The current Minister for Health and Children is Mary Harney , TD . She is assisted by:
- Brian Lenihan, Jr , TD - Minister Of State with special responsibility for Children;
- Tim O'Malley , TD - Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability and Mental Health Services and Food Safety;
- Seán Power , TD - Minister of State with special responsibility for Health Promotion and other matters.
Health care formed part of the portfolio of the until 22 January 1947 . On that date the new position of '''Minister for Health''' was created, with complete control over all policy regarding health care provision in Ireland. In later years, the health portfolio was occasionally coupled with that for social welfare portfolio, in which case the incumbent was known as the Minister for Health and 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 politicans. 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 parential consent or knowledge, the Dr. 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 to familiar in clinics and hospitials around the country.
The Minister's duties include the creation and assessment of policy for the health services. The main policy sections of the Department, together with their responsibilities, are:
- Child care legislation
- National Children's Office
- Services for homeless adults
- Services for people with disabilities
- Services for the elderly and palliative care
- Health insurance
- Hospital planning
- Public-Private Partnerships
- Nursing policy
- Personnel management and development
- Community health (child health, dental services, AIDS, reproductive health)
- General medical services
- Blood policy
- Hospital services
- Corporate Services
- Health promotion
- Health Strategy Legislation
- ) indicates ministers who held the social welfare portfolio in addition to that for health.
#
| Name
| Took Office
| Left Office
| Party
|
|---|
| Ernest Blythe | June 2 , 1924 | June 23 , 1927 | Cumann Na NGaedhael
| | 4. | Richard Mulcahy | June 23 , 1927 | March 9 , 1932 | Cumann Na NGaedhael
| | 5. | Seán T. O'Kelly | March 9 , 1932 | September 8 , 1939 | Fianna Fáil
| | 6. | P.J. Ruttledge | September 8 , 1939 | August 14 , 1941 | Fianna Fáil
| | 7. | Eamon De Valera ''(acting)'' | August 15 , 1941 | August 18 , 1941 | Fianna Fáil
| | 8. | Seán MacEntee | August 18 , 1941 | January 22 , 1947 | Fianna Fáil
|
#
| Name
| Took Office
| Left Office
| Party
- James Ryan ''(1st time)''
| January 22 , 1947 | February 18 , 1948 | Fianna Fáil
| | 2. | Noel Browne | February 18 , 1948 | April 11 , 1951 | Clann Na Poblachta
| | 3. | John A. Costello ''(acting)'' | April 12 , 1951 | June 13 , 1951 | Fine Gael
- James Ryan ''(2nd time)''
| June 13 , 1951 | June 2 , 1954 | Fianna Fáil
| | 5. | Tom O'Higgins | June 2 , 1954 | March 20 , 1957 | Fine Gael
- Seán MacEntee
| March 20 , 1957 | April 21 , 1965 | Fianna Fáil
| | 7. | Donagh O'Malley | April 21 , 1965 | July 13 , 1966 | Fianna Fáil
| | 8. | Seán Flanagan | July 13 , 1966 | July 2 , 1969 | Fianna Fáil
| | 9. | Erskine Childers | July 2 , 1969 | March 14 , 1973 | Fianna Fáil
- Brendan Corish
| March 14 , 1973 | July 5 , 1977 | Labour
- Charles Haughey
| July 5 , 1977 | December 11 , 1979 | Fianna Fáil
- Michael Woods ''(1st time)''
| December 12 , 1979 | June 30 , 1981 | Fianna Fáil
- Eileen Desmond
| June 30 , 1981 | March 9 , 1982 | Labour
- Michael Woods ''(2nd time)''
| March 9 , 1982 | December 14 , 1982 | Fianna Fáil
- Barry Desmond
| December 14 , 1982 | January 20 , 1987 | Labour
| | 15. | John Boland | January 20 , 1987 | March 10 , 1987 | Fine Gael
| | 16. | Rory O'Hanlon | March 10 , 1987 | November 14 , 1991 | Fianna Fáil
| | 17. | Mary O'Rourke | November 14 , 1991 | February 11 , 1992 | Fianna Fáil
| | 18. | John O'Connell | February 11 , 1992 | January 12 , 1993 | Fianna Fáil
| | 19. | Brendan Howlin | January 12 , 1994 | November 17 , 1994 | Labour
| | | | | | | | | |
|---|
|
