Leader of the Opposition (Ireland)

Template:Short descriptionTemplate:More sources Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox official post The leader of the opposition (Template:Langx) in Ireland is a Template:Lang term sometimes used to describe the politician who leads the largest party in the parliamentary opposition in Dáil Éireann, the house of representatives of the Oireachtas (the Irish parliament). In the Dáil, the leader of the opposition sits on the right-hand side of the Ceann Comhairle and directly opposite the Taoiseach. The role is not an official one and is not recognised in the Irish constitution, nor in legislation.

The leader of the opposition is, by convention, the leader of the largest political party in the Dáil that is not in government. Opposition leaders leading a political party with five members or more have full speaking rights under Dáil standing orders; smaller parties and independent politicians are allowed to speak less often.

Historically the two largest parties have nearly always been Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, and so the position of leader of the opposition has alternated between them. However, immediately following Irish independence from the UK in 1922, the leader of the Labour Party acted as leader of the opposition as Sinn Féin, and later Fianna Fáil, refused to take their seats in Dáil Éireann. After the 2011 general election Fine Gael became the largest party in Dáil Éireann and the Labour Party for the first time became the second largest. However, since Labour and Fine Gael entered a coalition government, the third largest party, Fianna Fáil, led the opposition in the 31st Dáil.

To date there have been 18 Opposition Leaders, 10 of whom have served terms as Taoiseach. The leader of the opposition Template:As of is Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin, following the formation of a government of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party on 27 June 2020. She is the first female Irish opposition leader and the second to come from a party other than Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael, following Labour Party's Thomas Johnson in 1927.

Leaders of the opposition

• Leaders who later became Taoiseach are indicated in bold.

Name Template:Small	Portrait	Constituency	Term of office		Party		TaoiseachTemplate:Refn
			From	To
Éamon de Valera Template:Small<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref>	File:Éamon de Valera.jpg	Clare	9 January 1922 <ref name=":1" />	8 June 1922 <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sinn Féin (Anti-Treaty)	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Arthur Griffith (1922)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Thomas Johnson Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":17">Template:Cite journal</ref>	File:Tomjohnson.jpg	Dublin County	9 September 1922 <ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	11 August 1927 <ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	W. T. Cosgrave (1922–1932)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":18">Template:Cite web</ref>
Éamon de Valera Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" />	File:Éamon de Valera.jpg	Clare	11 August 1927 <ref name=":2" />	9 March 1932 <ref name=":3">Template:Cite book</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil
W. T. Cosgrave Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":19">Template:Cite book</ref>	File:William Thomas Cosgrave.jpg	Cork Borough	9 March 1932 <ref name=":4">Template:Cite book</ref>	January 1944 <ref name=":4" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Cumann na nGaedheal	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|	Éamon de Valera (1932–1948)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite book</ref>
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Fine Gael
Thomas F. O'Higgins Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:TF O'Higgins, 1933.png	Leix–Offaly	January 1944	9 June 1944
Richard Mulcahy Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":20">Template:Cite web</ref>	File:Gen. Richard Mulcahy LCCN2014717121.jpg	Tipperary	9 June 1944	18 February 1948
Éamon de Valera Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" />	File:Éamon de Valera.jpg	Clare	18 February 1948 <ref name=":5" />	13 June 1951 <ref name=":6">Template:Cite book</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	John A. Costello (1948–1951)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":21">Template:Cite web</ref>
John A. Costello Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:John A. Costello, 1948.png	Dublin South-East	13 June 1951	2 June 1954	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Éamon de Valera (1951–1954)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":6" /><ref name=":7">Template:Cite book</ref>
Éamon de Valera Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":7" />	File:Éamon de Valera, President of Ireland, in 1960s (43915959314).jpg	Clare	2 June 1954 <ref name=":7" />	20 March 1957 <ref name=":8">Template:Cite book</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	John A. Costello (1954–1957)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":21" />
John A. Costello Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:John A. Costello, 1948.png	Dublin South-East	20 March 1957	21 October 1959	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=5|	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=5|	Éamon de Valera (1957–1959)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">Template:Cite book</ref>
					Seán Lemass (1959–1966)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":9" />
James Dillon Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:James Dillon circa 1930s.jpg	Monaghan	21 October 1959	21 April 1965
Liam Cosgrave Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":22">Template:Cite web</ref>	File:Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave-Patricks Day 1976.jpg	Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown	21 April 1965 <ref name=":22" />	14 March 1973 <ref name=":23">Template:Cite web</ref>
					Jack Lynch (1966–1973)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref>
Jack Lynch Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":10" />	File:Jack Lynch, 1972 (cropped).jpg	Cork City North-West	14 March 1973	5 July 1977	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Liam Cosgrave (1973–1977)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":23" />
Garret FitzGerald Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":24">Template:Cite web</ref>	File:Garret FitzGerald 1975 (cropped).jpg	Dublin South-East	5 July 1977	30 June 1981	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Jack Lynch (1977–1979)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":10" />
					Charles Haughey (1979–1981)<ref name=":18" />
Charles Haughey Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:Charles Haughey, 1990.jpg	Dublin North-Central	30 June 1981	9 March 1982	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Garret FitzGerald (1981–1982)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":25">Template:Cite web</ref>
Garret FitzGerald Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:Garret FitzGerald 1975 (cropped).jpg	Dublin South-East	9 March 1982	14 December 1982	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Charles Haughey (1982)<ref name=":18" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Charles Haughey Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:Charles Haughey, 1990.jpg	Dublin North-Central	14 December 1982	10 March 1987 <ref name=":26">Template:Cite book</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Garret FitzGerald (1982–1987)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":25" />
Alan Dukes Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:Alan Dukes, December 1996 (cropped).jpg	Kildare	10 March 1987	20 November 1990	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Charles Haughey (1987–1992)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":26" />
John Bruton Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:John Bruton, February 2002 (cropped 02).jpg	Meath	20 November 1990	15 December 1994
					Albert Reynolds (1992–1994)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":27">Template:Cite book</ref>
Bertie Ahern Template:Small<ref name=":0" />	File:Bertie Ahern 1997 (cropped).jpg	Dublin Central	15 December 1994	26 June 1997 <ref name=":11">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	John Bruton (1994–1997)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":27" />
John Bruton Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":12">Template:Cite news</ref>	File:John Bruton, February 2002 (cropped 02).jpg	Meath	26 June 1997 <ref name=":12" />	9 February 2001 <ref name=":12" /><ref name=":13">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|	Fine Gael	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|	Bertie Ahern (1997–2008)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":11" />
Michael Noonan Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":28">Template:Cite web</ref>	File:Michael Noonan, Nov 1996 (cropped).jpg	Limerick East	9 February 2001 <ref name=":13" />	6 June 2002 <ref name=":13" />
Enda Kenny Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":29">Template:Cite news</ref>	File:Enda Kenny EPP 2014 (cropped).jpg	Mayo	6 June 2002	9 March 2011 <ref name=":14">Template:Cite web</ref>
					Brian Cowen (2008–2011)<ref name=":18" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Micheál Martin Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":15">Template:Cite news</ref>	File:Micheal Martin (official portrait) (cropped).jpg	Cork South-Central	9 March 2011 <ref name=":15" />	27 June 2020 <ref name=":16">Template:Cite web</ref>	rowspan=2 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Fianna Fáil	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Enda Kenny (2011–2017)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":14" />
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" |		Leo Varadkar (2017–2020)<ref name=":18" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mary Lou McDonald Template:Small<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":30">Template:Cite web</ref>	File:Mary Lou McDonald in 2024.jpg	Dublin Central	27 June 2020 <ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Incumbent	rowspan=4 style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sinn Féin	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Micheál Martin (2020–2022)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":16" />
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" |		Leo Varadkar (2022–2024)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" |		Simon Harris (2024–2025)
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" |		Micheál Martin (2025–present)<ref name=":18" /><ref name=":16" />

Leaders of the second largest party in opposition

• Leaders who later became Tánaiste are indicated in italics.

Name Template:Small	Portrait	Constituency	Term of office		Party		Leader of the Opposition
			From	To
Denis Gorey Template:Small	File:Denis Gorey, 1931.jpg	Carlow–Kilkenny	9 September 1922	May 1927	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Farmers' Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Thomas Johnson (1922–1927)<ref name=":17" />
Michael Heffernan Template:Small	File:Michael Heffernan TD, circa 1910s.png	Tipperary	May 1927	11 August 1927
Thomas Johnson Template:Small	File:Tomjohnson.jpg	Dublin County	11 August 1927	11 October 1927	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Éamon de Valera (1927–1932)<ref name=":2" />
Thomas J. O'Connell Template:Small	File:Tom J. O'Connell, circa 1930s.jpg	Mayo South	11 October 1927	9 March 1932
William Norton Template:Small	File:William Norton circa 1927 to 1932.png	Kildare	9 March 1932	8 February 1933	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|		W. T. Cosgrave (1932–1944)<ref name=":19" />
Frank MacDermot Template:Small	File:Frank MacDermot, 1933.jpg	Roscommon	8 February 1933	8 September 1933	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	National Centre Party
William Norton Template:Small	File:William Norton circa 1927 to 1932.png	Kildare Template:Small Carlow–Kildare Template:Small	8 September 1933	7 January 1945	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Labour Party		style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|
					Thomas F. O'Higgins (1944)
					Richard Mulcahy (1944–1948)<ref name=":20" />
Joseph Blowick Template:Small	File:Joseph Blowick, 1950 (cropped).jpg	Mayo South	7 January 1945	18 February 1948		style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Clann na Talmhan
None			18 February 1948	13 June 1951			style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Éamon de Valera (1948–1951)<ref name=":5" />
William Norton Template:Small<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	File:William Norton, circa 1945.png	Kildare	13 June 1951	2 June 1954	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	John A. Costello (1951–1954)
Seán MacBride Template:Small	File:Seán MacBride circa 1947.jpg	Dublin South-West	2 June 1954	20 March 1957	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Clann na Poblachta	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Éamon de Valera (1954–1957)<ref name=":7" />
William Norton Template:Small	File:William Norton, circa 1945.png	Kildare	20 March 1957	2 March 1960	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=4|	John A. Costello (1957–1959)
					James Dillon (1959–1965)
Brendan Corish Template:Small	File:Brendan Corish 1949.png	Wexford	2 March 1960	14 March 1973
					Liam Cosgrave (1965–1973)<ref name=":22" />
None			14 March 1973	5 July 1977			style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Jack Lynch (1973–1977)<ref name=":10" />
Frank Cluskey Template:Small	File:Frank Cluskey, 1981 01 (cropped).jpg	Dublin South-Central	5 July 1977	12 June 1981	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=3|	Garret FitzGerald (1977–1981)<ref name=":24" />
None			12 June 1981	17 June 1981
Michael O'Leary Template:Small	File:Michael O'Leary, September 1979 (cropped).jpg	Dublin North-Central	17 June 1981	30 June 1981	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Labour Party
Joe Sherlock Template:Small	File:Joe Sherlock, circa 2002 01.jpg	Cork East	30 June 1981	9 March 1982	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Sinn Féin the Workers Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Charles Haughey (1981–1982)
Michael O'Leary Template:Small	File:Michael O'Leary, September 1979 (cropped).jpg	Dublin Central	9 March 1982	1 November 1982	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Garret FitzGerald (1982)
Dick Spring Template:Small	File:Dick Spring 1995 (headshot).jpg	Kerry North	1 November 1982	14 December 1982
Tomás Mac Giolla Template:Small	File:Tomás Mac Giolla (cropped).jpg	Dublin West	14 December 1982	21 December 1985	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Workers' Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Charles Haughey (1982–1987)
Desmond O'Malley Template:Small	File:Desmond O'Malley, 1979 (election box crop).tif	Limerick East	21 December 1985	29 June 1989	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Progressive Democrats
					style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=6|		Alan Dukes (1987–1990)
Dick Spring Template:Small	File:Dick Spring 1995 (headshot).jpg	Kerry North	29 June 1989	14 December 1992	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Labour Party
					John Bruton (1990–1994)
Desmond O'Malley Template:Small	File:Desmond O'Malley, 1979 (election box crop).tif	Limerick East	14 December 1992	12 October 1993		style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Progressive Democrats
Mary Harney Template:Small	File:Mary Harney cropped.jpg	Dublin South-West	12 October 1993	18 November 1994
Dick Spring Template:Small	File:Dick Spring 1995 (headshot).jpg	Kerry North	18 November 1994	15 December 1994		style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Labour Party
Mary Harney Template:Small	File:Mary Harney cropped.jpg	Dublin South-West	15 December 1994	26 June 1997	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Progressive Democrats	style="background-color: Template:Party color" |	Bertie Ahern (1994–1997)
Dick Spring Template:Small	File:Dick Spring 1995 (headshot).jpg	Kerry North	26 June 1997	13 November 1997	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=6|	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=6|	John Bruton (1997–2001)<ref name=":12" />
Ruairi Quinn Template:Small	File:Ruairi Quinn 2011 cropped.jpg	Dublin South-East	13 November 1997	25 October 2002
					Michael Noonan (2001–2002)<ref name=":28" />
					Enda Kenny (2002–2011)<ref name=":29" />
Pat Rabbitte Template:Small	File:Pat Rabbitte, May 2015 (cropped).jpg	Dublin South-West	25 October 2002	6 September 2007
Eamon Gilmore Template:Small	File:Eamon Gilmore TD 2014 (cropped).jpg	Dún Laoghaire	6 September 2007	9 March 2011
Gerry Adams Template:Small	File:Gerry Adams 2015.jpg	Louth	9 March 2011	10 February 2018	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Sinn Féin	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Micheál Martin (2011–2020)<ref name=":15" />
Mary Lou McDonald Template:Small	File:Mary Lou McDonald, 2018.jpg	Dublin Central	10 February 2018	27 June 2020
Alan Kelly Template:Small	File:Alan Kelly (official portrait) 2020 (cropped).png	Tipperary	27 June 2020	24 March 2022	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Labour Party	style="background-color: Template:Party color" rowspan=2|	Mary Lou McDonald (2020–present)<ref name=":30" />
Ivana Bacik Template:Small	File:Ivana Bacik 2021 (cropped).jpg	Dublin Bay South	24 March 2022	Incumbent

See also

• Opposition Front Bench (Ireland)
• Politics of the Republic of Ireland
• Taoiseach

References

<references /> Template:Irish Leaders of the Opposition Template:Politics of the Republic of Ireland2