Leader of Fianna Fáil

Leader of Fianna Fáil
since 26 January 2011
TypeParty leader
Inaugural holderÉamon de Valera
Formation23 March 1926
DeputyDeputy leader
WebsiteMicheál Martin, TD

The leader of Fianna Fáil is the most senior politician within the Fianna Fáil political party in Ireland. Since 26 January 2011, the office has been held by Micheál Martin, following the resignation of Brian Cowen as leader of the party four days earlier. Martin is also the longest-serving leader, serving for a total of 13 years as of 2024.

Background

The post of Leader of Fianna Fáil was officially created in 1926 when Éamon de Valera founded the party. De Valera had previously been leader of Sinn Féin and took the Anti-Treaty side during the Civil War. The new party essentially absorbed most of Sinn Féin's parliamentary talent; most Sinn Féin TDs who had become disillusioned with the party's abstentionist policy from Dáil Éireann and wanted to republicanise the Irish Free State from within.

Like other Irish political parties, most notably Fine Gael, the Leader of Fianna Fáil has the power to dismiss or appoint their Deputy and to dismiss or appoint parliamentary party members to front bench positions.

When Fianna Fáil is in opposition the leader usually acts as the Leader of the Opposition, and chairs the opposition front bench. Concordantly, when the party is in government, the leader would usually become Taoiseach, as well as appointing the cabinet.

All eight leaders of Fianna Fáil have served as head of government. Éamon de Valera became the first, when he was elected President of the Executive Council in 1932. He became Taoiseach with the adoption of the current Constitution in 1937. He remained as leader of Fianna Fáil until 1959, when he retired after serving 21 years as head of government over three separate stints and after leading the party to eight general election triumphs. Seán Lemass was the unanimous choice to succeed de Valera as leader of Fianna Fáil and Taoiseach that year. He served seven years in both roles before handing over to Jack Lynch in 1966, following the first contested leadership election in the history of the party. Lynch served as party leader for thirteen years until 1979, nine of which were spent as Taoiseach. His resignation sparked another leadership election, which saw Charles Haughey emerge as Taoiseach and leader of a deeply divided party. His thirteen-year period in charge saw many heaves against his leadership from within the party, with the final challenge hastening his resignation in 1992.

That year, three candidates expressed an interest in seeking the leadership; however, Albert Reynolds was the overwhelming favourite in the subsequent leadership election and was elected Taoiseach and party leader. After just over two years in office, Reynolds was forced to resign in 1994. His successor was Bertie Ahern who, after being the unopposed candidate for the position of leader, was forced into opposition. Ahern went on to become the most popular leader of Fianna Fáil in the modern era, guiding the party to three successive election triumphs and serving almost eleven consecutive years as Taoiseach. His resignation in 2008 saw Brian Cowen take on the dual roles of Taoiseach and party leader, following an unopposed election.[1] Cowen's tenure was characterised by a downturn in the economy, and he was effectively forced to resign as party leader in 2011 while remaining as Taoiseach. Four candidates put their names forward in the subsequent leadership election, with former Foreign Minister Micheál Martin becoming the eighth leader of the party.[2]

Micheál Martin first served as Leader of the Opposition from 2011 until 2020. He led the party into two elections before being elected Taoiseach of a three party coalition government between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party following the 2020 general election where no party won an outright majority. He served as Taoiseach until 17 December 2022, where the positions of Taoiseach and Tánaiste rotated as part of an agreed cabinet reshuffle where he became Tánaiste while Leo Varadkar, leader of Fine Gael, succeeded him as Taoiseach.[3]

Leaders

No. Name Portrait Constituency Term of Office Taoiseach[4]
1 Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera.jpg
Clare 23 March 1926 23 June 1959 W. T. Cosgrave (1922–32)[4]
Éamon de Valera (1932–48)[4]
John A. Costello (1948–51)
Éamon de Valera (1951–54)
John A. Costello (1954–57)
Éamon de Valera (1957–59)
2 Seán Lemass
Seán Lemass, 1966.jpg
Dublin South-Central 23 June 1959
(leadership election)
10 November 1966 Seán Lemass (1959–66)
3 Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch 1979 (cropped).jpg
Cork Borough (1948–69)
Cork City North-West (1969–77)
Cork City (1977–81)
10 November 1966
(leadership election)
7 December 1979 Jack Lynch (1966–73)
Liam Cosgrave (1973–77)
Jack Lynch (1977–79)
4 Charles Haughey
Charles Haughey 1989 (headshot).png
Dublin North-East (1957–77)
Dublin Artane (1977–81)
Dublin North-Central (1981–92)
7 December 1979
(leadership election)
6 February 1992 Charles Haughey (1979–81)
Garret FitzGerald (1981–82)
Charles Haughey (1982)
Garret FitzGerald (1982–87)
Charles Haughey (1987–92)
5 Albert Reynolds
Albert Reynolds (cropped).jpg
Longford–Westmeath 6 February 1992
(leadership election)
19 December 1994 Albert Reynolds (1992–94)
6 Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern 2006 (cropped).jpg
Dublin Central 19 December 1994
(leadership election)
7 May 2008 John Bruton (1994–97)
Bertie Ahern (1997–2008)
7 Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen, June 2010 (cropped).jpg
Laois–Offaly 7 May 2008
(leadership election)
22 January 2011 Brian Cowen (2008–11)
8 Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin TD (cropped).jpg
Cork South-Central 26 January 2011
(leadership election)
Incumbent
Enda Kenny (2011–2017)
Leo Varadkar (2017–2020)
Micheál Martin (2020–2022)
Leo Varadkar (2022–2024)
Simon Harris (2024–present)

Deputy leaders

The deputy leader of Fianna Fáil is usually a senior politician within Fianna Fáil. Like other political party leaders, the leader of Fianna Fáil has the power to appoint or dismiss their deputy. The position is not an elected one and is largely honorific.

The office of Tánaiste has been held by senior politicians in the main governing party. Previous Fianna Fáil deputy leaders, including Brian Cowen and Mary Coughlan, held this post from 2007 to 2011. However, the deputy leader is essentially a party official and there is no constitutional link between the two roles.

Fianna Fáil did not have a deputy leader from the reshuffle in 2012 until the reshuffle in 2018. Following the resignation of Dara Calleary in August 2020, the position of deputy leader remained vacant until Jack Chambers was appointed in June 2024.[5]

Name Portrait Constituency Term of Office Office(s) held
Joseph Brennan Donegal–Leitrim 1973 5 July 1977
George Colley Dublin Central 5 July 1977 1982 Tánaiste
Minister for Finance
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Tourism and Transport
Minister for Energy
Ray MacSharry Sligo–Leitrim 1982 1983 Tánaiste
Minister for Finance
Brian Lenihan Snr Dublin West 1983 1990 Tánaiste
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Defence
John Wilson Cavan 1990 1992 Tánaiste
Minister for the Marine
Minister for the Gaeltacht
Minister for Defence
Bertie Ahern Dublin Central 1992 1994 Minister for Finance
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht
Tánaiste
Mary O'Rourke Longford–Westmeath 16 January 1995 28 July 2002 Minister for Public Enterprise
Brian Cowen Laois–Offaly 28 July 2002 7 May 2008 Minister for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Finance
Tánaiste
Mary Coughlan Donegal South-West 7 May 2008 31 January 2011 Tánaiste
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Minister for Education and Skills
Minister for Health
Mary Hanafin Dún Laoghaire 31 January 2011 15 March 2011 Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport
Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation
Brian Lenihan Jnr Dublin West 15 March 2011 10 June 2011
Éamon Ó Cuív Galway West 4 August 2011 29 February 2012
Dara Calleary Mayo 29 March 2018 24 August 2020 Government Chief Whip
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Jack Chambers Dublin West 19 June 2024 Incumbent Minister of State at the Department of Transport
Minister of State at the Department of the
Environment, Climate and Communications

Rank by time in office

Rank Leader Time in office
1 Éamon de Valera 33 years, 92 days
2 Micheál Martin 13 years, 316 days
3 Bertie Ahern 13 years, 140 days
4 Jack Lynch 13 years, 27 days
5 Charles Haughey 12 years, 61 days
6 Seán Lemass 6 years, 193 days
7 Albert Reynolds 2 years, 316 days
8 Brian Cowen 2 years, 260 days

See also

References

  1. ^ "Cowen 'excited but daunted' by new post". RTÉ News. 9 April 2008. Archived from the original on 11 April 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  2. ^ "Micheál Martin elected as eighth leader of Fianna Fáil". Irish Times. 26 January 2011. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
  3. ^ "Martin to step down as taoiseach in December 2022". www.irishtimes.com. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b c The office of head of government was the President of the Executive Council from 1922 to 1937.
  5. ^ Lehane, Mícheál (19 June 2024). "Jack Chambers announced as Fianna Fáil deputy leader". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 19 June 2024.

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