Minister of State at the Department of Defence
The Minister of State at the Department of Defence is a junior government minister in Ireland. They carry out duties for the Minister for Defence. Sometimes the same person also serves as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with the Government Chief Whip, which allows them to attend cabinet meetings, but the role itself does not have cabinet rank. The title began on 1 January 1978, replacing the old Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence. The minister is a member of the Council of Defence. The current minister is Thomas Byrne, TD, appointed in January 2025, who also serves as Minister of State for European Affairs.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 16:48 (CET).