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The Minister for Health and Children (Irish: Aire Sláinte agus Leanaí) is the senior minister at the Department of Health and Children in the Irish Government and is responsible for health care in the Republic of Ireland and related services.

The current Minister for Health and Children is Mary Harney, TD. She is assisted by:

• • Minister of State for Children: Brendan Smith, TD
  • Minister of State for Older People: Máire Hoctor, TD
  • Minister of State for Disability Issues and Mental Health: Jimmy Devins, TD

Health care formed part of the portfolio of the Minister for Local Government and Public Health until 22 January 1947. On that date the new position of Minister for Health was created, with complete control over all policy regarding health care provision in Ireland. In later years, the health portfolio was occasionally coupled with that for social welfare portfolio, in which case the incumbent was known as the Minister for Health and Social Welfare.

In recent years, and especially since the tenure of Michael Noonan in 1994–1997, being appointed as minister has become somewhat of a "poisoned chalice" in government circles and a portfolio to be avoided by aspiring politicians^[1]. A number of scandals, mostly due to medical negligence, have meant that the minister immediately becomes identified with the scandal. For instance the Hepatitis C scandal, the withholding of baby organs without parential consent or knowledge, the Dr. Michael Neary saga in Drogheda and other high profile medical scandals have dogged the minister and department. Additionally the minister has to deal with logistic issues not seen in other departments such as strikes, shortages and queues which are all to familiar in clinics and hospitials around the country.

Contents 1 Overview 1.1 Child Care 1.2 Continuing Care 1.3 Finance 1.4 Personnel Management and Development 1.5 Primary Care 1.6 Secondary Care 1.7 Strategic Policy and Corporate Services 2 List of office-holders 2.1 Minister for Local Government & Public Health 1924–1947 2.2 Minister for Health 1947–1997 2.3 Minister for Health & Children 1997–present 3 Footnotes 4 External links

The Minister's duties include the creation and assessment of policy for the health services. The main policy sections of the Department, together with their responsibilities, are:

• Child care legislation
• National Children's Office

• Services for homeless adults
• Services for people with disabilities
• Services for the elderly and palliative care

• Health insurance
• Hospital planning
• Public-Private Partnerships

• Nursing policy
• Personnel management and development

• Community health (child health, dental services, AIDS, reproductive health)
• General medical services

• Blood policy
• Hospital services

• Corporate Services
• Health promotion
• Health Strategy Legislation

#		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Ernest Blythe	June 2, 1924	June 23, 1927	Cumann na nGaedhael
	4.	Richard Mulcahy	June 23, 1927	March 9, 1932	Cumann na nGaedhael
	5.	Seán T. O'Kelly	March 9, 1932	September 8, 1939	Fianna Fáil
	6.	P. J. Ruttledge	September 8, 1939	August 14, 1941	Fianna Fáil
	7.	Éamon de Valera (acting)	August 15, 1941	August 18, 1941	Fianna Fáil
	8.	Seán MacEntee	August 18, 1941	January 22, 1947	Fianna Fáil

#		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
	1.	James Ryan (1st time)	January 22, 1947	February 18, 1948	Fianna Fáil
	2.	Noel Browne	February 18, 1948	April 11, 1951	Clann na Poblachta
	3.	John A. Costello (acting)	April 12, 1951	June 13, 1951	Fine Gael
		*James Ryan (2nd time)	June 13, 1951	June 2, 1954	Fianna Fáil
	4.	Tom O'Higgins	June 2, 1954	March 20, 1957	Fine Gael
	5.	*Seán MacEntee	March 20, 1957	April 21, 1965	Fianna Fáil
	6.	Donagh O'Malley	April 21, 1965	July 13, 1966	Fianna Fáil
	7.	Seán Flanagan	July 13, 1966	July 2, 1969	Fianna Fáil
	8.	Erskine H. Childers	July 2, 1969	March 14, 1973	Fianna Fáil
	9.	*Brendan Corish	March 14, 1973	July 5, 1977	Labour Party
	10.	*Charles Haughey	July 5, 1977	December 11, 1979	Fianna Fáil
	11.	*Michael Woods (1st time)	December 12, 1979	June 30, 1981	Fianna Fáil
	12.	*Eileen Desmond	June 30, 1981	March 9, 1982	Labour Party
		*Michael Woods (2nd time)	March 9, 1982	December 14, 1982	Fianna Fáil
	13.	*Barry Desmond	December 14, 1982	January 20, 1987	Labour Party
	14.	John Boland	January 20, 1987	March 10, 1987	Fine Gael
	15.	Rory O'Hanlon	March 10, 1987	November 14, 1991	Fianna Fáil
	16.	Mary O'Rourke	November 14, 1991	February 11, 1992	Fianna Fáil
	17.	John O'Connell	February 11, 1992	January 12, 1993	Fianna Fáil
	18.	Brendan Howlin	January 12, 1994	November 17, 1994	Labour Party
		*Michael Woods (3rd time)	November 17, 1994	December 15, 1994	Fianna Fáil
	19.	Michael Noonan	December 15, 1994	June 26, 1997	Fine Gael
	20.	Brian Cowen	June 26, 1997	July 12, 1997	Fianna Fáil

#		Name	Entered Office	Left Office	Party
		Brian Cowen	July 12, 1997	January 27, 2000	Fianna Fáil
	21.	Micheál Martin	January 27, 2000	September 29, 2004	Fianna Fáil
	22.	Mary Harney	September 29, 2004	Incumbent	Progressive Democrats

The asterisk (*) indicates ministers who held the Health and Social Welfare portfolios simultaneously.

• Department of Health and Children

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