Leader of the Opposition (Ireland)
 |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
|---|---|
| Ceannaire an Fhreasúra | |
| Term length | While leader of the largest political party not in government |
| Inaugural holder | Thomas Johnson |
| Formation | 6 December 1922 |
This is a list of Irish Leaders of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition (Irish: Ceannaire an Fhreasúra) in Ireland is the politician who, de facto, leads the Parliamentary Opposition in the lower house of the Irish Parliament, Dáil Éireann. When in the Dáil, the Leader of the Opposition sits on the right-hand side of the Ceann Comhairle and directly opposite of the Taoiseach.
By convention, the Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest party not in government, while the Second Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the second largest party not in government. Opposition leaders leading a political party with five members or more have full speaking rights under Dáil standing orders, meaning that smaller parties and independent politicians are unable to speak as often.
Historically the two largest parties have nearly always been Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and so the position of Leader of the Opposition has alternated between them. However, immediately following Irish secession from the UK in 1922, the leader of the Labour Party acted as Leader of the Opposition as Sinn Féin, and later Fianna Fáil, refused to take their seats in Dáil Éireann. After the 2011 general election Fine Gael became the largest party in Dáil Éireann and the Labour Party for the first time became the second largest. However, since Labour and Fine Gael entered a coalition government, the third largest party which is Fianna Fáil, leads the opposition in the 31st Dáil.
To date there have been 17 Opposition Leaders, 9 of whom have served terms as Taoiseach. The current Leader of the Opposition is Micheál Martin TD of the Fianna Fáil party, following the opening of the 31st Dáil on 9 March 2011. The current Second Leader of the Opposition is Mary Lou McDonald TD of the Sinn Féin party. McDonald is the twenty-first person to hold the position of Second Leader of the Opposition.
Leader of the Opposition
- The bold print indicates politicians who went on to become Taoiseach.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Term of office | Party | Taoiseach[nb 1] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Thomas Johnson (1872–1963) |
|
Dublin County | 6 December 1922 | 11 August 1927 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" rowspan=2| | W. T. Cosgrave (1922–32) |
| 2. | Éamon de Valera (1882–1975) |
|
Clare | 11 August 1927 | 9 March 1932 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | ||
| 3. | W. T. Cosgrave (1880–1965) |
|
Cork Borough | 9 March 1932 | January 1944 | style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" | | Cumann na nGaedheal | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=4| | Éamon de Valera (1932–48) |
| style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Fine Gael | ||||||||
| 4. | Thomas F. O'Higgins (1890–1953) |
|
Leix–Offaly | January 1944 | 9 June 1944 | ||||
| 5. | Richard Mulcahy (1886–1971) |
File:Dickmulc.jpg | Tipperary | 9 June 1944 | 18 February 1948 | ||||
| (2) | Éamon de Valera (1882–1975) |
|
Clare | 18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | John A. Costello (1948–51) |
| 6. | John A. Costello (1891–1976) |
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|
Dublin South-East | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Éamon de Valera (1951–54) |
| (2) | Éamon de Valera (1882–1975) |
|
Clare | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | John A. Costello (1954–57) |
| (6) | John A. Costello (1891–1976) |
|
Dublin South-East | 20 March 1957 | 21 October 1959 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=5| | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=5| | Éamon de Valera (1957–59) |
| Seán Lemass (1959–66) | |||||||||
| 7. | James Dillon (1902–1986) |
|
Monaghan | 21 October 1959 | 21 April 1965 | ||||
| 8. | Liam Cosgrave (1920-2017) |
|
Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown | 21 April 1965 | 14 March 1973 | ||||
| Jack Lynch (1966–73) | |||||||||
| 9. | Jack Lynch (1917–1999) |
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|
Cork City North-West | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Liam Cosgrave (1973–77) |
| 10. | Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011) |
|
Dublin South-East | 5 July 1977 | 30 June 1981 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Jack Lynch (1977–79) |
| Charles Haughey (1979–81) | |||||||||
| 11. | Charles Haughey (1925–2006) |
|
Dublin North-Central | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Garret FitzGerald (1981–82) |
| (10) | Garret FitzGerald (1926–2011) |
|
Dublin South-East | 9 March 1982 | 14 December 1982 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Charles Haughey (1982) |
| (11) | Charles Haughey (1925–2006) |
|
Dublin North-Central | 14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Garret FitzGerald (1982–87) |
| 12. | Alan Dukes (born 1945) |
|
Kildare | 10 March 1987 | 20 November 1990 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Charles Haughey (1987–92) |
| 13. | John Bruton (born 1947) |
|
Meath | 20 November 1990 | 15 December 1994 | ||||
| Albert Reynolds (1992–94) | |||||||||
| 14. | Bertie Ahern (born 1951) |
|
Dublin Central | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | John Bruton (1994–97) |
| (13) | John Bruton (born 1947) |
|
Meath | 26 June 1997 | 9 February 2001 | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=4| | Fine Gael | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=4| | Bertie Ahern (1997–2008) |
| 15. | Michael Noonan (born 1943) |
|
Limerick East | 9 February 2001 | 6 June 2002 | ||||
| 16. | Enda Kenny (born 1951) |
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|
Mayo | 6 June 2002 | 9 March 2011 | ||||
| Brian Cowen (2008–11) | |||||||||
| 17. | Micheál Martin (born 1960) |
|
Cork South-Central | 9 March 2011 | Incumbent | rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Fianna Fáil | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Enda Kenny (2011–2017) |
| style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | Leo Varadkar (2017–present) | ||||||||
Third party leader
- The italic print indicates politicians who went on to become Tánaiste.
| No. | Name (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Constituency | Term of office | Party | Leader of the Opposition | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Denis Gorey (1874–1940) |
|
Carlow–Kilkenny | 6 December 1922 | May 1927 | style="background-color: Template:Farmers' Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Farmers' Party | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Thomas Johnson (1922–27) |
| 2. | Michael Heffernan (1885–1970) |
|
Tipperary | May 1927 | 11 August 1927 | ||||
| 3. | Thomas Johnson (1872–1963) |
|
Dublin County | 11 August 1927 | 11 October 1927 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Éamon de Valera (1927–32) |
| 4. | Thomas J. O'Connell (1882–1969) |
|
Mayo South | 11 October 1927 | 9 March 1932 | ||||
| 5. | William Norton (1900–1963) |
|
Kildare | 9 March 1932 | 8 February 1933 | style="background-color: Template:Cumann na nGaedheal/meta/color" rowspan=2| | W. T. Cosgrave (1932–44) | ||
| 6. | Frank MacDermot (1886–1975) |
|
Roscommon | 8 February 1933 | 8 September 1933 | style="background-color: Template:National Centre Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | National Centre Party | ||
| (5) | William Norton (1900–1963) |
|
Kildare (1932–1937) Carlow–Kildare (1937–1948) |
8 September 1933 | 7 January 1945 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=4| | |
| Thomas F. O'Higgins (1944) | |||||||||
| Richard Mulcahy (1944–48) | |||||||||
| 7. | Joseph Blowick (1903–1970) |
|
Mayo South | 7 January 1945 | 18 February 1948 | style="background-color: Template:Clann na Talmhan/meta/color" | | Clann na Talmhan | ||
| – | None | 18 February 1948 | 13 June 1951 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Éamon de Valera (1948–51) | ||||
| (5) | William Norton (1900–1963) |
|
Kildare | 13 June 1951 | 2 June 1954 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" | | John A. Costello (1951–54) |
| 8. | Seán MacBride (1904–1988) |
|
Dublin South-West | 2 June 1954 | 20 March 1957 | style="background-color: Template:Clann na Poblachta/meta/color" | | Clann na Poblachta | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Éamon de Valera (1954–57) |
| (5) | William Norton (1900–1963) |
|
Kildare | 20 March 1957 | 2 March 1960 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=4| | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=4| | John A. Costello (1957–59) |
| James Dillon (1959–65) | |||||||||
| 9. | Brendan Corish (1918–1990) |
|
Wexford | 2 March 1960 | 14 March 1973 | ||||
| Liam Cosgrave (1965–73) | |||||||||
| – | None | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Jack Lynch (1973–77) | ||||
| 10. | Frank Cluskey (1930–1989) |
|
Dublin South-Central | 5 July 1977 | 12 June 1981 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=3| | Garret FitzGerald (1977–81) |
| – | None | 12 June 1981 | 17 June 1981 | ||||||
| 11. | Michael O'Leary (1936–2006) |
|
Dublin North-Central | 17 June 1981 | 30 June 1981 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | Labour Party | ||
| 12. | Joe Sherlock (1930–2007) |
|
Cork East | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | style="background-color: Template:Sinn Féin the Workers Party/meta/color" | | Sinn Féin the Workers Party | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Charles Haughey (1981–82) |
| (11) | Michael O'Leary (1936–2006) |
|
Dublin Central | 9 March 1982 | 1 November 1982 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Garret FitzGerald (1982) |
| 13. | Dick Spring (born 1950) |
|
Kerry North | 1 November 1982 | 14 December 1982 | ||||
| 14. | Tomás Mac Giolla (1924–2010) |
|
Dublin West | 14 December 1982 | 21 December 1985 | style="background-color: Template:Workers' Party of Ireland/meta/color" | | Workers' Party | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Charles Haughey (1982–87) |
| 15. | Desmond O'Malley (born 1939) |
|
Limerick East | 21 December 1985 | 29 June 1989 | style="background-color: Template:Progressive Democrats/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Progressive Democrats | ||
| style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=6| | Alan Dukes (1987–90) | ||||||||
| (13) | Dick Spring (born 1950) |
|
Kerry North | 29 June 1989 | 14 December 1992 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Labour Party | ||
| John Bruton (1990–94) | |||||||||
| (15) | Desmond O'Malley (born 1939) |
|
Limerick East | 14 December 1992 | 12 October 1993 | style="background-color: Template:Progressive Democrats/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Progressive Democrats | ||
| 16. | Mary Harney (born 1953) |
|
Dublin South-West | 12 October 1993 | 18 November 1994 | ||||
| (13) | Dick Spring (born 1950) |
|
Kerry North | 18 November 1994 | 15 December 1994 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" | | Labour Party | ||
| (16) | Mary Harney (born 1953) |
|
Dublin South-West | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | style="background-color: Template:Progressive Democrats/meta/color" | | Progressive Democrats | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" | | Bertie Ahern (1994–97) |
| (13) | Dick Spring (born 1950) |
|
Kerry North | 26 June 1997 | 13 November 1997 | style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (Ireland)/meta/color" rowspan=6| | Labour Party | style="background-color: Template:Fine Gael/meta/color" rowspan=6| | John Bruton (1997–2001) |
| 17. | Ruairi Quinn (born 1946) |
|
Dublin South-East | 13 November 1997 | 25 October 2002 | ||||
| Michael Noonan (2001–02) | |||||||||
| Enda Kenny (2002–11) | |||||||||
| 18. | Pat Rabbitte (born 1949) |
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|
Dublin South-West | 25 October 2002 | 6 September 2007 | ||||
| 19. | Eamon Gilmore (born 1955) |
|
Dún Laoghaire | 6 September 2007 | 9 March 2011 | ||||
| 20. | Gerry Adams (born 1948) |
|
Louth | 9 March 2011 | 10 February 2018 | style="background-color: Template:Sinn Féin/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Sinn Féin | style="background-color: Template:Fianna Fáil/meta/color" rowspan=2| | Micheál Martin (2011–present) |
| 21. | Mary Lou McDonald (born 1969) |
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|
Dublin Central | 10 February 2018 | Incumbent | ||||
See also
Notes
- ^ Before the enactment of the 1937 Constitution of Ireland, the head of government was referred to as the President of the Executive Council.