Government of the 23rd Dáil

The 18th government of Ireland (9 March – 14 December 1982) was the government of Ireland formed after the February 1982 general election to the 23rd Dáil. It was a minority Fianna Fáil government led by Charles Haughey as Taoiseach, reliant on the support of the Sinn Féin The Workers' Party and independent TD Tony Gregory. It lasted for Template:Age in years and days.

Nomination of Taoiseach

The 23rd Dáil first met on 9 March 1982. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Charles Haughey, and Fine Gael leader and outgoing Taoiseach Garret FitzGerald were both proposed.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The nomination of Haughey was carried with 86 in favour and 79 against. Haughey was appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.<ref name=tapp>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

9 March 1982 Nomination of Charles Haughey (FF) as Taoiseach<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref> Motion proposed by Brian Lenihan and seconded by Ray MacSharry Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
Template:Tick Yes	Fianna Fáil (81), Sinn Féin The Workers' Party (3), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1)	Template:Composition bar
No	Fine Gael (63), Labour Party (15), Independent (1)	Template:Composition bar
Not voting	Ceann Comhairle (1)	Template:Composition bar

Government ministers

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Charles Haughey proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.<ref name=tapp /> They were appointed by the president on the same day.<ref name=mapp>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Office	Name		Term
Taoiseach	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Charles Haughey	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Tánaiste	rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Ray MacSharry	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Finance
Minister for Agriculture	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Brian Lenihan	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Defence	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Paddy Power	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Education	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Martin O'Donoghue	Mar.–Oct. 1982
Minister for the Environment	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Ray Burke	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Fisheries and Forestry	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Brendan Daly	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Foreign Affairs	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Gerry Collins	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for the Gaeltacht	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Pádraig Flynn	Mar.–Oct. 1982
Minister for Health	rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Michael Woods	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Social Welfare
Minister for Industry and Energy	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Albert Reynolds	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Justice	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Seán Doherty	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Labour	rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Gene Fitzgerald	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Posts and Telegraphs	rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	John Wilson	Mar.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Transport
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Desmond O'Malley	Mar.–Oct. 1982
Changes 7 October 1982 Desmond O'Malley and Martin O'Donoghue resigned on 6 October 1982 after supporting an unsuccessful leadership challenge against Charles Haughey.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Albert Reynolds	7–27 Oct 1982
Minister for Education	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Charles Haughey	7–27 Oct 1982
Changes 27 October 1982 Gallagher and Brady approved on a vote of 83 to 78.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation				CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=octapp>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Office	Name		Term
Minister for Trade, Commerce and Tourism	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Pádraig Flynn	Oct.–Dec. 1982
Minister for Education	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Gerard Brady	Oct.–Dec. 1982
Minister for the Gaeltacht	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Denis Gallagher	Oct.–Dec. 1982

Attorney General

Template:See also On 9 March 1982, Patrick Connolly SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.<ref name=tapp/><ref name=mapp/> Connolly resigned on 17 August after Malcolm MacArthur, who had been a house-guest of Connolly's, was arrested for murder. On 18 August 1982, John L. Murray SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of state

On 9 March, the Government appointed Bertie Ahern on the nomination of the Taoiseach to the post of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip. On 23 March, the Government appointed the other Ministers of State.<ref name=mapp/>

Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Bertie Ahern	Taoiseach<ref>Template:Cite Irish legislation</ref> Defence<ref>Template:Cite Irish legislation</ref>	Government Chief Whip	Template:Party name with colour
Sylvester Barrett	Finance	Office of Public Works	Template:Party name with colour
Lorcan Allen	Agriculture	Land Commission, Production and Marketing	Template:Party name with colour
Bernard Cowen	Agriculture	Disadvantaged Areas	Template:Party name with colour
Terry Leyden	Transport Posts and Telegraphs<ref>Template:Cite Irish legislation</ref>	Telecommunications	Template:Party name with colour
Máire Geoghegan-Quinn	Education	Youth and Sport	Template:Party name with colour
Denis Gallagher	Social Welfare	Social Welfare Claims	Template:Party name with colour
Ger Connolly	Environment	Housing	Template:Party name with colour
Gerard Brady	Environment	Urban Renewal	Template:Party name with colour
Tom McEllistrim	Fisheries and Forestry	Forestry	Template:Party name with colour
Changes 28 October 1982 Following the appointment of Brady and Gallagher to cabinet.<ref name=octapp/>
Name	Department(s)	Responsibility	Party
Rory O'Hanlon	Social Welfare	Social Welfare Claims	Template:Party name with colour
Niall Andrews	Environment	Urban Renewal	Template:Party name with colour
Seán Calleary	Trade, Commerce and Tourism	Tourism	Template:Party name with colour
Jim Fitzsimons	Industry and Energy	Economic Affairs	Template:Party name with colour

Confidence in the government

On 1 July 1982, the Dáil voted on a motion of confidence the Taoiseach placed in the government. The motion was carried by a vote of 84 to 77.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}; {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 4 November 1982, the Dáil voted on a motion of confidence the Taoiseach placed in the government. The motion was defeated, the Workers' Party voting against Haughey, and Tony Gregory abstaining.

4 November 1982 Confidence in the Government<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref> Motion proposed by Taoiseach Charles Haughey Absolute majority: 84/166
Vote	Parties	Votes
Yes	Fianna Fáil (79), Independent Fianna Fáil (1)	Template:Composition bar
Template:Cross No	Fine Gael (63), Labour Party (15), Workers' Party (3), Independent (1)	Template:Composition bar
Absent or Not voting	Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1)	Template:Composition bar
Vacancy	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || Template:Composition bar

After the vote, Haughey sought a dissolution of the Dáil, which was granted by the president. A second general election of that year was held on 24 November 1982 for the 24th Dáil.