Minister of State for Children

The Minister of State for Children^[a] was a junior ministerial post in the Departments of Health and Children, Justice and Law Reform and Education and Skills of the Government of Ireland. The Minister of State worked together with the various senior Ministers in these departments and had special responsibility for children's affairs.

The first Minister of State with responsibility for Children was appointed on 20 December 1994.^[1] There has not been a Minister of State with this responsibility since the creation of the full cabinet position of Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in March 2011.

List of office-holders 1994–2011

Name	Term of office		Party		Government
Austin Currie	20 December 1994	26 June 1997		Fine Gael	24th[1]
Frank Fahey	8 July 1997	1 February 2000		Fianna Fáil	25th[2]
Mary Hanafin	1 February 2000	6 June 2002		Fianna Fáil
Brian Lenihan	19 June 2002	14 June 2007		Fianna Fáil	26th[3]
Brendan Smith	20 June 2007	7 May 2008		Fianna Fáil	27th[4]
Barry Andrews	7 May 2008	9 March 2011		Fianna Fáil	28th[5]

Notes

1. The last minister was styled in full: Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, at the Department of Justice and Law Reform and at the Department of Education and Skills (with special responsibility for Children).