Government of the 33rd Dáil


There were three governments of the 33rd Dáil, being coalition governments of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party. This followed the 2020 general election to Dáil Éireann held on 8 February, and negotiations on a programme for government that lasted till June. The parties agreed on a rotation, with the two major party leaders alternating as Taoiseach. The makeup of the parties resulted in a centre-right coalition. It was the first time that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have participated in the same government, which Leo Varadkar described as the end of what has often been referred to as Civil War politics.
The 32nd government of Ireland was led by Micheál Martin, leader of Fianna Fáil, as Taoiseach, and Leo Varadkar, leader of Fine Gael, as Tánaiste. It was in office for and ended as planned with the rotation of the office of Taoiseach.
The 33rd government of Ireland was led by Varadkar as Taoiseach and Martin as Tánaiste. It lasted. Varadkar resigned as leader of Fine Gael on 20 March 2024 and was succeeded on 24 March by Simon Harris. Varadkar resigned as Taoiseach on 8 April.
The 34th government of Ireland was led by Simon Harris as Taoiseach and Martin as Tánaiste. It lasted. Harris resigned as Taoiseach on 18 December 2024 on the morning of the first meeting of the 34th Dáil after the 2024 general election. Harris and the other members of the government continued to carry out their duties until the appointment of their successors on 23 January 2025.

32nd government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

The 33rd Dáil first met on 20 February 2020. Leo Varadkar, Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader, Micheál Martin, Fianna Fáil leader, Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Féin leader, and Eamon Ryan, Green Party leader, were each proposed for nomination as Taoiseach. None of the four motions were successful. Varadkar announced that he would resign as Taoiseach but that under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the members of the government would continue to carry out their duties until their successors were appointed.
On 27 June, the Dáil again debated nominations for the position of Taoiseach. The nomination of Martin was approved by the Dáil. Martin was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Michael D. Higgins.

Government ministers

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Micheál Martin proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.

Changes 15 July 2020

Following the sacking of Barry Cowen on 14 July 2020.
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party

Changes 2 September 2020

Following the resignation of Dara Calleary on 21 August 2020.
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 27 April 2021

Temporary appointment during first maternity leave of Helen McEntee.
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 1 November 2021

Return of Helen McEntee from first maternity leave
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 25 November 2022

Temporary appointment during the second maternity leave of Helen McEntee
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party

Attorney General

was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach, a role he had previously served in from 2007 to 2011.

Ministers of state

On 27 June 2020, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Dara Calleary, TD, Hildegarde Naughton, TD, and Sen. Pippa Hackett as ministers of state attending at cabinet without a vote. Pippa Hackett is the first senator to have been appointed as a Minister of State. On 1 July, the government appointed seventeen further ministers of state on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Changes 15 July 2020

Following the appointment of Dara Calleary to government.
!Name
!Department
!Responsibility
!colspan="2"|Party

Changes 2 September 2020

Following the appointment of Charlie McConalogue to government.
!Name
!Department
!Responsibility
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 17 November 2020

Additional assignment.
!Name
!Department
!Responsibility
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 27 April 2021

Additional assignments during the maternity leave of Helen McEntee, expired on 1 November 2021.
!Name
!Department
!Responsibility
!colspan="2"|Party

Change 31 August 2022

Following the resignation of Robert Troy on 24 August 2022.
!Name
!Department
!Responsibility
!colspan="2"|Party

Events affecting the government

was sacked on 14 July 2020 because of driving offences which he had committed but not disclosed to Micheál Martin prior to his appointment to cabinet. He was replaced by Dara Calleary.
Legislation was passed to allow each of three Ministers of State who attend cabinet meetings to receive an allowance, as previous legislation had provided an allowance for two only. After public dissatisfaction with the proposal, the three ministers of state agreed on 28 July 2020 to share the existing allowance between them, rather than accept the increase.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Dara Calleary resigned on 21 August 2020 after the fallout from the Oireachtas Golf Society scandal. Phil Hogan resigned as European Commissioner for Trade on 26 August 2020 in response to the same events.
In October 2020, Village magazine published a claim that Leo Varadkar had provided a copy of a confidential document to the head of the National Association of General Practitioners that had been part of negotiations with the Irish Medical Organisation in April 2019 while Taoiseach. Fine Gael issued a statement which described the article as "both inaccurate and grossly defamatory", and while accepting that the provision of the agreement by private channels was "not best practice", said there was nothing unlawful about what had occurred. Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in the Tánaiste. In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.
At a cabinet meeting in July 2021, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney announced the appointment of Katherine Zappone, former Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, to the newly created position of Special Envoy to the UN for Freedom of Opinion and Expression. It emerged that the proposed appointment had not been flagged by Coveney with the Taoiseach in advance of the meeting. Zappone declined the appointment after the Merrion Hotel controversy arose, in which the Irish Independent reported that six days prior to the announcement of her appointment, Zappone had hosted a gathering for 50 guests, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, at the Merrion Hotel while the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing. Comparisons were made between the gathering and the Golfgate scandal earlier in the pandemic. Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in Coveney, to be debated on 15 September on the return of the Dáil from the summer recess. In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.
On 6 July 2022, the government lost its majority after Fine Gael TD Joe McHugh voted against legislation underpinning a €2.7 billion mica redress scheme and subsequently resigned the Fine Gael party whip. Sinn Féin tabled a motion of no confidence in the government, to be debated on 12 July before the summer recess. In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.
On 24 August 2022, Robert Troy resigned as Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment after his failure to declare property interest was revealed by The Ditch. He was succeeded by former Minister for Agriculture Dara Calleary.
In December 2022, People Before Profit–Solidarity tabled a motion of no confidence in Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien, to be debated on 13 December, four days before a new government was formed. The group claimed the worsening housing and homelessness crisis under O'Brien was "tearing apart the social fabric of Irish society and leading to the scapegoating of refugees". In response, the Taoiseach moved a motion of confidence.

Budgets

The Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, delivered the following budgets:
On 10 November 2020, a motion of confidence in the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar, proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, was approved with 92 votes in favour to 65 against.
On 15 September 2021, a motion of confidence in the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney, proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, was approved with 92 votes in favour to 59 against.
On 12 July 2022, a motion of confidence in the government, proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, was approved with 85 votes in favour to 66 against, with one abstention.
On 13 December 2022, a motion of confidence in the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O'Brien, proposed by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, was approved with 86 votes in favour to 63 against, with one abstention.

Resignation

Micheál Martin resigned as Taoiseach on Saturday 17 December 2022 to allow the appointment of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach and the formation of a new government, a continuation of the coalition agreement between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party. The date agreed in the Programme for Government had been Thursday 15 December, but this date was put back to facilitate Martin's attendance at a meeting of the European Council.

33rd government of Ireland

Nomination of Taoiseach

After the resignation of Micheál Martin as Taoiseach on 17 December 2022, Leo Varadkar was proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach. This motion was approved and Varadkar was appointed by President Michael D. Higgins.