The minister for health () is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Health. The minister for health is responsible for healthcare in Ireland and related services.
The current minister for health is Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, TD. She is assisted by: Mary Butler, TD – Minister of State for mental health Jennifer Murnane O'Connor, TD – Minister of State for public health, well-being and drugs; and Kieran O'Donnell, TD – Minister of State for older people
History Health care formed part of the portfolio of the minister for local government and public health until 22 January 1947. On that date, the new position of Minister for Health was created, with control of policy regarding health care provision in Ireland. In the past, it was common for the minister to also hold the position of Minister for Social Welfare.
In recent years, and especially since the tenure of Michael Noonan in 1994–1997, being appointed as minister has become somewhat of a "poisoned chalice" in government circles and a portfolio to be avoided by aspiring politicians, during his tenure Brian Cowen referred to the Department of Health as Angola because there were landmines everywhere. A number of scandals, mostly due to medical negligence, have meant that the minister immediately becomes identified with the scandal. For instance, the Hepatitis C scandal, the withholding of baby organs without parental consent or knowledge, the Michael Neary saga in Drogheda and other high-profile medical scandals have dogged the minister and department. Additionally the minister has to deal with logistic issues not seen in other departments such as strikes, shortages and queues which are all too familiar in clinics and hospitals around the country.
Overview The minister's duties include the creation and assessment of policy for health services. The main policy sections of the department, together with their responsibilities, are:
Continuing Care Services for homeless adults Services for people with disabilities Services for the elderly and palliative care
Finance Health insurance Hospital planning Public-Private Partnerships
Personnel Management and Development Nursing policy Personnel management and development
Primary Care Community health (child health, dental services, AIDS, reproductive health) General medical services
Secondary Care Blood policy Hospital services
Strategic Policy and Corporate Services Corporate Services Health promotion Health Strategy Legislation
List of office-holders
Minister for Health 1947–1997NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)James Ryan (1st time)22 January 194718 February 1948 4thNoël Browne18 February 194811 April 1951 5thJohn A. Costello 12 April 195113 June 1951 5thJames Ryan (2nd time)13 June 19512 June 1954 6thTom O'Higgins2 June 195420 March 1957 7thSeán MacEntee20 March 195721 April 1965 8th9th10thDonogh O'Malley21 April 196513 July 1966 11thSeán Flanagan13 July 19662 July 1969 12thErskine H. Childers2 July 196914 March 1973 13thBrendan Corish14 March 19735 July 1977 14thCharles Haughey5 July 197711 December 1979 15thMichael Woods (1st time)12 December 197930 June 1981 16thEileen Desmond30 June 19819 March 1982 17thMichael Woods (2nd time)9 March 198214 December 1982 18thBarry Desmond14 December 198220 January 1987 19thJohn Boland20 January 198710 March 1987 19thRory O'Hanlon10 March 198714 November 1991 20th21stMary O'Rourke14 November 199111 February 1992 21stJohn O'Connell11 February 199212 January 1993 22ndBrendan Howlin12 January 199317 November 1994 23rdMichael Woods (3rd time)17 November 199415 December 1994 23rdMichael Noonan15 December 199426 June 1997 24thMinister for Health and Children 1997–2011NameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)Brian Cowen26 June 199727 January 2000 25thMicheál Martin27 January 200029 September 2004 25th26thMary Harney29 September 200419 January 2011PD / Ind26th27th28thMary Coughlan20 January 20119 March 2011 28thMinister for Health 2011–presentNameTerm of officePartyGovernment(s)James Reilly9 March 201111 July 2014 29thLeo Varadkar11 July 20146 May 2016 29thSimon Harris6 May 201627 June 2020 30th31stStephen Donnelly27 June 202023 January 2025 32nd33rd 34thJennifer Carroll MacNeill23 January 2025Incumbent 35th Notes
References
External links
Health Information and Quality Authority