The executive branch of the modern Ireland is known as the Government. However, since 1919, cabinets have functioned in the southern twenty-six counties of Ireland under two other names: the Ministry of Dáil Éireann of the 1919–22 Irish Republic, and the Executive Council of the 1922–37 Irish Free State. There also briefly existed, immediately before the creation of the Irish Free State, an interim cabinet called the Provisional Government. The Ministry and the Provisional Government functioned in parallel for a number of months in 1922.
The most recently devolved branch of Northern Ireland is known as the Northern Ireland Executive, established under the Good Friday Agreement. The Executive has been in operation, intermittently, since 1999, and is current operational. Since 1921, Northern Ireland has been governed by two other devolved cabinets: Executive Committee of the Privy Council from 1921–72 and the Northern Ireland Executive of 1974. Northern Ireland has also been governed by direct rule from 1972–74, 1974–98 and 2002–07.
Body | Election/Formed | Cabinet | Head | Deputy | Parties |
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1st House of Commons | 1921 election | Craigavon ministry | | James Craig | | Hugh MacDowell Pollock | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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2nd House of Commons | 1925 election | | James Craig | | Hugh MacDowell Pollock | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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3rd House of Commons | 1929 election | | James Craig | | Hugh MacDowell Pollock | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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4th House of Commons | 1933 election | | James Craig | | Hugh MacDowell Pollock | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| John Miller Andrews |
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5th House of Commons | 1938 election | | James Craig | | John Miller Andrews | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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1940 | Andrews ministry | | John Miller Andrews | None | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| John Milne Barbour |
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1943 | Brookeborough ministry | | Basil Brooke | | John Maynard Sinclair | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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6th House of Commons | 1945 election | | Basil Brooke | | John Maynard Sinclair | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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7th House of Commons | 1949 election | | Basil Brooke | | John Maynard Sinclair | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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None |
| Brian Maginess |
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8th House of Commons | 1953 election | | Basil Brooke | | Brian Maginess | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| George Boyle Hanna |
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| Terence O'Neill |
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9th House of Commons | 1958 election | | Basil Brooke | | Terence O'Neill | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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10th House of Commons | 1962 election | | Basil Brooke | | Terence O'Neill | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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1963 | O'Neill ministry | | Terence O'Neill | | Jack Andrews | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| Ivan Neill |
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| Herbert Kirk |
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11th House of Commons | 1965 election | | Terence O'Neill | | Herbert Kirk | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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12th House of Commons | 1969 election | | Terence O'Neill | | Herbert Kirk | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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1969 (May) | Chichester-Clark ministry | | James Chichester-Clark | | Jack Andrews | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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1971 | Faulkner ministry | | Brian Faulkner | | Jack Andrews | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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1972 | Direct rule | | Secretary of State William Whitelaw | | Conservative Party |
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1973 Assembly | 1973 election | | Secretary of State William Whitelaw | | Conservative Party |
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1973 (Dec) | | Secretary of State Francis Pym | | Conservative Party |
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1974 (Jan) | Executive (1974) | | Brian Faulkner | | Gerry Fitt | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| Social Democratic and Labour Party |
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| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland |
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1974 (May) | Direct rule | | Secretary of State Merlyn Rees | | Labour Party |
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Constitutional Convention | 1975 election | | Secretary of State Merlyn Rees | | Labour Party |
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1976 | | Secretary of State Roy Mason | | Labour Party |
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1979 | | Secretary of State Humphrey Atkins | | Conservative Party |
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1981 | | Secretary of State James Prior | | Conservative Party |
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1982 Assembly | 1982 election | | Secretary of State James Prior | | Conservative Party |
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1984 | | Secretary of State Douglas Hurd | | Conservative Party |
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1985 | | Secretary of State Tom King | | Conservative Party |
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1989 | | Secretary of State Peter Brooke | | Conservative Party |
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1992 | | Secretary of State Sir Patrick Mayhew | | Conservative Party |
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Forum | 1996 election | | Secretary of State Sir Patrick Mayhew | | Conservative Party |
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1997 | | Secretary of State Mo Mowlam | | Labour Party |
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1st Assembly | 1998 election | 1st Executive | | David Trimble | | Seamus Mallon | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| Social Democratic and Labour Party |
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| Mark Durkan | | Democratic Unionist Party |
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| Sinn Féin |
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2nd Assembly | 2003 election | Direct rule | | Secretary of State John Reid | | Labour Party |
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2002 | | Secretary of State Paul Murphy | | Labour Party |
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2005 | | Secretary of State Peter Hain | | Labour Party |
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3rd Assembly | 2007 election | 2nd Executive | | Ian Paisley | | Martin McGuinness | | Democratic Unionist Party |
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| Sinn Féin |
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| Peter Robinson | | Ulster Unionist Party |
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| Social Democratic and Labour Party |
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| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland |
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4th Assembly | 2011 election | 3rd Executive | | Peter Robinson | | Martin McGuinness | | Democratic Unionist Party |
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| Sinn Féin |
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| Ulster Unionist Party |
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| Social Democratic and Labour Party |
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| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland |
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5th Assembly | 2016 election | 4th Executive | | Arlene Foster | | Martin McGuinness | | Democratic Unionist Party |
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| Sinn Féin |
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|
6th Assembly | 2017 election | 5th Executive |
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1. ^The President of Dáil Éireann was upgraded to a head of state-level President of the Irish Republic in August 1921.
2. ^1 The Fourth Ministry and First Provisional Government held office simultaneously for many months. The membership of both was merged when the Second Provisional Government came to office in August.
3. ^From 3 May 1969, a separate and distinct office of Deputy Prime Minister was created.