The minister of state at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Ireland who may perform functions delegated by the minister for foreign affairs and trade. A minister of state does not hold cabinet rank.
There are currently two ministers of state: Neale Richmond, TD – Minister of State with special responsibility for International development and the diaspora; and Thomas Byrne, TD – Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs.
List of parliamentary secretaries Department of External Affairs 1933–1943NameTerm of officePartyGovernmentPatrick Little1 March 193327 September 1939 7th EC8th EC1st2ndPaddy Smith27 September 19391 July 1943 2ndDepartment of Foreign Affairs 1977–1978NameTerm of officePartyGovernmentDavid Andrews5 July 19771 January 1978 15th
List of ministers of state Department of Foreign Affairs 1978–2011NameTerm of officePartyResponsibilitiesGovernmentDavid Andrews1 January 197811 December 1979 15thJim O'Keeffe30 June 19819 March 1982 Overseas development17th16 December 198213 February 198619thGeorge Birmingham13 February 198610 March 1987 European Affairs and Development Co-operationSeán Calleary12 March 198712 July 1989 Overseas Aid20th19 July 198911 February 199221stBrendan Daly13 February 199212 January 1993 22ndTom Kitt14 January 1993 15 December 1994 European Affairs and Overseas development assistance23rdJoan Burton20 December 1994 26 June 1997 Overseas development assistance24thGay Mitchell20 December 199426 June 1997 European AffairsLiz O'Donnell1 July 1997 6 June 2002 Overseas development assistance and Human rights25thDick Roche6 June 2002 29 September 2004 European Affairs26thTom Kitt19 June 2002 29 September 2004 Overseas development and Human rightsConor Lenihan5 October 200420 June 2007 Overseas developmentNoel Treacy29 September 200420 June 2007 European AffairsMichael Kitt20 June 2007 13 May 2008 Overseas development27thDick Roche14 June 2007 9 March 2011 European Affairs27th28thPeter Power13 May 20089 March 2011 Overseas development28thDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2011–2020NameTerm of officePartyResponsibilitiesGovernmentJan O'Sullivan10 March 201120 December 2011 Trade and Development29thLucinda Creighton10 March 2011 11 July 2013 European AffairsJoe Costello20 December 201115 July 2014 Trade and DevelopmentPaschal Donohoe12 July 2013 11 July 2014 European AffairsSeán Sherlock15 July 20146 May 2016 Overseas development aid, trade promotion and North–South co-operationJimmy Deenihan15 July 20146 May 2016 DiasporaDara Murphy15 July 20146 May 2016 European Affairs20 May 201620 June 201730thJoe McHugh19 May 201616 June 2017 Diaspora and overseas development aidCiarán Cannon20 June 201727 June 2020 Diaspora and international development31stHelen McEntee20 June 201727 June 2020 European AffairsDepartment of Foreign Affairs 2020–2025NameTerm of officePartyResponsibilitiesGovernmentColm Brophy1 July 202017 December 2022 Overseas development aid and the diaspora32ndThomas Byrne1 July 202017 December 2022 European AffairsPeter Burke21 December 20229 April 2024 European Affairs33rdSeán Fleming21 December 20229 April 2024 International development and the diasporaJennifer Carroll MacNeill9 April 202423 January 2025 European Affairs34thSeán Fleming10 April 202423 January 2025 International development and the diasporaDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade 2025–presentNameTerm of officePartyResponsibilitiesGovernmentThomas Byrne29 January 2025Incumbent European Affairs35thNeale Richmond29 January 2025Incumbent International development and diaspora
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