The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Irish: Aire Talmhaíochta, Iascaigh agus Bia) is the senior minister at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the Government of Ireland.

The current Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is Brendan Smith, TD. He is assisted by:

• Tony Killeen, TD – Minister of State for Fisheries and Forestry.
• Trevor Sargent, TD – Minister of State for Food and Horticulture.

Historically, the agriculture portfolio has gone under a number of different names; the holder has often borne the title of simply Minister for Agriculture.

Contents 1 Overview 2 List of office-holders 2.1 Director for Agriculture 1919–1921 2.2 Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922 2.3 Minister for Agriculture 1922–1924 2.4 Minister for Lands and Agriculture 1924–1930 2.5 Minister for Agriculture 1930–1965 2.6 Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries 1965–1977 2.7 Minister for Agriculture 1977–1987 2.8 Minister for Agriculture and Food 1987–1993 2.9 Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1993–1997 2.10 Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–1999 2.11 Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1999–2002 2.12 Minister for Agriculture and Food 2002–2007 2.13 Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2007–present 3 Footnotes 4 See also 5 External links

[edit] Overview

The Department's functions include:

• Policy advice and development on all areas of departmental responsibility
• Representation in international especially European Union and national negotiations;
• Development and implementation of national and EU schemes in support of agriculture, food, rural development and the rural environment.
• Monitoring and controlling aspects of food safety.
• Control and audit of public expenditure under its control.
• Regulation of the agriculture and food industries through national and EU law.
• Monitoring and controlling animal and plant health and animal welfare.
• Monitoring and direction of state bodies engaged in the following areas:
  • Research training and advice.
  • Market development and promotion.
  • Industry regulation and development.
  • Commercial activities.
• Direct provision of support services to agriculture and food.

[edit] List of office-holders

[edit] Director for Agriculture 1919–1921
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
	1.	Robert Barton	2 April 1919	26 August 1921	Sinn Féin
[edit] Secretary for Agriculture 1921–1922
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
	2.	Art O'Connor	26 August 1921	9 January 1922	Sinn Féin
[edit] Minister for Agriculture 1922–1924
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
	3.	Patrick Hogan	11 January 1922	2 June 1924	Cumann na nGaedhael
[edit] Minister for Lands and Agriculture 1924–1930
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Patrick Hogan	2 June 1924	3 April 1930	Cumann na nGaedhael
[edit] Minister for Agriculture 1930–1965
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Patrick Hogan	3 April 1930	9 March 1932	Cumann na nGaedhael
	4.	James Ryan	9 March 1932	21 January 1947	Fianna Fáil
	5.	Paddy Smith (1st time)	21 January 1947	18 February 1948	Fianna Fáil
	6.	James Dillon (1st time)	18 February 1948	13 June 1951	Independent[1]
	7.	Thomas Walsh	13 June 1951	2 June 1954	Fianna Fáil
		James Dillon (2nd time)	2 June 1954	20 March 1957	Fine Gael
	8.	Frank Aiken (1st time)	20 March 1957	16 May 1957	Fianna Fáil
	9.	Seán Moylan	16 May 1957	16 November 1957	Fianna Fáil
		Frank Aiken (2nd time)	16 November 1957	27 November 1957	Fianna Fáil
		Paddy Smith (2nd time)	27 November 1957	8 October 1964	Fianna Fáil
	10.	Charles Haughey	8 October 1964	6 July 1965	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries 1965–1977
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Charles Haughey	6 July 1965	10 November 1966	Fianna Fáil
	11.	Neil Blaney	10 November 1966	7 May 1970	Fianna Fáil
	12.	Jim Gibbons (1st time)	7 May 1970	14 March 1973	Fianna Fáil
	13.	Mark Clinton	14 March 1973	9 February 1977	Fine Gael
[edit] Minister for Agriculture 1977–1987
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Mark Clinton	9 February 1977	5 July 1977	Fine Gael
		Jim Gibbons (2nd time)	5 July 1977	11 December 1979	Fianna Fáil
	14.	Ray MacSharry	12 December 1979	30 June 1981	Fianna Fáil
	15.	Alan Dukes	30 June 1981	9 March 1982	Fine Gael
	16.	Brian Lenihan	9 March 1982	14 December 1982	Fianna Fáil
	17.	Austin Deasy	14 December 1982	10 March 1987	Fine Gael
	18.	Michael O'Kennedy	10 March 1987	31 March 1987	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture and Food 1987–1993
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Michael O'Kennedy	31 March 1987	14 November 1991	Fianna Fáil
	19.	Michael Woods	14 November 1991	11 February 1992	Fianna Fáil
	20.	Joe Walsh (1st time)	11 February 1992	21 January 1993	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry 1993–1997
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Joe Walsh (1st time)	21 January 1993	15 December 1994	Fianna Fáil
	21.	Ivan Yates	15 December 1994	26 June 1997	Fine Gael
		Joe Walsh (2nd time)	26 June 1997	12 July 1997	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture and Food 1997–1999
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Joe Walsh (2nd time)	12 July 1997	27 September 1999	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development 1999–2002
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Joe Walsh (2nd time)	29 September 1999	6 June 2002	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture and Food 2002–2007
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Joe Walsh (2nd time)	6 June 2002	29 September 2004	Fianna Fáil
	22.	Mary Coughlan	29 September 2004	14 June 2007	Fianna Fáil
[edit] Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 2007–present
No.		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Mary Coughlan	14 June 2007	7 May 2008	Fianna Fáil
	23.	Brendan Smith	7 May 2008	Incumbent	Fianna Fáil

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] See also

• Irish cabinets since 1919

[edit] External links

• Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food

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