Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (Irish: An tAire Comhshaoil, Aeráide agus Cumarsáide) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications
Incumbent
Eamon Ryan
since 27 June 2020
Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications
Member of
Reports toTaoiseach
SeatDublin, Ireland
AppointerPresident of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holderSeán Etchingham as Director of Fisheries
Formation26 August 1921
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

The current Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications is Eamon Ryan, TD.[1][2] He is also Minister for Transport.

He is assisted by two Ministers of State:

Overview

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The department has responsibilities in the areas of:

Energy

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  • To develop a competitive energy supply industry
  • To ensure security and reliability of energy supply
  • To develop energy conservation and end-use efficiency.

Communications

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  • Communications development – promotion of the provision and development of competitive high quality and world class services in the communications, electronic and mobile commerce sectors.
  • Business and technology – focusing on new business and technology applications and the development of policies, initiatives and legislation as appropriate.
  • Regulatory affairs – the development of effective policies for the regulation of the electronic communications sector and management of the radio frequency spectrum.
  • Postal services – the development of an effective policy for the Irish postal sector based on open market principles.
  • It is seen as a successor to the old Department of Posts and Telegraphs.

Natural Resources

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  • The Petroleum Affairs Division aims to:
    • maximise the benefits to the State from exploration for and production of indigenous oil and gas resources;
    • ensure that activities are conducted safely and with due regard to their impact on the environment and other land/sea users.
  • The Exploration and Mining Division of the department is charged with:
    • applying the Minerals Development Act to minerals exploration and development;
    • encouraging the early identification and responsible development by private investors of the Nation's minerals deposits in accordance with best international practice;
    • enhancing the attractiveness of Ireland for international and national minerals investment by active promotional measures.
  • The Geological Survey of Ireland is:
    • Ireland's National Earth Science Agency, and is responsible for providing geological advice and information.

List of office-holders

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Director of Fisheries 1919–1921

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)[a]
Seán Etchingham 2 April 1919 26 August 1921 Sinn Féin 2nd DM

Secretary for Fisheries 1921–1922

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Seán Etchingham 26 August 1921 9 January 1922 Sinn Féin 3rd DM

Minister for Fisheries 1922–1928

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Fionán Lynch 14 December 1922 1 September 1928 Cumann na nGaedheal 1st EC • 2nd EC • 3rd EC • 4th EC

Minister for Lands and Fisheries 1928–1934

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Fionán Lynch 1 September 1928 9 March 1932 Cumann na nGaedheal 4th EC • 5th EC
P. J. Ruttledge 9 March 1932 8 February 1933 Fianna Fáil 6th EC
Joseph Connolly 8 February 1933 1 April 1934 Fianna Fáil 7th EC

Minister for Lands 1934–1977

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Joseph Connolly 1 April 1934 29 May 1936 Fianna Fáil 7th EC
Frank Aiken 3 June 1936 11 November 1936 Fianna Fáil 7th EC
Gerald Boland 11 November 1936 8 September 1939 Fianna Fáil 8th EC • 1st • 2nd
Thomas Derrig (1st time) 8 September 1939 2 July 1943 Fianna Fáil 2nd
Seán Moylan 2 July 1943 18 February 1948 Fianna Fáil 3rd • 4th
Joseph Blowick (1st time) 18 February 1948 7 March 1951 Clann na Talmhan 5th
Thomas Derrig (2nd time) 13 June 1951 2 June 1954 Fianna Fáil 6th
Joseph Blowick (2nd time) 2 June 1954 20 March 1957 Clann na Talmhan 7th
Erskine H. Childers 20 March 1957 23 July 1959 Fianna Fáil 8th • 9th
Mícheál Ó Móráin 23 July 1959 26 March 1968 Fianna Fáil 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th
Pádraig Faulkner 26 March 1968 2 July 1969 Fianna Fáil 12th
Seán Flanagan 2 July 1969 14 March 1973 Fianna Fáil 13th
Tom Fitzpatrick (1st time) 14 March 1973 2 December 1976 Fine Gael 14th
Paddy Donegan 2 December 1976 9 February 1977 Fine Gael 14th

Minister for Fisheries 1977–1978

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Paddy Donegan 9 February 1977 5 July 1977 Fine Gael 14th
Brian Lenihan 5 July 1977 15 July 1978 Fianna Fáil 15th

Minister for Fisheries and Forestry 1978–1986

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Brian Lenihan 15 July 1978 11 December 1979 Fianna Fáil 15th
Paddy Power 12 December 1979 30 June 1981 Fianna Fáil 16th
Tom Fitzpatrick (2nd time) 30 June 1981 9 March 1982 Fine Gael 17th
Brendan Daly (1st time) 9 March 1982 14 December 1982 Fianna Fáil 18th
Paddy O'Toole (1st time) 14 December 1982 14 February 1986 Fine Gael 19th
Liam Kavanagh 14 February 1986 19 February 1986 Labour 19th

Minister for Tourism, Fisheries and Forestry 1986–1987

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Liam Kavanagh 19 February 1986 20 January 1987 Labour 19th
Paddy O'Toole (2nd time) 20 January 1987 10 March 1987 Fine Gael 19th
Brendan Daly (2nd time) 10 March 1987 20 March 1987 Fianna Fáil 20th

Minister for the Marine 1987–1997

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Brendan Daly (2nd time) 20 March 1987 12 July 1989 Fianna Fáil 20th
John Wilson 12 July 1989 11 February 1992 Fianna Fáil 20th • 21st
Michael Woods (1st time) 11 February 1992 12 January 1993 Fianna Fáil 22nd
David Andrews[b] 12 January 1993 15 December 1994 Fianna Fáil 23rd
Hugh Coveney[b] 15 December 1994 23 May 1995 Fine Gael 24th
Seán Barrett[b] 23 May 1995 26 June 1997 Fine Gael 24th
Michael Woods (2nd time) 26 June 1997 12 July 1997 Fianna Fáil 25th

Minister for Marine and Natural Resources 1997–2002

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Michael Woods (2nd time) 12 July 1997 27 January 2000 Fianna Fáil 25th
Frank Fahey 27 January 2000 6 June 2002 Fianna Fáil 25th
Dermot Ahern 6 June 2002 19 June 2002 Fianna Fáil 26th

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 2002–2007

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Dermot Ahern 19 June 2002 29 September 2004 Fianna Fáil 26th
Noel Dempsey 29 September 2004 14 June 2007 Fianna Fáil 26th
Eamon Ryan 14 June 2007 20 October 2007 Green 27th

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources 2007–2016

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Eamon Ryan 20 October 2007 23 January 2011 Green 27th • 28th
Pat Carey 23 January 2011 9 March 2011 Fianna Fáil 28th
Pat Rabbitte 9 March 2011 11 July 2014 Labour 29th
Alex White 11 July 2014 6 May 2016 Labour 29th
Denis Naughten 6 May 2016 23 July 2016 Independent 30th

Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment 2016–2020

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Denis Naughten 23 July 2016 11 October 2018 Independent 30th • 31st
Richard Bruton 11 October 2018 27 June 2020 Fine Gael 31st
Eamon Ryan[c] (2nd time) 27 June 2020 24 September 2020 Green 32nd

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications 2020–present

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Name Term of office Party Government(s)
Eamon Ryan[c] (2nd time) 24 September 2020 Incumbent Green 32nd • 33rd • 34th
Notes
  1. ^ Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; EC – Executive Council.
  2. ^ a b c Also Minister for Defence.
  3. ^ a b Also Minister for Transport.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "List of Ministers and Ministers of State", Government of Ireland, archived from the original on 7 August 2020, retrieved 31 July 2020
  2. ^ "Our Ministers". Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Archived from the original on 21 May 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
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