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 Where is the Minister of Transport’s Office based?Department of the Minister of Transport, Transport House, 44 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. What is Noel Dempsey in Irish?Nollaig Ó Díomasaigh What year was Noel Dempsey born?06th of January 1953 Taoiseach's DepartmentThe Constitution of 1937 came in to operation on the 29th of December 1937. The Department of the President of the Executive Council became the Department of the Taoiseach. Who is the Taoiseach?Mr Brian Cowen is the Taoiseach in Ireland and he is the Head of the Government. He is Party Leader, Government Chairman and Chief Policy Maker. Mary McAlese, the President of Ireland appointed the Taoiseach. Brian Cowen T.D., is the leader of the Fianna Fáil Party. Where is the Dáil located?Leinster House, Dublin 2. Where is Noel Dempsey from?Noel Dempsey was born in Trim, Co Meath. What do TDs do?They represent and work on behalf of the electors in their constituency. TDs can draft amendments and examine proposals for new legislation. TDs have the authority to contribute in debates about legislation and other matters that arise. They vote on important matters in the House, they attend Question Time and they partake in committee work. TDs make written or oral representatives to ministers or government departments on behalf of their constituencies. What does the Taoiseach do?As Head of Government, the Taoiseach co-ordinates the work of all Government Departments (fifteen in total). He chairs Government Meetings, directs their Agenda and business. The Taoiseach is equivalent of a prime minister. If the Taoiseach loses support of a majority in Dáil Éireann he is not automatically removed but is obliged to resign or to persuade the President to dissolve the Dáil. The Taoiseach is the Chief Policy Maker for the Government. Bills that are passed by the Dáil and Seanad are presented to the President to sign in order for them to become law. The Taoiseach always liases with the President and keeps her informed on international and domestic policy matters. The Taoiseach nominates the Attorney General who the President then appoints. Also the Taoiseach nominates Government Ministers (also known as the Cabinet) and the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) from Government. The Taoiseach has the power and authority to request the resignation of Ministers. He nominates the Ministers of State (Junior Ministers), for approval by Government. The Taoiseach has further responsibility in electing eleven members of the Seanad, the Clerks, the Clerks Assistants of the Dáil and Seanad, the Superintendent and the Captain of the Guards for the Houses of the Oireachtas. To be a Taoiseach, Tánaiste or Minister for Finance you must be a member of the Dáil. Where was Noel Dempsey educated?Scoil Naomh Brid in Boardsmill and St. Michael’s CBS in Trim. What does the word Taoiseach mean?Taoiseach means Chieftain or Leader. How do you pronounce Taoiseach?Phonetically the word is pronounced, "tee shock,” Taoisigh is pronounced as "teeshe". Where did Noel Dempsey go to College?University College Dublin What did Noel Dempsey study?Bachelor of Arts degree and a diploma in career guidance How many Taoisigh has Ireland had?At different times in the past the Head of the Irish Government had different titles. Below is a list of the Heads of the Irish Government since it came into being in 1919. Cathal Brugha: January 1919 - April 1919 Following the termination of a Dáil, the Taoiseach remains in office until the new Dáil get together and appoint a new Government. What does Noel Dempsey do in his spare time?He is a member of the Gaelic Athletic Association, a keen supporter of the Meath Gaelic football team, also local club teams. He is a member of Macra na Feirme and Muintir na Tíre. When did Noel Dempsey first get involved in politics?In the early 1970s when he joined Ógra Fianna Fáil. If anything happened to the Taoiseach who would run the country?The Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) would take over from the Taoiseach if he were to die or become incapacitated. What are Parliamentary Questions?Article 28.4.1 of the Constitution, states that the Government shall be responsible to Dáil Éireann. One of the procedures of the Dáil is to have members of Government report on the management of their Department by way of reply to Parliamentary Questions (PQs). Members of the Dáil can ask questions to any Minister of Government. Questions are directed to the Minister with functional responsibility for the matter at issue. PQs can be a written or oral question. The Taoiseach answers Oral PQs in the Dáil on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. All other Ministers answer Oral PQs once every 6 weeks. Replies to written PQs are supplied to the Deputies through the General Office in Leinster House. The Taoiseach answers PQs relating to the activities of his Department and about his own schedule and activities (e.g. meetings with Heads of State, issues concerning Northern Ireland, EU and the President.) When was Noel Dempsey Minister for Education?From 6th of June 2002 to the 29th of September 2004 Who succeeded Noel Dempsey as Minister for Education?Mary Hanafin What year did Bertie Ahern become leader of Fianna Fáil?In December 1994 What is the Cabinet?The Government is referred to as the Cabinet. There are seven to fifteen members allowed in the cabinet. Detail discussed in Cabinet Meetings is confidential unless the High Court determines otherwise. What is the Oireachtas?The Oireachtas is Ireland's national parliament. It consists of the President, Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. Nobody is allowed to be a member of both Houses at the same time. The public can see the sitting of each house unless there is an emergency meeting when they are in private. What is the Dáil?Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) normally meets on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday, it can also have special sitting day. The work of the Dáil is dealing with debating social, economic, financial and budgetary matters. Its member’s draft, amend, vote and examine proposals for new legislation. The members debate bills and issues that are important for the welfare of the country. The members in the Dáil are called Teactaí Dála (plural) and Teachta Dála, (singular), T.D.s for short. To date the Dáil has166 members. The Chairman of the Dáil is called the Ceann Comhairle and the Deputy Chairman is the Leas-Ceann Comhairle. When was Noel Dempsey elected as Minister for Transport?Following the 2007 general election Noel Dempsey was appointed as Minister of Transport. What is the Seanad?Seanad Éireann (Senate) normally meets twice a week on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The main business is revising legislation sent to it by Dáil Éireann. The Seanad cannot initiate financial legislation but it can make recommendations to money bills. The Seanad has sixty members; 11 are nominated by the Taoiseach, 43 are elected by panels representing Culture and Education, Agriculture, Labour, Industry and Commerce and Public Administration, the rest of the members are elected by graduates of the National University of Ireland and by the University of Dublin. The members are called Seanadóirí (plural) and Senadóir (singular). The Chairman of the Seanad is called the Cathaoirleach. At the same time only two senators may be ministers in the Government. To date the Senate has three standing committees, one of these has two sub-committees. What is the Constitution?Bunreacht na hÉireann (Constitution of Ireland), is the highest law of the country. It can only be changed with the vote of Irish citizens (aged eighteen and over) in a Referendum. When changes are made to the Constitution they are called Amendments. The Constitution was passed by the people of Ireland in a Referendum on the1st of July 1937. The Constitution has 50 articles and it covers a wide range of subjects including the establishment of the State, the colours of the Flag, the rules governing the Office of the President etc. What the role of a Minister?Each Minister is given a portfolio that gives him/her responsibility for a specific Department. The Minister is specified in the Constitution and in the legislation. Civil servants are governed by administrative decisions and management strategies. The legislation for the role of a Minister and civil servants is enclosed in the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924-1995, the Civil Service Regulation Act 1956 and the legislation relating to the Comptroller and Auditor General. Each Minister has responsibility for their individual Department. If a Minister is ill or absent from their role for a long time another Minister must take over. In this situation the Department of Justice and Finance would be assigned to the Taoiseach. The Tánaiste takes over from the Taoiseach in their absence. The Taoiseach has the power to reshuffle portfolios during the Governments term of office. The Taoiseach can also change titles and functions of Departments. The Ministers in Government can attend and address both the Dáil and Seanad. If the Taoiseach resigns the Ministers must also resign but they can carry on their duties while a replacement is appointed. Ministers of State are assigned to help Government Ministers in Parliamentary and departmental work. The Government appoints the Minister of State on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
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