Opposition Front Bench (Ireland)
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The Opposition Front Bench in the Republic of Ireland is a group of senior parliamentary opposition Teachtaí Dála who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's. These members are assigned a particular portfolio and mark each individual member of the government. Members of the Opposition are often but not always appointed to a Cabinet post if and when their party gets into government.
Fine Gael is the largest opposition party in the Dáil and therefore that party's leader takes the title Leader of the Opposition, a largely nominal role. The other parties that occupy the opposition benches include the Labour Party, Sinn Féin, the Green Party and the Socialist Party.
The "Official Opposition" is viewed as the party tasked with keeping the government in check. It is also generally viewed as the alternative government. The Official Opposition maintains a Front bench of Teachtaí Dála (TDs) that often have the same portfolios as actual ministers. They are known as opposition "spokespersons".
The title of "the Opposition" is usually held by the second largest party in Dáil Éireann that is not in government, however, sometimes the Opposition may even be the largest party. The latter situation almost always occurs when Fianna Fáil are in opposition. This is due to the existence of the multi-party system where Fine Gael usually forms a coalition with the Labour Party.
Opposition Front Bench
Front Bench Spokespersons
Deputy Spokespersons
| Portfolio | Deputy Spokesperson | |
|---|---|---|
| Spokesperson on Health with special responsibility for mental health & children Assistant Chief Whip |
Dan Neville | (2002–) |
| Spokesperson on Finance | Paul McGrath | (2002–) |
| Spokesperson on Justice & Community Affairs with special responsibility for rugs, Alcohol & Crime Prevention |
Damien English | (2004–) |
| Spokesperson on Justice | Gerard Murphy | (2004–) |
| Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade & Employment with special responsibility for EU Internal Market Development & Small & Medium Enterprises |
Pat Breen | (2004–) |
| Spokesperson on the Environment with special responsibility for Heritage & Rural Affairs |
Tom Hayes | (2004–) |
| Spokesperson on the Environment & Local Government with special responsibility for Urban Renewal & Housing Policy |
Pádraig McCormack | (2004–) |
| Spokesperson on Agriculture | Seymour Crawford | (2004–) |