Minister for Transport (Ireland)

The Minister for Transport (Irish: An tAire Iompair) is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Transport.

Minister for Transport
Incumbent Darragh O'Brien since 23 January 2025
Department of Transport
Type	Transport minister
Status	Cabinet minister
Member of	Government of Ireland Council of the European Union North/South Ministerial Council Dáil Éireann
Reports to	Taoiseach
Seat	Dublin, Ireland
Nominator	Taoiseach
Appointer	President of Ireland (on the advice of the Taoiseach)
Inaugural holder	Erskine Childers as Minister for Transport and Power in 1959 Richie Ryan as Minister for the Public Service in 1973
Formation	1 November 1973
Salary	€210,750 (2025)[1] (including €115,953 TD salary)[2]
Website	Official website

The current Minister for Transport is Darragh O'Brien, TD.^[3] He is also Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment.

He is assisted by two Ministers of State:

• Seán Canney, TD – Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics.^[4]
• Jerry Buttimer, TD – Minister of State for Rural transport

Overview

The Minister and the department are responsible for implementing an integrated transport policy.

The integrated policy will be designed as far as possible to overcome existing delays, bottlenecks and congestion and to provide the consumer with greater choice by offering alternative modes of transport. Through the integrated approach the Department will develop and implement policies designed to improve regional balance, and reduce rural isolation and social exclusion.

— Mission statement^[5]

Specific responsibilities which come under the aegis of the Minister for Transport in relation to national roads and to road transport in general include: delivering on the national roads programme as part of the national development plan; implementing the government's road safety strategy and related policies for the regulation of vehicle standards; road haulage licensing; driver licensing; and driver testing.

In respect of aviation policy, the department is responsible for ensuring that aviation practices and procedures comply with the best international standards; promoting the development of a vibrant, competitive and progressively regulated aviation sector and the provision of adequate airport infrastructure and competitive airport services.

In respect of Maritime Transport, the department is responsible for establishing, promoting, regulating and enforcing Maritime Safety and Security Standards, providing emergency response services and safeguarding the Maritime Environment. It is also responsible for ports and shipping policy.

List of office-holders

The Department of Transport and Power was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1959. On 2 January 1984, the Department of Transport was abolished under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1983 and its functions transferred to the Department of Communications.

Minister for Transport and Power 1959–1977
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Erskine H. Childers	27 July 1959	2 July 1969		Fianna Fáil	9th • 10th • 11th • 12th
Brian Lenihan	2 July 1969	3 January 1973		Fianna Fáil	13th
Michael O'Kennedy	3 January 1973	14 March 1973		Fianna Fáil	13th
Peter Barry	14 March 1973	2 December 1976		Fine Gael	14th
Tom Fitzpatrick	2 December 1976	5 July 1977		Fine Gael	14th
Pádraig Faulkner	5 July 1977	12 July 1977		Fianna Fáil	15th
Minister for Tourism and Transport 1977–1980
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Pádraig Faulkner	12 July 1977	11 December 1979		Fianna Fáil	15th
George Colley	12 December 1979	25 January 1980		Fianna Fáil	16th
Minister for Transport 1980–1984
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Albert Reynolds[a]	25 January 1980	30 June 1981		Fianna Fáil	16th
Patrick Cooney[a]	30 June 1981	9 March 1982		Fine Gael	17th
John Wilson[a] (1st time)	9 March 1982	14 December 1982		Fianna Fáil	18th
Jim Mitchell[a]	14 December 1982	2 January 1984		Fine Gael	19th

1. Also Minister for Posts and Telegraphs.

The Department of the Public Service was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1973. In 1987, the functions of the Department of Public Service were transferred to the Department of Finance, and the statutory shell used for the formation of the Department of Transport. The subsequent changes to the department name and functions are shown in detail at the departmental page.

  Denotes acting Minister

Minister for the Public Service 1973–1987
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Richie Ryan[a]	1 November 1973	5 July 1977		Fine Gael	14th
George Colley[a]	5 July 1977	11 December 1979		Fianna Fáil	15th
Michael O'Kennedy[a]	12 December 1979	24 March 1980		Fianna Fáil	16th
Gene Fitzgerald[a] (1st time)	24 March 1980	30 June 1981		Fianna Fáil	16th
Liam Kavanagh[b]	30 June 1981	9 March 1982		Labour	17th
Gene Fitzgerald[b] (2nd time)	9 March 1982	14 December 1982		Fianna Fáil	18th
John Boland	14 December 1982	14 February 1986		Fine Gael	19th
Ruairi Quinn[b]	14 February 1986	20 January 1987		Labour	19th
John Bruton[a]	20 January 1987	10 March 1987		Fine Gael	19th
Ray MacSharry[a]	10 March 1987	20 March 1987		Fianna Fáil	20th
Minister for Tourism and Transport 1987–1991
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Ray MacSharry	20 March 1987	31 March 1987		Fianna Fáil	20th
John Wilson (2nd time)	31 March 1987	12 July 1989		Fianna Fáil	20th
Séamus Brennan (1st time)	12 July 1989	7 February 1991		Fianna Fáil	21st
Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications 1991–1993
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Séamus Brennan	7 February 1991	11 February 1992		Fianna Fáil	21st
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	11 February 1992	12 January 1993		Fianna Fáil	22nd
Charlie McCreevy	12 January 1993	22 January 1993		Fianna Fáil	23rd
Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications 1993–1997
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Brian Cowen	22 January 1993	15 December 1994		Fianna Fáil	23rd
Michael Lowry	15 December 1994	30 November 1996		Fine Gael	24th
John Bruton (acting)	30 November 1996	3 December 1996		Fine Gael	24th
Alan Dukes	3 December 1996	26 June 1997		Fine Gael	24th
Mary O'Rourke	26 June 1997	12 July 1997		Fianna Fáil	25th
Minister for Public Enterprise 1997–2002
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Mary O'Rourke	12 July 1997	6 June 2002		Fianna Fáil	25th
Séamus Brennan (2nd time)	6 June 2002	19 June 2002		Fianna Fáil	26th
Minister for Transport 2002–2011
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Séamus Brennan	19 June 2002	29 September 2004		Fianna Fáil	26th
Martin Cullen	29 September 2004	14 June 2007		Fianna Fáil	26th
Noel Dempsey	14 June 2007	19 January 2011		Fianna Fáil	27th • 28th
Pat Carey[c]	20 January 2011	8 March 2011		Fianna Fáil	28th
Leo Varadkar	9 March 2011	2 April 2011		Fine Gael	29th
Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport 2011–2020
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Leo Varadkar	2 April 2011	11 July 2014		Fine Gael	29th
Paschal Donohoe	11 July 2014	6 May 2016		Fine Gael	29th
Shane Ross	6 May 2016	27 June 2020		Independent	30th • 31st
Eamon Ryan[d]	27 June 2020	17 September 2020		Green	32nd
Minister for Transport 2020–present
Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Eamon Ryan[d]	17 September 2020	23 January 2025		Green	32nd • 33rd • 34th
Darragh O'Brien	23 January 2025	Incumbent		Fianna Fáil	35th

Notes

1. Also Minister for Finance.
2. Also Minister for Labour.
3. Also Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and (from 23 January 2011) Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
4. Also Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.