View source for Taoiseach

{{Short description|Head of government of Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{use Hiberno-English|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Taoiseach
| insignia = Logo of the Department of the Taoiseach.svg
| insigniasize = 300px
| image = Micheal Martin, 2025 (cropped).jpg
| incumbent = [[Micheál Martin]]
| incumbentsince = 23 January 2025
| department = {{ubl|[[Politics of the Republic of Ireland#Executive branch|Executive branch of the Irish Government]]|[[Department of the Taoiseach]]}}
| style = {{Langx|ga|A Thaoisigh}}
| type = [[Head of government]]{{efn|name="ConstitIrl"}}
| member_of = {{Ubl|[[Dáil Éireann]]|[[Government of Ireland|Cabinet]]|[[Council of State (Ireland)|Council of State]]|[[British–Irish Council]]|[[European Council]]}}
| reports_to = [[Oireachtas]]
| residence = None{{efn|The Taoiseach has no official residence, with each taoiseach residing in their own home. They may use the State Guest House at [[Steward's Lodge]] in [[Phoenix Park]] for official state functions}}
| seat = [[Government Buildings]],<br/>[[Merrion Street]], Dublin, Ireland
| nominator = [[Dáil Éireann]]
| appointer = [[President of Ireland]]
| termlength = While commanding the confidence of the majority of [[Dáil Éireann]]. No term limits are imposed on the office.
| constituting_instrument = [https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#part3. Article 13, Constitution of Ireland]
| precursor = [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]
| formation = 29 December 1937{{efn|name="Cosgrave"}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Former Taoisigh |url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9feb2a-former-taoisigh/ |website=www.gov.ie |publisher=[[Government of Ireland]] |access-date=14 February 2024 |language=en |date=1 November 2018 |archive-date=4 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304162522/https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9feb2a-former-taoisigh/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
| first = [[Éamon de Valera]]{{efn|Before the enactment of the 1937 [[Constitution of Ireland]], the head of government was referred to as the [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]. This office was first held by [[W. T. Cosgrave]] from 1922 to 1932, and then by [[Éamon de Valera]] from 1932 to 1937.|name="Cosgrave"}}
| deputy = [[Tánaiste]]
| salary = [[Euro|€]]248,773 annually (2025)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://politicalsalaries.com/leaders/|title=PoliticalSalaries.com - World leaders|access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref><br/>
(including €115,953 [[Teachta Dála|TD]] salary)
| website = [https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/. Department of the Taoiseach]
}}

{{Politics of the Republic of Ireland}}
The '''Taoiseach'''{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|audio=Ga-Taoiseach.ogg|ˈ|t|iː|ʃ|ə|x}} {{respell|TEE|shəkh}},<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Taoiseach |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200322182045/https://www.lexico.com/definition/taoiseach |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-03-22 |title=Taoiseach |dictionary=[[Lexico]] UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]}}</ref> {{IPA|ga|ˈt̪ˠiːʃəx|lang|}}. The plural {{lang|ga|Taoisigh}} is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|iː|ʃ|i}} {{respell|TEE|shee}}, {{IPA|ga|ˈt̪ˠiːʃiː|lang}}.|name="Pronounced"}} is the [[head of government]], or [[prime minister]], of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]].{{efn|name="ConstitIrl"}} The office is appointed by the [[president of Ireland]] upon nomination by [[Dáil Éireann]] (the [[lower house]] of the [[Oireachtas]], Ireland's national legislature) and the office-holder must retain the support of a majority in the Dáil to remain in office.

The [[Irish language|Irish]] word {{wikt-lang|ga|taoiseach}} means "chief" or "leader", and was adopted in the 1937 [[Constitution of Ireland]] as the title of the "head of the Government or Prime Minister".{{efn|name="ConstitIrl"}} It is the official title of the head of government in both English and Irish, and is not used for the prime ministers of other countries, who are instead referred to in Irish by the generic term {{lang|ga|príomh-aire}}.{{efn|Pronounced {{IPAc-en|p|r|iː|ˈ|v|ɛər|ə}} {{respell|pree|VAIR|ə}}, {{IPA|ga|ˌpʲɾʲiːw ˈaɾʲə|lang}}.|name="Pronounced2"}} The phrase ''an Taoiseach'' is sometimes used in an otherwise English-language context, and means the same as "the Taoiseach".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=O'Leary |first1=Brendan |title=An Taoiseach: The Irish prime minister |journal=West European Politics |date=April 1991 |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=133–162 |doi=10.1080/01402389108424849 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233072846|access-date=9 August 2024}}</ref>

The incumbent Taoiseach is [[Micheál Martin]], [[Teachta Dála|TD]], leader of [[Fianna Fáil]], who took office on 23 January 2025, following the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 general election]] and an agreement between Fianna Fáil, [[Fine Gael]] and [[Independent politician (Ireland)|independent]] TDs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 January 2025|title=Martin becomes Taoiseach after receiving seal of office|work=[[RTÉ News]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2025/0123/1492399-politics-tracker-ireland/ |language=en}}</ref>

==Overview==
{{refimprove section|date=March 2024}}
Under the [[Constitution of Ireland]], the Taoiseach is [[Dáil vote for Taoiseach|nominated by a simple majority of the voting members of Dáil Éireann]].<ref>[[Constitution of Ireland]], [[s:Constitution of Ireland#THE PRESIDENT|Article 13.1.2°]].</ref> The Taoiseach is then formally appointed to office by the President,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leahy |first=Pat |title=How to be taoiseach: A guide to Ireland's most powerful job |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/how-to-be-taoiseach-a-guide-to-ireland-s-most-powerful-job-1.3113639 |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=The Irish Times |language=en |quote=They will both sign the warrant of appointment, and Varadkar will accept the taoiseach’s seal of office. At that moment he will become taoiseach. Not when he wins the Dáil vote: the Dáil nominates, but the President appoints.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ireland |first=Office of the President of |title=The President Constitutional Role |url=https://president.ie/en/the-president/constitutional-role |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=president.ie |language=en |quote=The President's powers include: [... ] Appointment of the Taoiseach, members of the Government, judges and other officials}}</ref> who is required to appoint whomever the Dáil designates, without the option of declining to make the appointment.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Mahony |first=Conor |title=Just what can the President of Ireland actually say and do? |url=https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/1017/1389911-just-what-can-the-president-of-ireland-actually-say-and-do/ |access-date=2025-05-07 |website=RTE.ie |quote=Many of the President's functions are automatic in nature. For example, the President appoints the Taoiseach, Government Ministers, and judges to office. But the Constitution compels the President to simply rubber-stamp the nominee put forward.}}</ref> For this reason, the Taoiseach may informally be said to have been "elected" by Dáil Éireann.

If the Taoiseach loses the support of a majority in Dáil Éireann, they are not automatically removed from office. Instead, they are compelled either to resign or to persuade the President to dissolve the Dáil and call new elections. If the President "in his absolute discretion" refuses to grant a dissolution, this effectively forces the Taoiseach to resign. To date, no President has ever refused a dissolution, although the option to exercise this prerogative arose in 1944 and 1994, and twice in 1982. The Taoiseach may lose the support of Dáil Éireann by the passage of a [[Confidence motions in Dáil Éireann|vote of no confidence]], or implicitly, through the failure of a vote of confidence. Alternatively, the Dáil may [[Loss of supply|refuse supply]].{{efn|The Dáil refused supply in January 1982, when the then [[Fine Gael]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Labour Party]] coalition government of [[Garret FitzGerald]] lost a vote on the budget.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/news/elections2007/history80s.html |title=RTE Election 2007 |website=[[RTÉ]] |access-date=2 June 2008 |archive-date=10 May 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070510023531/http://www.rte.ie/news/elections2007/history80s.html |url-status=live }}</ref>}} In the event of the Taoiseach's resignation, they continue to exercise the duties and functions of office until the appointment of a successor.

The Taoiseach nominates the remaining members of the [[Government of Ireland|Government]], who are then, with the consent of the Dáil, appointed by the President. The Taoiseach may advise the President to dismiss cabinet ministers from office; the President does not have discretion on accepting such advice. The Taoiseach is also responsible for appointing eleven members of the sixty members of the upper house of parliament, the [[Seanad Éireann|Seanad]].

The [[Department of the Taoiseach]] is the government department which supports and advises the Taoiseach in carrying out his or her various duties. The Taoiseach is assisted by one or more [[Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach|Ministers of State at the Department of the Taoiseach]], one of whom is the Government [[Chief Whip]].

===Salary===
The Taoiseach's salary is €248,773, as of 1 March 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://politicalsalaries.com/leaders/|title=PoliticalSalaries.com - World leaders|access-date=23 March 2025}}</ref>

The Taoiseach's salary was cut from €214,187 to €200,000 when [[Enda Kenny]] took office in 2011 before being cut further to €185,350 under the Haddington Road Agreement in 2013.

A proposed increase of €38,000 in 2007 was deferred when [[Brian Cowen]] became Taoiseach<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1025/politics.html|title=Taoiseach to receive €38k pay rise|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=25 October 2007|access-date=25 October 2007|archive-date=27 October 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027035252/http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/1025/politics.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and in October 2008, the government announced a 10% salary cut for all ministers, including the Taoiseach.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1015/budget.html|title=Sharp exchanges in Dáil over Budget|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=15 October 2008|access-date=29 January 2009|archive-date=14 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214034034/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/1015/budget.html|url-status=live}}</ref> However this was a voluntary cut and the salaries remained nominally the same with both ministers and Taoiseach essentially refusing 10% of their salary. This caused controversy in December 2009 when a salary cut of 20% was based on the higher figure before the refused amount was deducted.<ref name="Paycuts criticised">{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget/comment-reaction/opposition-says-lenihans-salary-cuts-do-not-add-up-1969628.html|title=Opposition says Lenihan's salary cuts do not add up|first=Fiach |last=Kelly|work=[[Irish Independent]]|date=10 December 2009|access-date=29 December 2009|archive-date=23 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223025956/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/budget/comment-reaction/opposition-says-lenihans-salary-cuts-do-not-add-up-1969628.html}}</ref> The Taoiseach is also allowed an additional €118,981 in annual expenses.

===Residence===
There is no official residence of the Taoiseach. In 2008 it was reported speculatively that the former [[Steward's Lodge]] at [[Farmleigh]] adjoining the [[Phoenix Park]] would become the official residence of the Taoiseach. However, no official statements were made nor any action taken.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independent.ie/national-news/opulent-phoenix-park-lodge-is--set-to-become-fortress-cowen-1378987.html|title=Opulent Phoenix Park lodge is set to become 'Fortress Cowen'|first=Ronald|last=Quinlan|work=[[Irish Independent]]|date=18 May 2008|access-date=18 May 2008|archive-date=21 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521055535/http://www.independent.ie/national-news/opulent-phoenix-park-lodge-is--set-to-become-fortress-cowen-1378987.html}}</ref> The house, which forms part of the Farmleigh estate acquired by the State in 1999 for €29.2 million, was renovated at a cost of nearly €600,000 in 2005 by the [[Office of Public Works]]. Former Taoiseach [[Bertie Ahern]] did not use it as a residence, but his successor Brian Cowen used it occasionally,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0129/1232923372778.html|title=Cowen questioned on use of Farmleigh|first=Michael |last=O'Regan|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=29 January 2009|access-date=29 January 2009|archive-date=18 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118220220/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0129/1232923372778.html}}</ref> as did later Taoisigh Enda Kenny and Leo Varadkar, who each paid €50 per night for the use of the house to avoid benefit-in-kind tax being levied on them for use of the house as a grace and favour mansion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/09/03/over-87000-spent-upgrading-underused-stewards-lodge-in-dublins-phoenix-park/|title=Over €87,000 spent upgrading underused Steward's Lodge in Dublin's Phoenix Park|first=Colin|last=Coyle|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=3 September 2023|access-date=19 September 2023|archive-date=18 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118201101/https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/09/03/over-87000-spent-upgrading-underused-stewards-lodge-in-dublins-phoenix-park/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Salute===
"{{lang|ga|Mór Chluana}}" ("More of [[Cloyne]]") is a traditional air collected by [[Patrick Weston Joyce]] in 1873.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://source.pipers.ie/Media.aspx?mediaId=24396&categoryId=907 |title=P. W. Joyce: Ancient Irish Music » 47 – Mór Chluana |publisher=Na Píobairí Uilleann |access-date=3 February 2014 |archive-date=21 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221065107/http://source.pipers.ie/Media.aspx?mediaId=24396&categoryId=907 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ainm">{{cite web |url=http://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=260 |title=Joyce, Patrick Weston (1827–1914) |work=Ainm.ie |publisher=Cló Iar-Chonnacht |language=Irish |access-date=3 February 2014 |archive-date=20 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220180149/http://www.ainm.ie/Bio.aspx?ID=260 |url-status=live }}</ref> "Amhrán Dóchais" ("Song of Hope") is a poem written by [[Osborn Bergin]] in 1913.<ref name="ainm"/><ref name="cuiv">{{cite book |last=Ó Cuív |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Ó Cuív |editor=W. E. Vaughan |title=Ireland Under the Union, 1870–1921 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pYNeAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA425 |access-date=3 February 2014 |series=A New History of Ireland |volume=VI |date=1 April 2010 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199583744 |page=425 |chapter=Irish language and literature, 1845–1921 |archive-date=27 June 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140627122510/http://books.google.com/books?id=pYNeAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA425 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[John A. Costello]] chose the air as his [[honors music|musical salute]].<ref name="cuiv"/> The salute is played by army bands on the arrival of the Taoiseach at state ceremonies. Though the salute is often called "{{lang|ga|Amhrán Dóchais}}", [[Brian Ó Cuív]] argued "{{lang|ga|Mór Chluana}}" is the correct title.<ref name="cuiv"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cmc.ie/music/amhran-dochais |title=Amhrán Dóchais |publisher=Contemporary Music Centre |access-date=3 February 2014 |archive-date=20 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020063853/https://www.cmc.ie/music/amhran-dochais |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
===Origins and etymology===
The words {{lang|ga|Taoiseach}} and {{lang|ga|[[Tánaiste]]}} (deputy prime minister) are both from the [[Irish language]] and of ancient origin. The Taoiseach is described in the Constitution of Ireland as "the head of the Government or Prime Minister",{{efn|Article 13.1.1° and Article 28.5.1° of the [[Constitution of Ireland]]. The latter provision reads: "The head of the Government, or Prime Minister, shall be called, and is in this Constitution referred to as, the Taoiseach."<ref>{{cite web |title=Constitution of Ireland |url=https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/cons/en/html#article28_5_1 |website=Irish Statute Book}}</ref>|name="ConstitIrl"}} its literal translation is {{gloss|chieftain}} or {{gloss|leader}}.<ref name=youthzone>{{cite web|url=http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/Pdf%20files/School%20Pack.pdf|title=Youth Zone School Pack|work=[[Department of the Taoiseach]]|access-date=23 June 2010|archive-date=2 December 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202192318/http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/Pdf%20files/School%20Pack.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Although [[Éamon de Valera]], who introduced the title in 1937, was a democratic politician who had in the past associated with [[Irish Republican Army (1922–1969)|paramilitaries]], some have remarked that the meaning {{gloss|leader}} in 1937 made the title similar to the titles of [[Fascism|fascist]] dictators of the time, such as {{lang|de|Führer}} (for [[Adolf Hitler]]), {{lang|it|Duce}} (for [[Benito Mussolini]]) and {{lang|es|Caudillo}} (for [[Francisco Franco]]).<ref name=McCarthy2010a>{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/wt-became-the-most-ruthless-of-them-all-26621462.html |title=WT became the most ruthless of them all |newspaper=Irish Independent |first=John-Paul |last=McCarthy |date=10 January 2010 |access-date=22 November 2016 |quote=While Taoiseach itself carried with it some initially unpleasant assonances with Caudillo, Fuhrer and Duce, all but one of the 12 men who wielded the prime ministerial sceptre have managed to keep their megalomaniacal tendencies in check. |archive-date=22 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122223743/http://www.independent.ie/opinion/analysis/wt-became-the-most-ruthless-of-them-all-26621462.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Quigley1944a>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LOdQAQAAMAAJ&q=Taoiseach+Fuhrer+Duce+Caudillo |title=Great Gaels: Ireland at Peace in a World at War |first=Martin|last=Quigley |page=18 |date=1944 |access-date=22 November 2016 |quote=Eamon de Valera is {{lang|ga|An Taoiseach}} or "boss Gael." That title goes considerably beyond the English "prime minister" or the American "president." It is the Gaelic equivalent of the German "{{lang|de|Fuehrer}}," the Italian "{{lang|it|Duce}}" and the Spanish "{{lang|es|Caudillo}}."&thinsp; |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123429/https://books.google.com/books?id=LOdQAQAAMAAJ&q=Taoiseach+Fuhrer+Duce+Caudillo |url-status=live }} Published in New York, 1944 (publisher not identified); Original from [[University of Minnesota]]; Digitised 6 May 2016</ref><ref name=IPA1970a>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-YWAAAAIAAJ&q=Fuhrer+Duce+Caudillo |title=Administration – Volume 18 |publisher=[[Institute of Public Administration (Ireland)|IPA]] |page=153 |date=1970 |access-date=22 November 2016 |quote=... and let alone the names of the Prime Minister (the Taoiseach, a word that is related to Duce, Fuhrer, and Caudillo) (translated from the original Irish: ... {{lang|ga|agus fiú amháin ainmeacha [sic] an Phríomh-Aire (An Taoiseach, focal go bhfuil gaol aige le Duce, Fuhrer, agus Caudillo)}} |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123429/https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-YWAAAAIAAJ&q=Fuhrer+Duce+Caudillo |url-status=live }}Original from the [[University of California]]; Digitised 6 December 2006</ref> {{lang|ga|Tánaiste}}, in turn, refers to the system of [[tanistry]], the [[Gaels|Gaelic]] system of succession whereby a leader would appoint an [[heir apparent]] while still living.

In [[Scottish Gaelic]], {{lang|gd|tòiseach}} translates as '[[Scottish clan|clan]] chief' and both words originally had similar meanings in the [[Goidelic languages|Gaelic languages]] of Scotland and Ireland.{{efn|name=BookCawdor|{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TFwJAAAAIAAJ |title=The book of the thanes of Cawdor: a series of papers selected from the charter room at Cawdor. 1236–1742, Volume 1236, Issue 1742 |publisher=[[Spalding Club]] |author=John Frederick Vaughan Campbell Cawdor |editor-first=Innes |editor-last=Cosmo |year=1742 |page=xiii |access-date=23 June 2013 |quote=As we cannot name the first Celtic chieftain who consented to change his style of Toshach and his patriarchal sway for the title and stability of King's Thane of Cawdor, so it is impossible to fix the precise time when their ancient property and offices were acquired. }}}}<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ywZuLEa6oxsC&pg=PA32 |title=Scotland Under Her Early Kings: A History of the Kingdom to the Close of the Thirteenth Century Part One |publisher=[[Kessinger Publishing]] |first=E. William |last=Robertson |date=2004 |page=32 |isbn=9781417946075 |access-date=28 June 2013 |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123430/https://books.google.com/books?id=ywZuLEa6oxsC&pg=PA32 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dsl.ac.uk/getent4.php?plen=4336&startset=43732115&dtext=snd&query=TOISEACH |title=DSL – SND1 TOISEACH |access-date=27 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202232058/http://www.dsl.ac.uk/getent4.php?plen=4336&startset=43732115&dtext=snd&query=TOISEACH |archive-date=2 December 2013 }}</ref>{{efn|{{cite news |url=http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=4140 |title=Tartan Details – Toshach |publisher=[[Scottish Register of Tartans]] |access-date=27 June 2013 |url-status=dead |quote=Toshach is an early Celtic title given to minor territorial chiefs in Scotland (note Eire Prime Minister's official title is this). |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222652/http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/tartanDetails.aspx?ref=4140 |archive-date=2 December 2013 }}}} The related [[Welsh language]] word {{lang|cy|[[tywysog]]}} (current meaning: 'prince') has a similar origin and meaning.{{efn|name=Celtic_Culture|{{citation|title=Celtic Culture: a Historical Encyclopedia |author=John Thomas Koch |publisher=ABC-CLIO |year=2006 |isbn=1851094407 |page=1062 |quote=An early word meaning 'leader' appears on a 5th- or 6th-century inscribed stone as both ogam Irish and British genitive TOVISACI: {{lang|cy|tywysog}} now means 'prince' in Welsh, the regular descriptive title used for Prince Charles, for example; while in Ireland, the corresponding {{lang|ga|Taoiseach}} is now the correct title, in both Irish and English, for the Prime Minister of the Irish Republic (Éire).}}}} It is hypothesised that both derive ultimately from the [[Proto-Celtic language|proto-Celtic]] {{wikt-lang|cel-x-proto|*towissākos}} 'chieftain, leader'.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sims-Williams |first=Patrick |date=Summer 1992 |title=The Additional Letters of the Ogam Alphabet |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yVopAQAAMAAJ&q=%22medieval+celtic+studies%22+towiss%C4%81kos |journal=Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies |volume=23 |page=48 |access-date=11 December 2022 |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123431/https://books.google.com/books?id=y9xQAQAAIAAJ&q=towissakos |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AncKAQAAMAAJ&q=towiss%C4%81kos |title=Language |first1=George Melville |last1=Bolling |first2=Bernard |last2=Bloch |date=27 June 1968 |publisher=Linguistic Society of America |via=[[Google Books]] |access-date=3 October 2020 |archive-date=12 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123431/https://books.google.com/books?id=AncKAQAAMAAJ&q=towiss%C4%81kos |url-status=live }}</ref>

The plural of {{lang|ga|taoiseach}} is {{lang|ga|taoisigh}} (<small>Northern and Western</small> {{IPA|ga|ˈt̪ˠiːʃiː|lang}}, <small>Southern:</small> {{IPA|ga|ˈt̪ˠiːʃɪɟ|}}).<ref name=youthzone/>

Although the Irish form {{lang|ga|An Taoiseach}} is sometimes used in English instead of 'the Taoiseach',<ref name=Oops2017-02-09a>{{cite web|url=http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/News/Taoiseach's_Press_Releases/Statement_by_An_Taoiseach_on_the_death_of_Cardinal_Desmond_Connell.html|title=Statement by An Taoiseach on the death of Cardinal Desmond Connell|publisher=Department of the Taoiseach|date=9 February 2017|access-date=5 March 2017|quote=The Taoiseach has learnt with regret …|archive-date=6 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170406113821/http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/eng/News/Taoiseach%27s_Press_Releases/Statement_by_An_Taoiseach_on_the_death_of_Cardinal_Desmond_Connell.html|url-status=live}}</ref> the English version of the Constitution states that they "shall be called … the Taoiseach".{{efn|name="ConstitIrl"}}

===Debate on the title===
In 1937 when the draft Constitution of Ireland was being debated in the [[Dáil]], [[Frank MacDermot]], an opposition politician, moved an amendment to substitute "Prime Minister" for the proposed "Taoiseach" title in the English text of the Constitution. It was proposed to keep the "Taoiseach" title in the Irish language text. The proponent remarked:<ref>[https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1937-05-26/20/ Frank Mr. MacDermot of the National Centre Party – Bunreacht na hÉireann (Dréacht)—Coiste (Ath-thógaint) – Wednesday, 26 May 1937; Dáil Éireann Debate Vol. 67 No. 9] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122141908/https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1937-05-26/ |date=22 November 2018 }}.</ref>
{{blockquote|It seems to me to be mere make-believe to try to incorporate a word like "Taoiseach" in the English language. It would be pronounced wrongly by 99 percent of the people. I have already ascertained it is a very difficult word to pronounce correctly. That being so, even for the sake of the dignity of the Irish language, it would be more sensible that when speaking English we should be allowed to refer to the gentleman in question as the Prime Minister... It is just one more example of the sort of things that are being done here as if for the purpose of putting off the people in the [[Northern Ireland|North]]. No useful purpose of any kind can be served by compelling us, when speaking English, to refer to An Taoiseach rather than to the Prime Minister.}}

The President of the Executive Council, Éamon de Valera, gave the term's meaning as "chieftain" or "Captain". He said he was "not disposed" to support the proposed amendment and felt the word "Taoiseach" did not need to be changed. The proposed amendment was defeated on a vote and "Taoiseach" was included as the title ultimately adopted by [[Adoption of the Constitution of Ireland|plebiscite of the people]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Bunreacht na hEireann (Dréacht)—Coiste (Ath-thógaint) – Dáil Éireann (8th Dáil) – Vol. 67 No. 9 |url=https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1937-05-26/speech/225/ |website=Oireachtas Debates |date=26 May 1937}}</ref>

===Modern office===
[[File:Dublin Dept Taoiseach.jpg|thumb|[[Department of the Taoiseach]] at [[Government Buildings]], [[Merrion Street]], Dublin]]
The modern position of Taoiseach was established by the 1937 [[Constitution of Ireland]] and is the most powerful role in Irish politics. The office replaced the position of [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]] of the 1922–1937 [[Irish Free State]].

The positions of Taoiseach and President of the Executive Council differed in certain fundamental respects. Under the [[Constitution of the Irish Free State]], the latter was vested with considerably less power and was largely just the chairman of the cabinet, the [[Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Executive Council]]. For example, the President of the Executive Council could not dismiss a fellow minister on his own authority. Instead, the Executive Council had to be disbanded and reformed entirely to remove a member. The President of the Executive Council also did not have the right to advise the [[Governor-General of the Irish Free State|Governor-General]] to dissolve Dáil Éireann on his own authority, that power belonging collectively to the Executive Council.

In contrast, the office of Taoiseach as created in 1937 possesses a much more powerful role. The holder of the position can both advise the President to dismiss ministers and dissolve Parliament on his own authority—advice that the President is almost always required to follow by convention.{{efn|Notable ministerial dismissals include those of [[Charles Haughey]] and [[Neil Blaney]] during the [[Arms Crisis]] in 1970, [[Brian Lenihan Snr|Brian Lenihan]] in 1990, [[Albert Reynolds]], [[Pádraig Flynn]] and [[Máire Geoghegan-Quinn]] in 1991, and [[Barry Cowen]] in 2020.}} 

The Taoiseach's role is significantly enhanced on paper compared to its counterparts in other parliamentary systems because it is vested with both ''de jure'' and ''de facto'' executive authority. In other parliamentary systems, the head of state is at least nominal chief executive, but is either bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet, or must have their acts countersigned by a minister. In Ireland, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Government, of which the Taoiseach is the leader.

Generally, where there have been multi-party or coalition governments, the Taoiseach has been the leader of the largest party in the coalition. One exception to this was [[John A. Costello]], who was not the leader of his party, but an agreed choice to head the government, because the other parties refused to accept then [[Fine Gael]] leader [[Richard Mulcahy]] as Taoiseach. In 2011 Taoiseach Brian Cowen, resigned as party leader and was succeeded by [[Micheál Martin]], but continued as Taoiseach until the formation of a new government following a general election.

Following the [[2020 Irish general election|2020 election]], [[Fianna Fáil]] and Fine Gael entered coalition together for the first time. The two agreed to rotate the role of Taoiseach, with Micheál Martin going first before becoming Tánaiste under [[Leo Varadkar]], and later [[Simon Harris]], of the smaller Fine Gael party.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://dcubrexitinstitute.eu/2022/12/a-rotating-taoiseach-and-the-future-of-irish-politics/ | title=A Rotating Taoiseach and the future of Irish politics - Brexit Institute | date=20 December 2022 }}</ref> The two parties opted to continue this rotation after the [[2024 Irish general election|2024 election]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/harris-says-government-formation-talks-approaching-landing-zone-1715120.html | title=Harris confirms rotating Taoiseach arrangement will be part of next government | date=7 January 2025 }}</ref>

==List of office holders==
{{main|List of Irish heads of government|Records of Irish heads of government since 1922}}
Before the enactment of the [[Constitution of Ireland|1937 Constitution]], the head of government was the [[President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|President of the Executive Council]]. This office was held by [[W.&nbsp;T. Cosgrave]] of [[Cumann na nGaedheal]] from 1922 to 1932, and by [[Éamon de Valera]] of [[Fianna Fáil]] from 1932 to 1937. By convention, Taoisigh are numbered to include Cosgrave;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9feb2a-former-taoisigh/|title=Former Taoisigh|website=Government of Ireland|date=November 2018 |access-date=19 January 2020|archive-date=4 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304162522/https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9feb2a-former-taoisigh/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0507/breaking7.htm|title=Coughlan new Tánaiste in Cowen Cabinet|newspaper=[[The Irish Times]]|date=17 May 2008|access-date=17 May 2008|archive-date=12 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912123432/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/coughlan-new-t%C3%A1naiste-in-cowen-cabinet-1.822339}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0507/fiannafail.html|title=Taoiseach reveals new front bench|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|date=7 May 2008|access-date=17 May 2008|archive-date=10 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510112700/http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0507/fiannafail.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhgbausnidau/|title=Cowen confirmed as Taoiseach|work=BreakingNews.ie|date=7 May 2008|access-date=17 May 2008|archive-date=10 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510161334/http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/mhgbausnidau/}}</ref> therefore, Micheál Martin is considered the 15th Taoiseach, not the 14th.

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
|colspan=11|

===President of the Executive Council===
|-
!{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
!Portrait
!width=20% |Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}<br />Constituency
!colspan=2 width=15% |Term of office
!Party
!colspan=2 width=20% |Exec. Council<br />{{small|Composition}}
!colspan=2 width=15% |[[Vice-President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State|Vice President]]
!Dáil<br />(elected)
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}; color:white;" rowspan=5 |1
|rowspan=5 |{{CSS image crop|Image =William Thomas Cosgrave.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=5 |'''[[W. T. Cosgrave]]'''<br />{{small|(1880–1965)<br />TD for [[Carlow–Kilkenny (Dáil constituency)|Carlow–Kilkenny]] until 1927<br />TD for [[Cork Borough (Dáil constituency)|Cork Borough]] from 1927}}
|rowspan=5 |{{small|6 December}}<br />1922{{efn|Cosgrave was [[Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free State]] from 22 August 1922, during the transitional period before the state became officially independent on 6 December 1922 (See [[List of Irish heads of government]]). |name="CosgravePreIndependence"}}
|rowspan=5 |{{small|9 March}}<br />1932
|[[History of Sinn Féin#Treaty and Civil War|Sinn Féin<br />{{small|(Pro-Treaty)}}]]
|[[1st Executive Council of the Irish Free State|1st]]
|{{small|[[Cumann na nGaedheal|SF (PT)]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Cumann na nGaedheal}}" rowspan=5 |
|rowspan=2 |[[Kevin O'Higgins]]
|[[Members of the 3rd Dáil|3]] {{small|([[1922 Irish general election|1922]])}}
|-
|rowspan=4 |[[Cumann na nGaedheal]]
|[[2nd Executive Council of the Irish Free State|2nd]]
|rowspan=4 |{{small|[[Cumann na nGaedheal|CnG]] (minority)}}
|[[4th Dáil|4]] {{small|([[1923 Irish general election|1923]])}}
|-
|[[3rd Executive Council of the Irish Free State|3rd]]
|rowspan=3 |[[Ernest Blythe]]
|[[5th Dáil|5]] {{small|([[June 1927 Irish general election|Jun.1927]])}}
|-
|[[4th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|4th]]
|rowspan=2 |[[6th Dáil|6]] {{small|([[September 1927 Irish general election|Sep.1927]])}}
|-
|[[5th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|5th]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=3 |2
|rowspan=3 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Éamon de Valera.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=3 |'''[[Éamon de Valera]]'''<br />{{small|(1882–1975)<br />TD for [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|9 March}}<br />1932{{efn|De Valera was [[President of Dáil Éireann]] in the pre-independence revolutionary Irish Government from 1 April 1919	to 9 January 1922 (See [[List of Irish heads of government]]).|name="DeValeraPreIndependence"}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|29 December}}<br />1937
|rowspan=3 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[6th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|6th]]
|rowspan=3 |{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3 |[[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|[[7th Dáil|7]] {{small|([[1932 Irish general election|1932]])}}
|-
|[[7th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|7th]]
|[[8th Dáil|8]] {{small|([[1933 Irish general election|1933]])}}
|-
|[[8th Executive Council of the Irish Free State|8th]]
|[[9th Dáil|9]] {{small|([[1937 Irish general election|1937]])}}
|-
|colspan=11 |

===Taoiseach===
|-
!{{Abbr|No.|Number}}
!Portrait
!width=20% |Name<br />{{small|(Birth–Death)}}<br />Constituency
!colspan=2 width=15% |Term of office
!Party
!colspan=2 width=20% |Government<br />{{small|Composition}}
!colspan=2 width=15% |[[Tánaiste]]
!Dáil<br />(elected)
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=4 |{{small|(2)}}
|rowspan=4 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Éamon de Valera.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=4 |'''[[Éamon de Valera]]'''<br />{{small|(1882–1975)<br />TD for [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]}}
|rowspan=4 |{{small|29 December}}<br />1937
|rowspan=4 |{{small|18 February}}<br />1948
|rowspan=4 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[1st government of Ireland|1st]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" rowspan=3 |
|rowspan=3 |[[Seán T. O'Kelly]]
|[[9th Dáil|9]] {{small|( ···· )}}
|-
|[[2nd government of Ireland|2nd]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|[[10th Dáil|10]] {{small|([[1938 Irish general election|1938]])}}
|-
|[[3rd government of Ireland|3rd]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|[[11th Dáil|11]] {{small|([[1943 Irish general election|1943]])}}
|-
|[[4th government of Ireland|4th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Lemass]]
|[[12th Dáil|12]] {{small|([[1944 Irish general election|1944]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |3
|{{CSS image crop|Image =John A. Costello, 1948.png|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[John A. Costello]]'''<br />{{small|(1891–1976)<br />TD for [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]}}
|{{small|18 February}}<br />1948
|{{small|13 June}}<br />1951
|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[5th government of Ireland|5th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]–[[Clann na Poblachta|CnP]]–[[Clann na Talmhan|CnT]]–[[National Labour Party (Ireland)|NL]]–[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Ind]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[William Norton]]
|[[13th Dáil|13]] {{small|([[1948 Irish general election|1948]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |{{small|(2)}}
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Éamon de Valera.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Éamon de Valera]]'''<br />{{small|(1882–1975)<br />TD for [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]}}
|{{small|13 June}}<br />1951
|{{small|2 June}}<br />1954
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[6th government of Ireland|6th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Lemass]]
|[[14th Dáil|14]] {{small|([[1951 Irish general election|1951]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |{{small|(3)}}
|{{CSS image crop|Image =John A. Costello, 1948.png|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[John A. Costello]]'''<br />{{small|(1891–1976)<br />TD for [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]}}
|{{small|2 June}}<br />1954
|{{small|20 March}}<br />1957
|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[7th government of Ireland|7th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]–[[Clann na Talmhan|CnT]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[William Norton]]
|[[15th Dáil|15]] {{small|([[1954 Irish general election|1954]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |{{small|(2)}}
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Éamon de Valera.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Éamon de Valera]]'''<br />{{small|(1882–1975)<br />TD for [[Clare (Dáil constituency)|Clare]]}}
|{{small|20 March}}<br />1957
|{{small|23 June}}<br />1959
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[8th government of Ireland|8th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Seán Lemass]]
|rowspan=2 |[[16th Dáil|16]] {{small|([[1957 Irish general election|1957]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=3 |4
|rowspan=3 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Seán Lemass, 1966.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=3 |'''[[Seán Lemass]]'''<br />{{small|(1899–1971)<br />TD for [[Dublin South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-Central]]}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|23 June}}<br />1959
|rowspan=3 |{{small|10 November}}<br />1966
|rowspan=3 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[9th government of Ireland|9th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2 |[[Seán MacEntee]]
|-
|[[10th government of Ireland|10th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|[[17th Dáil|17]] {{small|([[1961 Irish general election|1961]])}}
|-
|[[11th government of Ireland|11th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" rowspan="2" |
|rowspan=2 |[[Frank Aiken]]
|rowspan=2 |[[18th Dáil|18]] {{small|([[1965 Irish general election|1965]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=2 |5
|rowspan=2 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Jack Lynch, 1972 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=2 |'''[[Jack Lynch]]'''<br />{{small|(1917–1999)<br />TD for [[Cork Borough (Dáil constituency)|Cork Borough]] until 1969<br />TD for [[Cork City North-West (Dáil constituency)|Cork City North-West]] from 1969}}
|rowspan=2 |{{small|10 November}}<br />1966
|rowspan=2 |{{small|14 March}}<br />1973
|rowspan=2 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[12th government of Ireland|12th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|-
|[[13th government of Ireland|13th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Erskine Hamilton Childers|Erskine H. Childers]]
|[[19th Dáil|19]] {{small|([[1969 Irish general election|1969]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |6
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave-Patricks Day 1976.jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Liam Cosgrave]]'''<br />{{small|(1920–2017)<br />TD for [[Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown (Dáil constituency)|Dún Laoghaire and Rathdown]]}}
|{{small|14 March}}<br />1973
|{{small|5 July}}<br />1977
|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[14th government of Ireland|14th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Brendan Corish]]
|[[20th Dáil|20]] {{small|([[1973 Irish general election|1973]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |{{small|(5)}}
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Jack Lynch, 1972 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Jack Lynch]]'''<br />{{small|(1917–1999)<br />TD for [[Cork City (Dáil constituency)|Cork City]]}}
|{{small|5 July}}<br />1977
|{{small|11 December}}<br />1979
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[15th government of Ireland|15th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" rowspan="2" |
|rowspan=2 |[[George Colley]]
|rowspan=2 |[[21st Dáil|21]] {{small|([[1977 Irish general election|1977]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |7
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Charles Haughey 1989 (headshot).png|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Charles Haughey]]'''<br />{{small|(1925–2006)<br />TD for [[Dublin Artane (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Artane]]}}
|{{small|11 December}}<br />1979
|{{small|30 June}}<br />1981
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[16th government of Ireland|16th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |8
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Garret FitzGerald 1975 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Garret FitzGerald]]'''<br />{{small|(1926–2011)<br />TD for [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]}}
|{{small|30 June}}<br />1981
|{{small|9 March}}<br />1982
|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[17th government of Ireland|17th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Michael O'Leary (politician)|Michael O'Leary]]
|[[22nd Dáil|22]] {{small|([[1981 Irish general election|1981]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |{{small|(7)}}
|{{CSS image crop|Image =Charles Haughey 1989 (headshot).png|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[Charles Haughey]]'''<br />{{small|(1925–2006)<br />TD for [[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]}}
|{{small|9 March}}<br />1982
|{{small|14 December}}<br />1982
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[18th government of Ireland|18th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Ray MacSharry]]
|[[23rd Dáil|23]] {{small|([[February 1982 Irish general election|Feb.1982]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" rowspan=2 |{{small|(8)}}
|rowspan=2 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Garret FitzGerald 1975 (cropped).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=2 |'''[[Garret FitzGerald]]'''<br />{{small|(1926–2011)<br />TD for [[Dublin South-East (Dáil constituency)|Dublin South-East]]}}
|rowspan=2 |{{small|14 December}}<br />1982
|rowspan=2 |{{small|10 March}}<br />1987
|rowspan=2 |[[Fine Gael]]
|rowspan=2 |[[19th government of Ireland|19th]]
|rowspan=2 |{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]<br />[[Fine Gael|FG]] (minority) from Jan 1987}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Dick Spring]]
|rowspan=2 |[[24th Dáil|24]] {{small|([[November 1982 Irish general election|Nov.1982]])}}
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
|[[Peter Barry (politician)|Peter Barry]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=3 |{{small|(7)}}
|rowspan=3 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Charles Haughey 1989 (headshot).png|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=3 |'''[[Charles Haughey]]'''<br />{{small|(1925–2006)<br />TD for [[Dublin North-Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin North-Central]]}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|10 March}}<br />1987
|rowspan=3 |{{small|11 February}}<br />1992
|rowspan=3 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[20th government of Ireland|20th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority)}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" rowspan="2" |
|rowspan=2 |[[Brian Lenihan Snr|Brian Lenihan]]
|[[25th Dáil|25]] {{small|([[1987 Irish general election|1987]])}}
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[21st government of Ireland|21st]]
|rowspan=2 |{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]}}
|rowspan=3 |[[26th Dáil|26]] {{small|([[1989 Irish general election|1989]])}}
|-
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|rowspan=2 |[[John Wilson (Irish politician)|John Wilson]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" rowspan=3 |9
|rowspan=3 |{{CSS image crop|Image =Albert Reynolds (cropped).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|rowspan=3 |'''[[Albert Reynolds]]'''<br />{{small|(1932–2014)<br />TD for [[Longford–Roscommon (Dáil constituency)|Longford–Roscommon]]}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|11 February}}<br />1992
|rowspan=3 |{{small|15 December}}<br />1994
|rowspan=3 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[22nd government of Ireland|22nd]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]<br />[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority) from Nov 1992}}
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[23rd government of Ireland|23rd]]
|rowspan=2 |{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]<br />[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority) from Nov 1994}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Dick Spring]]
|rowspan=3 |[[27th Dáil|27]] {{small|([[1992 Irish general election|1992]])}}
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Bertie Ahern]]
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |10
|{{CSS image crop|Image =John Bruton, February 2002 (cropped 02).jpg|bSize = 60|cWidth = 60|cHeight = 80|oTop = 0|oLeft = 0}} 
|'''[[John Bruton]]'''<br />{{small|(1947–2024)<br />TD for [[Meath (Dáil constituency)|Meath]]}}
|{{small|15 December}}<br />1994
|{{small|26 June}}<br />1997
|[[Fine Gael]]
|[[24th government of Ireland|24th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]–[[Democratic Left (Ireland)|DL]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Dick Spring]]
|-
!rowspan=4 style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |11
|rowspan=4 |{{CSS image crop|Image=Bertie Ahern 2006 (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
|rowspan=4 |'''[[Bertie Ahern]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1951)<br />TD for [[Dublin Central (Dáil constituency)|Dublin Central]]}}
|rowspan=4 |{{small|26 June}}<br />1997
|rowspan=4 |{{small|7 May}}<br />2008
|rowspan=4 |[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[25th government of Ireland|25th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]] (minority)}}
|rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Progressive Democrats}}" |
|rowspan=2 |[[Mary Harney]]
|[[28th Dáil|28]] {{small|([[1997 Irish general election|1997]])}}
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[26th government of Ireland|26th]]
|rowspan=2 |{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]}}
|rowspan=2 |[[29th Dáil|29]] {{small|([[2002 Irish general election|2002]])}}
|-
|[[Michael McDowell (politician)|Michael McDowell]]
|-
|[[27th government of Ireland|27th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Brian Cowen]]
|rowspan=2 |[[30th Dáil|30]] {{small|([[2007 Irish general election|2007]])}}
|-
!style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |12
|{{CSS image crop|Image=Brian Cowen, June 2010 (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
|'''[[Brian Cowen]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1960)<br />TD for [[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]]}}
|{{small|7 May}}<br />2008
|{{small|9 March}}<br />2011
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[28th government of Ireland|28th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]–[[Progressive Democrats|PD]]<br />[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]–[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Ind]] from Nov 2009<br />[[Fianna Fáil|FF]] (minority) from Jan 2011}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|[[Mary Coughlan (politician)|Mary Coughlan]]
|-
!rowspan=3 style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |13
|rowspan=3 |{{CSS image crop|Image=Enda Kenny EPP 2014 (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
|rowspan=3 |'''[[Enda Kenny]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1951)<br />TD for [[Mayo (Dáil constituency)|Mayo]]}}
|rowspan=3 |{{small|9 March}}<br />2011
|rowspan=3 |{{small|14 June}}<br />2017<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0613/882267-enda-kenny/|title=Kenny's farewell: 'This has never been about me'|date=13 June 2017|publisher=[[RTÉ News]]|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=13 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613035137/https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0613/882267-enda-kenny/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|rowspan=3 |[[Fine Gael]]
|rowspan=2 |[[29th government of Ireland|29th]]
|rowspan=2 |{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Labour Party (Ireland)|Lab]]}}
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Eamon Gilmore]]
|rowspan=2 |[[31st Dáil|31]] {{small|([[2011 Irish general election|2011]])}}
|-
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (Ireland)}}" |
|[[Joan Burton]]
|-
|[[30th government of Ireland|30th]]
|{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Ind]] (minority)}}
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
|rowspan=2|[[Frances Fitzgerald (politician)|Frances Fitzgerald]]
|rowspan=3|[[32nd Dáil|32]] {{small|([[2016 Irish general election|2016]])}}
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |14
| rowspan="2" |{{CSS image crop|Image=Leo Varadkar, December 2022 (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
| rowspan="2" |'''[[Leo Varadkar]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1979)<br />TD for [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]}}
| rowspan="2" |{{small|14 June}}<br />2017<ref name=IrishTimes2017-06-08a>{{cite news|last1=Lord|first1=Miriam|title=Taoiseach-in-waiting meets man waiting to be taoiseach|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/leo-varadkar-the-man-who-evolved-into-a-taoiseach-1.3106073|access-date=10 June 2017|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=8 June 2017|archive-date=8 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608013704/http://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/leo-varadkar-the-man-who-evolved-into-a-taoiseach-1.3106073|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rowspan="2" |{{small|27 June}}<br />2020
| rowspan="2" |[[Fine Gael]]
| rowspan="2" |[[31st government of Ireland|31st]]
| rowspan="2" |{{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Ind]] (minority)}}
|-
| [[Simon Coveney]]
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |15
| {{CSS image crop|Image=Micheál Martin TD (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
| '''[[Micheál Martin]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1960)<br />TD for [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]}}
| {{small|27 June}}<br />2020
| {{small|17 December}}<br />2022
| [[Fianna Fáil]]
| [[32nd government of Ireland|32nd]]
| {{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
| [[Leo Varadkar]]
| rowspan="3" | [[33rd Dáil|33]] {{small|([[2020 Irish general election|2020]])}}
|-
! rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |{{small|(14)}}
| rowspan="1" |{{CSS image crop|Image=Leo Varadkar, December 2022 (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
| rowspan="1" |'''[[Leo Varadkar]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1979)<br />TD for [[Dublin West (Dáil constituency)|Dublin West]]}}
| rowspan="1" |{{small|17 December}}<br />2022
| rowspan="1" |{{small|9 April}}<br />2024
| rowspan="1" |[[Fine Gael]]
| rowspan="1" |[[33rd government of Ireland|33rd]]
| {{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Micheál Martin]]
|-
! rowspan="1" style="background:{{party color|Fine Gael}}; color:white;" |16
| rowspan="1" |{{CSS image crop|Image=Simon Harris (2024) (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}} 
| rowspan="1" |'''[[Simon Harris]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1986)<br />TD for [[Wicklow (Dáil constituency)|Wicklow]]}}
| rowspan="1" |{{small|9 April}}<br />2024
| rowspan="1" |{{small|23 January}}<br />2025
| rowspan="1" |[[Fine Gael]]
| rowspan="1" |[[34th government of Ireland|34th]]
| {{small|[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Green Party (Ireland)|Green]]}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Fianna Fáil}}" |
|-
! style="background:{{party color|Fianna Fáil}}; color:white;" |(15)
|{{CSS image crop|Image=Micheál Martin TD (cropped).jpg|bSize=60|cWidth=60|cHeight=80|oTop=0|oLeft=0}}
|'''[[Micheál Martin]]'''<br />{{small|(b. 1960)<br />TD for [[Cork South-Central (Dáil constituency)|Cork South-Central]]}}
|{{small|23 January}}<br />2025
|''Incumbent''
|[[Fianna Fáil]]
|[[35th government of Ireland|35th]]
|{{small|[[Fianna Fáil|FF]]–[[Fine Gael|FG]]–[[Independent politician (Ireland)|Ind]]}}
| style="background-color: {{party color|Fine Gael}}" |
|[[Simon Harris]]
|[[34th Dáil|34]] {{small|([[2024 Irish general election|2024]])}}
|}

==Timeline==
<div style="overflow:auto">
{{#tag:timeline|
Define $width = 1000 # 4 pixels per year ($end - $start) × 4
Define $warning = 880 # $width - 120
Define $height = 500 # 16 × 25 + 150
Define $footnote = 800 # $width  - 400

DateFormat  = dd/mm/yyyy
Period      = from:01/01/1880 till:31/12/{{#expr:{{#time:Y}}}}
Define $start = 01/01/1880 # Just before eldest (Cosgrave) was born
Define $end = 31/12/{{CURRENTYEAR}}
Define $now = {{#time:d/m/Y|-3 hours}}

ImageSize  = width:$width height:$height
PlotArea   = right:10 left:1 bottom:80 top:60
Period     = from:$start till:$end
TimeAxis   = orientation:horizontal
Legend = orientation:vertical columns:1 left:0 top:50 columnwidth:500

Colors =
     id:bg                 value:white
     id:lightline          value:rgb(0.8, 0.8, 0.8)
     id:lighttext          value:rgb(0.5, 0.5, 0.5)
     id:LIFESPAN           value:rgb(0.88, 0.90, 0.70) Legend: Lifespan
     id:CnnG               value:rgb(0.6, 0.8, 0.9) Legend: Cumann_na_nGaedheal
     id:FF                 value:rgb(0.4, 0.7, 0.4) Legend: Fianna_Fáil
     id:FG                 value:rgb(0.4, 0.6, 0.9) Legend: Fine_Gael
     id:NAME               value:rgb(0.15, 0.13, 0.05)
     id:TODAY              value:green

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg
ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline unit:year increment:1 start:$start
ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lighttext unit:year increment:10 start:1880

Define $dy = -5 # shift text to button side of bar

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   at:$now color:TODAY width:0.1

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  bar:1 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:05/06/1880 till:06/12/1922 shift:(50,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[W. T. Cosgrave]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:06/12/1922 till:16/11/1965
    color:CnnG
    from:06/12/1922 till:09/03/1932

  bar:2 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:14/10/1882 till:09/03/1932 shift:(60,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Éamon de Valera]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:09/03/1932 till:29/08/1975
    color:FF
    from:09/03/1932 till:18/02/1948
    color:FF
    from:13/06/1951 till:02/06/1954
    color:FF
    from:20/03/1957 till:23/06/1959

  bar:3 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:20/06/1891 till:18/02/1948 shift:(50,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[John A. Costello]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:18/02/1948 till:05/01/1976
    color:FG
    from:18/02/1948 till:13/06/1951
    color:FG
    from:02/06/1954 till:20/03/1957

  bar:4 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:15/07/1899 till:23/06/1959 shift:(60,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Seán Lemass]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:23/06/1959 till:11/05/1971
    color:FF
    from:23/06/1959 till:10/11/1966

  bar:5 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:15/08/1917 till:10/11/1966 shift:(30,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Jack Lynch]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:10/11/1966 till:20/10/1999
    color:FF
    from:10/11/1966 till:14/03/1973
    color:FF
    from:05/07/1977 till:11/12/1979

  bar:6 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:13/04/1920 till:14/03/1973 shift:(50,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Liam Cosgrave]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:14/03/1973 till:04/10/2017
    color:FG
    from:14/03/1973 till:05/07/1977

  bar:7 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:16/09/1925 till:11/12/1979 shift:(60,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Charles Haughey]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:11/12/1979 till:13/06/2006
    color:FF
    from:11/12/1979 till:30/06/1981
    color:FF
    from:09/03/1982 till:14/12/1982
    color:FF
    from:10/03/1987 till:11/02/1992

  bar:8 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:09/02/1926 till:30/06/1981 shift:(70,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Garret FitzGerald]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:30/06/1981 till:19/05/2011
    color:FG
    from:30/06/1981 till:09/03/1982
    color:FG
    from:14/12/1982 till:10/03/1987

  bar:9 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:03/11/1932 till:11/02/1992 shift:(80,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Albert Reynolds]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:11/02/1992 till:21/08/2014
    color:FF
    from:11/02/1992 till:15/12/1994

  bar:10 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:18/05/1947 till:15/12/1994 shift:(60,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[John Bruton]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:15/12/1994 till:06/02/2024
    color:FG
    from:15/12/1994 till:26/06/1997

  bar:11 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:12/09/1951 till:26/06/1997 shift:(60,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Bertie Ahern]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:26/06/1997 till:$now
    color:FF
    from:26/06/1997 till:07/05/2008

  bar:12 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:10/01/1960 till:07/05/2008 shift:(50,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Brian Cowen]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:07/05/2008 till:$now
    color:FF
    from:07/05/2008 till:09/03/2011

  bar:13 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:24/04/1951 till:09/03/2011 shift:(100,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Enda Kenny]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:09/03/2011 till:$now
    color:FG
    from:09/03/2011 till:14/06/2017

  bar:14 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:18/01/1979 till:14/06/2017 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Leo Varadkar]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:14/06/2017 till:$now
    color:FG
    from:14/06/2017 till:27/06/2020
    color:FG
    from:17/12/2022 till:09/04/2024

  bar:15 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:01/08/1960 till:27/06/2020 shift:(80,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Micheál Martin]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:27/06/2020 till:$now
    color:FF
    from:27/06/2020 till:17/12/2022
    color:FF
    from:23/01/2025 till:$now

  bar:16 width:18
    color:LIFESPAN align:center fontsize:M
    from:17/10/1986 till:09/04/2024 shift:(-0,$dy) textcolor:NAME text:[[Simon Harris]]
    color:LIFESPAN
    from:09/04/2024 till:$now
    color:FG
    from:09/04/2024 till:23/01/2025

TextData =
  fontsize:M
  textcolor:green
  pos:($warning,30)
  text:Updated {{CURRENTMONTH}}/{{CURRENTYEAR}}

TextData =
   pos:(290,$height)
   fontsize:L
   textcolor:black
   text:"Lifespan and terms of office of each Taoiseach"
}}</div>

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last=Farrell |first=Brian |author-link=Brian Farrell (broadcaster) |year=1971 |title=Chairman or Chief?: The Role of the Taoiseach in Irish Government |publisher=[[Gill & Macmillan]]}}
*{{Cite book |last=O'Malley |first=Eoin |title=Governing Ireland: From cabinet government to delegated governance |publisher=[[Institute of Public Administration (Ireland)|IPA]] |year=2012 |editor-last=O'Malley |editor-first=Eoin |location=Dublin |chapter=The Apex of Government: Cabinet and Taoiseach in operation |editor-last2=MacCarthaigh |editor-first2=Muiris}}.
*{{Cite news |last=Gwynn Morgan |first=David |date=8 March 2016 |title=What exactly is a caretaker taoiseach? |newspaper=The Irish Times |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/david-gwynn-morgan-what-exactly-is-a-caretaker-taoiseach-1.2563548}}

===Biographies===
Biographies are also available of de Valera, Lemass, Lynch, Cosgrave, FitzGerald, Haughey, Reynolds and Ahern. FitzGerald wrote an autobiography, while an authorised biography was produced of de Valera.

'''Some biographies and memoirs of former Taoisigh and presidents of the Executive Council:'''
*Tim Pat Coogan, ''Éamon de Valera''
*John Horgan, ''Seán Lemass''
*Brian Farrell, ''Seán Lemass''
*T. P. O'Mahony, ''Jack Lynch: A Biography''
*T. Ryle Dwyer, ''Nice Fellow: A Biography of Jack Lynch''
*Stephen Collins, ''The Cosgrave Legacy''
*Garret FitzGerald, ''All in a Life''
*Garret FitzGerald, ''Just Garret: Tales from the Political Frontline''
*Raymond Smith, ''Garret: The Enigma''
*T. Ryle Dwyer, ''Short Fellow: A Biography of Charles Haughey''
*Martin Mansergh, ''Spirit of the Nation: The Collected Speeches of Haughey''
*Joe Joyce & Peter Murtagh ''The Boss: Charles Haughey in Government''
*Tim Ryan, ''Albert Reynolds: The Longford Leader''
*Albert Reynolds, ''My Autobiography''
*Bertie Ahern, ''My Autobiography''

==See also==
*[[Politics of the Republic of Ireland]]
*[[Records of Irish heads of government since 1922]]
*[[List of Irish heads of government]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Taoisigh}}
{{Wiktionary|taoiseach}}

*{{Official website|https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-the-taoiseach/}}

{{Prime Ministers of Ireland}}
{{Government of Ireland}}
{{Europe heads of state and government}}
{{European Council}}
{{Types of heads of government}}
{{Prime Minister}}

[[Category:Taoisigh| ]]
[[Category:1937 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Government ministers of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Heads of government]]
[[Category:Lists of political office-holders in the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:Lists of prime ministers by country|Ireland]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]
[[Category:Westminster system]]