Minister of State at the Department of Education

The Minister of State at the Department of Education is a junior ministerial post in the Department of Education of the Government of Ireland who performs duties and functions delegated by the Minister for Education. A minister of state does not hold cabinet rank.

There are currently two Ministers of State:
 * Thomas Byrne, TD – Minister of State with responsibility for Sport and physical education
 * Hildegarde Naughton, TD – Minister of State with responsibility for Special education and inclusion

List of parliamentary secretaries
{| class="wikitable"
 * colspan="6"|
 * colspan="6"|

Department of Education 1969–1978
!Name !colspan=2|Term of Office !colspan=2|Party !Government
 * Patrick Lindsay
 * 2 July 1956
 * 24 October 1956
 * 7th
 * Bobby Molloy
 * 2 July 1969
 * 9 May 1970
 * rowspan=3|13th
 * Michael O'Kennedy
 * 9 May 1970
 * 3 January 1973
 * Jim Tunney
 * 3 January 1973
 * 5 February 1973
 * John Bruton
 * 14 March 1973
 * 25 May 1977
 * 14th
 * Jim Tunney
 * 5 July 1977
 * 1 January 1978
 * 15th
 * }
 * John Bruton
 * 14 March 1973
 * 25 May 1977
 * 14th
 * Jim Tunney
 * 5 July 1977
 * 1 January 1978
 * 15th
 * }
 * 15th
 * }
 * }

List of ministers of state
{| class="wikitable"
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Department of Education 1978–1997
!Name !colspan=2|Term of Office !colspan=2|Party !Responsibilities !Government
 * rowspan=2|Jim Tunney
 * 1 January 1978
 * 11 December 1979
 * 15th
 * 12 December 1979
 * 30 June 1981
 * 16th
 * Michael Keating
 * 30 June 1981
 * 9 March 1982
 * Youth and Sport
 * 17th
 * Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
 * 9 March 1982
 * 14 December 1982
 * Youth and Sport
 * 18th
 * Donal Creed
 * 16 December 1982
 * 18 February 1986
 * School Buildings and Sport
 * rowspan=4|19th
 * George Birmingham
 * 15 December 1983
 * 13 February 1986
 * Youth Affairs
 * Seán Barrett
 * 13 February 1986
 * 10 March 1987
 * Sport
 * Enda Kenny
 * 18 February 1986
 * 10 March 1987
 * Youth Affairs
 * rowspan=2|Frank Fahey
 * 12 March 1987
 * 12 July 1989
 * rowspan=2|Youth and Sport
 * 20th
 * 19 July 1989
 * 11 February 1992
 * 21st
 * rowspan=2|Liam Aylward
 * 13 February 1992
 * 14 January 1993
 * rowspan=2|Youth and Sport
 * 22nd
 * 14 January 1993
 * 15 December 1994
 * 23rd
 * Bernard Allen
 * 20 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * School Buildings and Sport
 * rowspan=2|24th
 * Austin Currie
 * 20 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * Children
 * colspan="7"|
 * 11 February 1992
 * 21st
 * rowspan=2|Liam Aylward
 * 13 February 1992
 * 14 January 1993
 * rowspan=2|Youth and Sport
 * 22nd
 * 14 January 1993
 * 15 December 1994
 * 23rd
 * Bernard Allen
 * 20 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * School Buildings and Sport
 * rowspan=2|24th
 * Austin Currie
 * 20 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * Children
 * colspan="7"|
 * Austin Currie
 * 20 December 1994
 * 26 June 1997
 * Children
 * colspan="7"|
 * Children
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Department of Education and Science 1997–2010
!Name !colspan=2|Term of Office !colspan=2|Party !Responsibilities !Government
 * Michael Smith
 * 1 July 1997
 * 9 October 1997
 * Science and Technology
 * rowspan=5|25th
 * Willie O'Dea
 * 8 July 1997
 * 6 June 2002
 * Adult Education, Youth Affairs and School Transport
 * Noel Treacy
 * 9 October 1997
 * 6 June 2002
 * Science and Technology
 * Frank Fahey
 * 21 January 1998
 * 1 February 2000
 * Children
 * Mary Hanafin
 * 1 February 2000
 * 6 June 2002
 * Children
 * Síle de Valera
 * 19 June 2002
 * 8 December 2006
 * Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage
 * rowspan=3|26th
 * Brian Lenihan
 * 19 June 2002
 * 14 June 2007
 * Children
 * rowspan=3|Seán Haughey
 * 12 December 2006
 * 14 June 2007
 * Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage
 * 20 June 2007
 * 7 May 2008
 * rowspan=2|Lifelong Learning, Youth Work and School Transport
 * 27th
 * 13 May 2008
 * 9 March 2011
 * 28th
 * rowspan=3|Conor Lenihan
 * 20 June 2007
 * 7 May 2008
 * rowspan=2|Integration Policy
 * 27th
 * 13 May 2008
 * 22 April 2009
 * rowspan=2|28th
 * 22 April 2009
 * 9 March 2011
 * Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources
 * Michael Ahern
 * 20 June 2007
 * 7 May 2008
 * Innovation Policy
 * rowspan=2|27th
 * rowspan=2|Jimmy Devins
 * 9 July 2007
 * 7 May 2008
 * Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * 13 May 2008
 * 22 April 2009
 * Science, Technology and Innovation
 * rowspan=4|28th
 * rowspan=2|John Moloney
 * 13 May 2008
 * 23 March 2010
 * Equality, Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * 23 March 2010
 * 9 March 2011
 * Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * John Curran
 * 22 April 2009
 * 23 March 2010
 * Integration and Community
 * colspan="7"|
 * 7 May 2008
 * Innovation Policy
 * rowspan=2|27th
 * rowspan=2|Jimmy Devins
 * 9 July 2007
 * 7 May 2008
 * Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * 13 May 2008
 * 22 April 2009
 * Science, Technology and Innovation
 * rowspan=4|28th
 * rowspan=2|John Moloney
 * 13 May 2008
 * 23 March 2010
 * Equality, Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * 23 March 2010
 * 9 March 2011
 * Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * John Curran
 * 22 April 2009
 * 23 March 2010
 * Integration and Community
 * colspan="7"|
 * 9 March 2011
 * Disability Issues and Mental Health
 * John Curran
 * 22 April 2009
 * 23 March 2010
 * Integration and Community
 * colspan="7"|
 * Integration and Community
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Department of Education and Skills 2010–2020
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Responsibilities !Government
 * Mary White
 * 23 March 2010
 * 23 January 2011
 * Equality and Human Rights; and Integration
 * 28th
 * Seán Sherlock
 * 10 March 2011
 * 15 July 2014
 * Research and Innovation
 * rowspan=3|29th
 * Ciarán Cannon
 * 10 March 2011
 * 15 July 2014
 * Training and Skills
 * Damien English
 * 15 July 2014
 * 19 May 2016
 * Skills, Research and Innovation
 * rowspan=2|John Halligan
 * 19 May 2016
 * 14 June 2017
 * rowspan=2|Training and Skills
 * 30th
 * 14 June 2017
 * 27 June 2020
 * rowspan=2|31st
 * Mary Mitchell O'Connor
 * 14 June 2017
 * 27 June 2020
 * Higher Education
 * colspan="7"|
 * rowspan=2|Training and Skills
 * 30th
 * 14 June 2017
 * 27 June 2020
 * rowspan=2|31st
 * Mary Mitchell O'Connor
 * 14 June 2017
 * 27 June 2020
 * Higher Education
 * colspan="7"|
 * Higher Education
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|
 * colspan="7"|

Department of Education 2020–present
!Name !colspan="2"|Term of office !colspan="2"|Party !Responsibilities !Government
 * rowspan=2|Josepha Madigan
 * 1 July 2020
 * 17 December 2022
 * rowspan=2|Special education and inclusion
 * 32nd
 * 21 December 2022
 * 22 March 2024
 * 33rd
 * Thomas Byrne
 * 21 December 2022
 * Incumbent
 * Sport and physical education
 * 33rd • 34th
 * Hildegarde Naughton
 * 10 April 2024
 * Incumbent
 * Special education and inclusion
 * 34th
 * }
 * Hildegarde Naughton
 * 10 April 2024
 * Incumbent
 * Special education and inclusion
 * 34th
 * }
 * }