Government of the 28th Dáil

The 25th government of Ireland (26 June 1997 – 6 June 2002) was the government of Ireland formed after the 1997 general election to the 28th Dáil held on 6 June 1997. It was a minority coalition government of Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats, led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. It lasted days.

Nomination of Taoiseach
The 28th Dáil first met on 26 June 1997. In the debate on the nomination of Taoisech, both outgoing Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader John Bruton and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern were proposed. The vote on Bruton was defeated with 75 votes in favour to 87 against, while the vote on Ahern was approved by 85 to 78. Ahern was then appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary Robinson.

Government ministers
After his appointment by the president, Bertie Ahern proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day. {| class="wikitable" !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Taoiseach
 * Bertie Ahern
 * 1997–2002
 * Tánaiste
 * rowspan=2|Mary Harney
 * rowspan=2|1997–2002
 * Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
 * Minister for Marine and Natural Resources
 * Michael Woods
 * 1997–2000
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs
 * Ray Burke
 * 1997
 * Minister for Public Enterprise
 * Mary O'Rourke
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Defence
 * David Andrews
 * 1997
 * Minister for Agriculture and Food
 * Joe Walsh
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Finance
 * Charlie McCreevy
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Health and Children
 * Brian Cowen
 * 1997–2000
 * Minister for the Environment and Local Government
 * Noel Dempsey
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
 * Dermot Ahern
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Síle de Valera
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
 * John O'Donoghue
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Jim McDaid
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Education and Science
 * Micheál Martin
 * 1997–2000
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for the Environment and Local Government
 * Noel Dempsey
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
 * Dermot Ahern
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Síle de Valera
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
 * John O'Donoghue
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Jim McDaid
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Education and Science
 * Micheál Martin
 * 1997–2000
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Jim McDaid
 * 1997–2002
 * Minister for Education and Science
 * Micheál Martin
 * 1997–2000
 * colspan="5"|
 * Minister for Education and Science
 * Micheál Martin
 * 1997–2000
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 8 October 1997
Following the resignation of Ray Burke after allegations of corrupt payments under investigation by the Flood Tribunal. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs
 * David Andrews
 * 1997–2000
 * Minister for Defence
 * Michael Smith
 * 1997–2002
 * colspan="5"|
 * Michael Smith
 * 1997–2002
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 27 January 2000
Following the retirement from government of David Andrews. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party
 * Minister for Education and Science
 * Michael Woods
 * 2000–2002
 * Minister for Foreign Affairs
 * Brian Cowen
 * 2000–2002
 * Minister for Health and Children
 * Micheál Martin
 * 2000–2002
 * Minister for Marine and Natural Resources
 * Frank Fahey
 * 2000–2002
 * }
 * 2000–2002
 * Minister for Marine and Natural Resources
 * Frank Fahey
 * 2000–2002
 * }
 * 2000–2002
 * }
 * }


 * Changes to Departments

Attorney General
David Byrne SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach. In 1999, he resigned on his nomination as European Commissioner. On 17 July 1999, Michael McDowell SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of state
On 26 June 1997, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Séamus Brennan to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip and Bobby Molloy to the position of Minister of State to the Government. On 1 July 1997, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Michael Smith and Liz O'Donnell. On 8 July 1997, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed the other Ministers of State.

{| class="wikitable" !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party the Environmental Protection Agency
 * Séamus Brennan
 * Taoiseach Defence
 * Government Chief Whip
 * Bobby Molloy
 * Minister of State to the Government Environment and Local Government
 * Housing and urban renewal
 * Michael Smith
 * Education and Science Enterprise, Trade and Employment
 * Science and technology
 * Liz O'Donnell
 * Foreign Affairs||Overseas development assistance and human rights
 * Noel Davern
 * Agriculture and Food
 * Livestock breeding and horticulture
 * Joe Jacob
 * Public Enterprise
 * Energy
 * Frank Fahey
 * Health and Children
 * Children
 * Willie O'Dea
 * Education and Science
 * Adult education, youth affairs and school transport
 * Tom Kitt
 * Enterprise, Trade and Employment
 * Labour affairs, consumer rights and international trade
 * Chris Flood
 * Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Local development and the National Drugs Strategy Team
 * Dan Wallace
 * Environment and Local Government
 * Environmental information and awareness and
 * Children
 * Willie O'Dea
 * Education and Science
 * Adult education, youth affairs and school transport
 * Tom Kitt
 * Enterprise, Trade and Employment
 * Labour affairs, consumer rights and international trade
 * Chris Flood
 * Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Local development and the National Drugs Strategy Team
 * Dan Wallace
 * Environment and Local Government
 * Environmental information and awareness and
 * Chris Flood
 * Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Local development and the National Drugs Strategy Team
 * Dan Wallace
 * Environment and Local Government
 * Environmental information and awareness and
 * Environment and Local Government
 * Environmental information and awareness and
 * Ned O'Keeffe
 * Agriculture and Food
 * Food
 * Hugh Byrne
 * Marine and Natural Resources
 * Aquaculture and forestry
 * Mary Wallace
 * Justice, Equality and Law Reform
 * Equality and disabilities
 * Martin Cullen
 * Finance
 * Office of Public Works
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Gaeltacht and the islands
 * Tom Moffatt
 * Health and Children
 * Food safety and older people
 * colspan="5"|
 * Office of Public Works
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Gaeltacht and the islands
 * Tom Moffatt
 * Health and Children
 * Food safety and older people
 * colspan="5"|
 * Tom Moffatt
 * Health and Children
 * Food safety and older people
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 9 October 1997
Following the appointment of Michael Smith as Minister for Defence the previous day. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party
 * Noel Treacy
 * Education and Science Enterprise, Trade and Employment
 * Science and technology
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 21 January 1998
Expansion of scope of Minister of State for Children. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party
 * Frank Fahey
 * Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science||Children
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 1 February 2000
Following the resignation of Chris Flood and the appointment of Frank Fahey as Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party
 * Eoin Ryan
 * Tourism, Sport and Recreation
 * Local development
 * Mary Hanafin
 * Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science||Children
 * colspan="5"|
 * Mary Hanafin
 * Health and Children Justice, Equality and Law Reform Education and Science||Children
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 19 February 2001
Following the resignation of Ned O'Keeffe on 17 February. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party
 * Éamon Ó Cuív
 * Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
 * Rural development and the Western Development Commission
 * Mary Coughlan
 * Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * colspan="5"|
 * Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * Gaeltacht and the Islands
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|
 * colspan="5"|

Changes 11 April 2002
Following the resignation of Bobby Molloy as a Minister of State on 10 April 2002. O'Donnell continued in her position as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Molloy's position as Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government was not filled. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan="2"|Party
 * Liz O'Donnell
 * Minister of State to the Government
 * }
 * }
 * }
 * }

Confidence in the government
After evidence given by Ahern at the Moriarty Tribunal, a motion of no confidence was proposed in the government. This was then debated on 30 June 2000 as a motion of confidence in the government, proposed by the Taoiseach. It was approved by the Dáil.

Dissolution
On 25 April 2002, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, and a general election was held on 17 May. The 29th Dáil met on 6 June and Bertie Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach and formed a new government.