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taoiseach

Irish government
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English pronunciation:
TEE-shok

News •

Ireland joins six other countries in calling on Israel to ‘immediately’ lift Gaza blockade • May 17, 2025, 6:00 AM ET (Irish Times)
Micheál Martin’s first 100 days: Coalition has achieved little amid delivery gaps and Dáil discord • May 3, 2025, 6:03 AM ET (Irish Times)
Irish Times readers on the Government’s first 100 days: Dismay at Lowry deal, but grudging approval of Taoiseach • May 2, 2025, 7:17 PM ET (Irish Times)

taoiseach, head of government of Ireland. The office of taoiseach (prime minister) was created by the Irish constitution of December 29, 1937. Executive power in the Irish government is vested in the taoiseach, who heads the cabinet and presides over its meetings. The taoiseach must be a member of the Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives), the lower house of the Oireachtas (Parliament).

Taoiseachs of Ireland
name term party
Eamon de Valera 1937–48 Fianna Fáil
John Costello 1948–51 Fine Gael
Eamon de Valera 1951–54 Fianna Fáil
John Costello 1954–57 Fine Gael
Eamon de Valera 1957–59 Fianna Fáil
Seán F. Lemass 1959–66 Fianna Fáil
Jack Lynch 1966–73 Fianna Fáil
Liam Cosgrave 1973–77 Fine Gael
Jack Lynch 1977–79 Fianna Fáil
Charles Haughey 1979–81 Fianna Fáil
Garret FitzGerald 1981–82 Fine Gael
Charles Haughey 1982 Fianna Fáil
Garret FitzGerald 1982–87 Fine Gael
Charles Haughey 1987–92 Fianna Fáil
Albert Reynolds 1992–94 Fianna Fáil
John Bruton 1994–97 Fine Gael
Bertie Ahern 1997–2008 Fianna Fáil
Brian Cowen 2008–11 Fianna Fáil
Enda Kenny 2011–17 Fine Gael
Leo Varadkar 2017–20 Fine Gael
Micheál Martin 2020–22 Fianna Fáil
Leo Varadkar 2022–24 Fine Gael
Simon Harris 2024– Fine Gael
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.