Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach
The Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach is a junior ministerial post in the Department of the Taoiseach of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Taoiseach.
Government Chief Whip
Daniel McCarthy (as Parliamentary Secretary to the President)
6 December 1922
The position was first created in 1922 as Parliamentary secretary to the President of the Executive Council. In 1937, following the adoption of the Constitution of Ireland, the position was changed to that of Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach.[1] In 1978, the position was superseded by the office of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach.
One of the Ministers of State in this department is assigned the role of Government Chief Whip and is the most senior Minister of State in the government of Ireland. They attend cabinet meetings, but do not have a vote and are not one of fifteen members of the government. The role of the Whip is primarily that of the disciplinarian for all government parties, to ensure that all deputies, including ministers, attend for Dáil Business and follow the government line on all issues.[2]
The incumbent Government Chief Whip is Hildegarde Naughton, TD, and the Deputy Chief Whip is Cormac Devlin.