aiken | 19 June 1945 | 18 February 1948 | ||
| Patrick McGilligan | 18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | ||
| Seán MacEntee | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | ||
| Gerard Sweetman | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | ||
| James Ryan | 20 March 1957 | 21 April 1965 | ||
| Jack Lynch | 21 April 1965 | 10 November 1966 | ||
| Charles Haughey | 10 November 1966 | 7 May 1970 | ||
| George Colley | 9 May 1970 | 14 March 1973 | ||
| Richie Ryan | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | ||
| George Colley | 5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | ||
| Michael O'Kennedy | 12 December 1979 | 16 December 1980 | ||
| Gene Fitzgerald | 16 December 1980 | 30 June 1981 | ||
| John Bruton | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | ||
| Ray MacSharry | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | ||
| Alan Dukes | 14 December 1982 | 14 February 1986 | ||
| John Bruton | 14 February 1986 | 10 March 1987 | ||
| Ray MacSharry | 10 March 1987 | 24 November 1988 | ||
| Albert Reynolds | 24 November 1988 | 7 November 1991 | ||
| Charles Haughey (acting) | 7 November 1991 | 14 November 1991 | ||
| Bertie Ahern | 14 November 1991 | 15 December 1994 | ||
| Ruairi Quinn | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | ||
| Charlie McCreevy | 26 June 1997 | 29 September 2004 | ||
| Brian Cowen | 29 September 2004 | 7 May 2008 | ||
| Brian Lenihan | 7 May 2008 | 9 March 2011 | ||
| Michael Noonan | 9 March 2011 | 14 June 2017 | ||
| Paschal Donohoe | 14 June 2017 | 17 December 2022 | ||
| Michael McGrath | 17 December 2022 | 26 June 2024 | ||
| Jack Chambers | 26 June 2024 | 23 January 2025 | ||
| Paschal Donohoe | 23 January 2025 | 18 November 2025 | ||
| Simon Harris | 18 November 2025 | Incumbent |
;Notes
References
References
- (3 March 2025). "Salaries".
- (3 March 2025). "Salaries".
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