| Post: | Minister for Children, Disability and Equality |
| Insignia: | Irish Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.png |
| Insigniasize: | 230px |
| Incumbent: | Norma Foley |
| Incumbentsince: | 23 January 2025 |
| Department: | Department of Children, Disability and Equality |
| Status: | Cabinet Minister |
| Reports To: | Taoiseach |
| Seat: | Dublin, Ireland |
| Nominator: | Taoiseach |
| Appointer: | President of Ireland |
| Formation: | 2 June 1956 |
| Salary: | €210,750 [1] |
The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (ga|An tAire Leanaí, Míchumais agus Comhionannais) is a senior minister in the government of Ireland and leads the Department of Children, Disability and Equality.
The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality is Norma Foley, TD.She is assisted by a minister of state:
The office was created in 1956 as the Minister for the Gaeltacht. Its title and functions have changed several times, with the current title adopted in 2025. An office of minister of state for children existed from 2005 to 2011.[2]
Responsibility for the Gaeltacht was transferred to the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2011[3] and to the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in 2025.
Responsibility for Integration was transferred to the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in 2025.[4]
Minister for the Gaeltacht 1956–1993 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Mulcahy | 2 June 1956 | 24 October 1956 | 7th | ||
| Patrick Lindsay | 24 October 1956 | 20 March 1957 | 7th | ||
| Jack Lynch | 20 March 1957 | 26 June 1957 | 8th | ||
| Mícheál Ó Móráin (1st time) | 26 June 1957 | 23 July 1959 | 8th9th | ||
| Gerald Bartley | 23 July 1959 | 11 October 1961 | 9th | ||
| Mícheál Ó Móráin (2nd time) | 11 October 1961 | 26 March 1968 | 10th11th12th | ||
| Pádraig Faulkner | 27 March 1968 | 2 July 1969 | 12th | ||
| George Colley | 2 July 1969 | 14 March 1973 | 13th | ||
| Tom O'Donnell | 14 March 1973 | 5 July 1977 | 14th | ||
| Denis Gallagher (1st time) | 5 July 1977 | 11 December 1979 | 15th | ||
| Máire Geoghegan-Quinn | 12 December 1979 | 30 June 1981 | 16th | ||
| Paddy O'Toole (1st time) | 30 June 1981 | 9 March 1982 | 17th | ||
| Pádraig Flynn | 9 March 1982 | 11 October 1982 | 18th | ||
| Denis Gallagher (2nd time) | 11 October 1982 | 14 December 1982 | 18th | ||
| Paddy O'Toole (2nd time) | 14 December 1982 | 10 March 1987 | 19th | ||
| Charles Haughey | 10 March 1987 | 11 February 1992 | 20th21st | ||
| John Wilson | 11 February 1992 | 12 January 1993 | 22nd | ||
Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht 1993–1997 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Michael D. Higgins (1st time) | 12 January 1993 | 17 November 1994 | 23rd | ||
| Bertie Ahern | 18 November 1994 | 15 December 1994 | 23rd | ||
| Michael D. Higgins (2nd time) | 15 December 1994 | 26 June 1997 | 24th | ||
Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands 1997–2002 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Síle de Valera | 26 June 1997 | 6 June 2002 | 25th | ||
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs 2002–2010 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Éamon Ó Cuív | 6 June 2002 | 23 March 2010 | 26th27th28th | ||
Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs 2010–2011 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Pat Carey | 23 March 2010 | 9 March 2011 | 28th | ||
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs 2011–2020 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Frances Fitzgerald | 9 March 2011 | 7 May 2014 | 29th | ||
| Charles Flanagan | 8 May 2014 | 11 July 2014 | 29th | ||
| James Reilly | 11 July 2014 | 6 May 2016 | 29th | ||
| Katherine Zappone | 6 May 2016 | 27 June 2020 | 30th31st | ||
Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth 2020–2025 | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Roderic O'Gorman | 27 June 2020 | 23 January 2025 | 32nd33rd34th | ||
Minister for Children, Disability and Equality 2025–present | |||||
| Name | Term of office | Party | Government(s) | ||
| Norma Foley | 23 January 2025 | Incumbent | 35th | ||
