A Minister of State, in the Republic of Ireland, is a junior minister of non-cabinet rank, attached to one or more Departments of State of the the cabinet. Unlike other cabinet ministers who are appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach, with the prior nomination of Dáil Éireann, Ministers of State are appointed by the cabinet, on nomination of the Taoiseach.
The post of Minister of State was created by an Act of the Oireachtas in 1977 and commenced in 1978. The position was created to replace the post of Parliamentary Secretary, the junior rank of ministers which had existed from 1924 until 1978. The original act of 1977 the number of Ministers of State was limited to 10, in 1980 this was raised to 15, in 1995 it was raised to the present 17.
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