Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications
# 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.

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

He is assisted by two Ministers of State:

* Jack Chambers, TD – Minister of State for Postal Policy.
* Ossian Smyth, TD – Minister of State for Communications and the Circular economy

## Overview

The department has responsibilities in the areas of:

### Energy

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

### Communications

* 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

* 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

Director of Fisheries 1919–1921 :

| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government(s) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Seán Etchingham | 2 April 1919 | 26 August 1921 | | Sinn Féin | 2nd DM |
| Secretary for Fisheries 1921–1922 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government(s) |
| Seán Etchingham | 26 August 1921 | 9 January 1922 | | Sinn Féin | 3rd DM |
| Minister for Fisheries 1922–1928 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 | 12 January 1993 | 15 December 1994 | | Fianna Fáil | 23rd |
| Hugh Coveney | 15 December 1994 | 23 May 1995 | | Fine Gael | 24th |
| Seán Barrett | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | 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 (2nd time) | 27 June 2020 | 24 September 2020 | | Green | 32nd |
| Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications 2020–present ||||||
| Name | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Government(s) |
| Eamon Ryan (2nd time) | 24 September 2020 | Incumbent | | Green | 32nd • 33rd |

### Notes

* ↑ Before 1937: DM – Dáil Ministry; EC – Executive Council.
* 1 2 3 Also Minister for Defence.
* 1 2 Also Minister for Transport.
