Minister for Labour (Ireland)

The Minister for Labour (Irish: Aire Oibreachais^[1]) was originally a position in the Government of the Irish Republic, the self-declared state which was established in 1919 by Dáil Éireann, the parliamentary assembly made up of the majority of Irish MPs elected in the 1918 general election. Constance Markievicz was the first person to hold the post. The office did not continue into the Executive Council of the Irish Free State.

The later office of Minister for Labour was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1966 as a member of the Government of Ireland.

In 1993, the minister's functions were transferred to the Minister for Enterprise and Employment and was succeeded by the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, a position which existed during the Fianna Fáil–Labour coalition led by Albert Reynolds (1993–1994) and the Fine Gael–Labour–Democratic Left coalition (1994–1997) led by John Bruton. Its primary functions were in the area of civil and family law reform (including divorce legislation) and equality legislation. Under both governments, the Minister for Equality and Law Reform was Labour Party TD Mervyn Taylor, although Máire Geoghegan-Quinn served as Minister between November and December 1994, after Labour had left the coalition with Fianna Fáil.

In 1997, the minister's functions were transferred to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Department of Equality and Law Reform ceased to exist but was not formally abolished. The functions formerly exercised by the Minister for Labour are now exercised by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The functions formerly exercised by the Minister for Equality and Law Reform are now exercised by the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Minister for Justice.

History

Alteration of name and transfer of functions

Legislation introduced by the Department of Equality and Law Reform

The following legislation was introduced by the Department:

Matrimonial Home Bill 1993 (struck down by the Supreme Court)
Interpretation (Amendment) Act 1993 - providing for gender inclusive language in Acts of the Oireachtas
Jurisdiction of Courts and Enforcement of Judgments Act 1993 - providing for international enforcement of civil judgments
Maintenance Act 1994 - EC enforcement of maintenance orders
Maternity Protection Act 1994 - implemented EC law on maternity leave
Stillbirths Registration Act 1994 - provided for registration of stillborn children for the first time in Irish law
Adoptive Leave Act 1995 - extended maternity leave-type rights to adoptive parents
Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 - put civil legal aid scheme on statutory basis
Family Law Act 1995 - reformed law relating to judicial separation
Occupiers Liability Act 1995 - provided for reduced liability to trespassers and recreational users
Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland 1995 - provided for divorce in the Constitution
Civil Liability (Amendment) Act 1996 - provided for increased damages for fatal injuries cases
Domestic Violence Act 1996 - extended remedies in domestic violence cases
Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 - introduced divorce on a statutory basis
Powers of Attorney Act 1996 - provided for enduring powers of attorney
Registration of Births Act 1996 - provided for gender neutral birth certificates
Family Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1997 - miscellaneous amendments.

The following legislation had originally been drafted by the Department but later enacted under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform:

Children Act 1997 - extending family law entitlements of natural fathers and grandparents and other amendments
Employment Equality Act 1998
Equal Status Act 2000.

List of office-holders

Notes

^ DM – Dáil Ministry; PG – Provisional Government;
^ a b c d e Also Minister for the Public Service
^ a b Also Minister for Justice

Minister of State at the Department of Labour 1978–1993

Under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977, the government may appoint a member of the Oireachtas to act as a Minister of State in a department. The Minister of State did not hold cabinet rank.

References

^ "THE NEW MINISTRY. – Dáil Éireann (2nd Dáil) – Friday, 26 August 1921". Houses of the Oireachtas. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
^ "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1966". Irish Statute Book. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1966 (Appointed Day) Order 1966". Irish Statute Book. 12 July 1966. Archived from the original on 22 August 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1966". Irish Statute Book. 12 July 1966. Archived from the original on 18 November 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 1966". Irish Statute Book. 20 September 1966. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Labour (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Archived from the original on 2 September 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Labour (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1993". Irish Statute Book. 20 January 1993. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Justice (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order, 1993". Irish Statute Book. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
^ "Equality and Law Reform (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1997". Irish Statute Book. 8 July 1997. Archived from the original on 18 November 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.