Government of the 32nd Dáil

The members of the 32nd Dáil first met on 10 March 2016. In debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, four candidates were proposed. None of the motions proposing these candidates were successful.[2] Fine Gael leader and outgoing Taoiseach Enda Kenny resigned as Taoiseach, with the government continuing in a caretaker capacity to carry out its duties until its successors would be appointed.[3] On 6 April and 14 April, further votes were taken on proposals to nominate candidates for the position of Taoiseach, with no candidate successful.[4][5] On 6 May, a motion proposing Enda Kenny for appointment as Taoiseach was approved by the Dáil.[6] Kenny was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Michael D. Higgins.[7]

6 May 2016 Nomination of Enda Kenny (FG) as Taoiseach[8] Motion proposed by Noel Rock and seconded by Catherine Byrne Absolute majority: 79/158
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fine Gael (50), Independent (9)	59 / 158
No	Sinn Féin (23), Labour Party (7), Anti-Austerity Alliance–People Before Profit (6), Independents 4 Change (4), Social Democrats (3), Workers and Unemployed Action (1), Independents (5)	49 / 158
Not voting	Fianna Fáil (43), Green Party (2), Independent (4), Ceann Comhairle (1)	50 / 158

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Enda Kenny proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[7] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[9]

Changes to Departments

Máire Whelan SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[7][9]

On 6 May 2016, the Government appointed the following as Ministers of State in attendance at cabinet, but without a vote.[7][9]

On 15 February 2017, a motion of confidence in the government proposed by Taoiseach Enda Kenny was approved with 57 votes in favour to 52 against and 44 registered abstentions.[13]

On 17 May 2017, Enda Kenny resigned as leader of Fine Gael. Leo Varadkar succeeded him as leader in a party leadership election concluding on 2 June. On 13 June, Kenny resigned as Taoiseach.[14]

After the resignation of Enda Kenny as Taoiseach on the previous day, on 14 June 2017, Leo Varadkar was proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach.[15] This motion was approved and Varadkar was appointed by President Michael D. Higgins.[16] Varadkar was the first Fine Gael leader to succeed a party colleague as Taoiseach within a Dáil term.

14 June 2017 Nomination of Leo Varadkar (FG) as Taoiseach[17] Motion proposed by Enda Kenny and seconded by Josepha Madigan Absolute majority: 79/158
Vote	Parties	Votes
Y Yes	Fine Gael (50), Independents (7)	57 / 158
No	Sinn Féin (23), Labour Party (7), Solidarity–People Before Profit (5), Independents 4 Change (4), Green Party (2), Social Democrats (2), Workers and Unemployed Action (1), Independents (5)	50 / 158
Abstain	Fianna Fáil (41), Independents (4)	45 / 158
Absent or Not Voting	Fianna Fáil (3), Solidarity–People Before Profit (1), Independent (1), Ceann Comhairle (1)	6 / 158

After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Leo Varadkar proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.[16] They were appointed by the president on the same day.[18]

Changes to Departments

Séamus Woulfe SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.[16][18]

On 14 June 2017, the Government appointed the following as Ministers of State in attendance at cabient, but without a vote.[16][18]

The Thirty-sixth Amendment was proposed by Minister for Health Simon Harris and approved in a referendum on 25 May 2018. It replaced the protection of the right of the unborn with a clause allowing the termination of pregnancy to be regulated by law. It was followed by the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018.

The Thirty-seventh Amendment was proposed by Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan and approved in a referendum on 26 October 2018. It removed the offence of blasphemy from the Constitution. It was followed by the Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Act 2019.

The Thirty-eighth Amendment had been proposed by Josepha Madigan as a private member's bill before her appointment to government, and proposed to reduce the waiting period for divorce. It was supported by the Minister for Justice and Equality, who amended it remove the reference to a required period of separation before divorce, and to regulate foreign divorce. It was approved in a referendum on 24 May 2019 and was followed by the Family Law Act 2019.

On 25 September 2018, a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy proposed by Eoin Ó Broin for Sinn Féin was defeated, with 49 votes in favour to 59 votes against and 29 registered abstentions.[30]

On 20 February 2019, a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health Simon Harris proposed by Louise O'Reilly for Sinn Féin was defeated, with 53 votes in favour to 58 votes against and 37 registered abstentions.[31]

On 3 December 2019, a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government Eoghan Murphy proposed by Catherine Murphy for the Social Democrats was defeated, with 53 votes in favour to 56 votes against and 35 registered abstentions.[32]

On 14 January, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar sought a dissolution of the Dáil which was granted by the president, with the new Dáil to convene on 20 February at 12 noon.[33][34] The general election took place on 8 February.

The members of the 33rd Dáil first met on 20 February. Leo Varadkar, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan were each proposed for nomination as Taoiseach. None of the four motions were successful. Leo Varadkar announced that he would resign as Taoiseach but that under the provisions of Article 28.11 of the Constitution, the government would continue to carry out their duties until their successors are appointed.[35][36]

On 27 June, Micheál Martin was nominated by the Dáil for appointment as Taoiseach by the President.

The government proposed two pieces of legislation in response to the coronavirus pandemic which were passed by the Oireachtas: the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, enacted on 20 March, and the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020, enacted on 27 March. Regulations were introduced by Minister for Health Simon Harris on 8 April, and extended on 10 April, and lasted until 5 May 2020.[37][38]