There were two governments of the 21st Dáil, which was elected at the 1977 general election on 16 June 1977. Both were single-party majority Fianna Fáil governments. The 15th government of Ireland (5 July 1977 – 11 December 1979) was led by Jack Lynch as Taoiseach and lasted for . The 16th government of Ireland (11 December 1979 – 30 June 1981) was led by Charles Haughey and lasted for .
<!-- 15th government of Ireland redirects here-->15th government of Ireland
Nomination of Taoiseach
The 21st Dáil first met on 5 July 1977. In the debate on the nomination of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Jack Lynch was proposed, and this proposal was carried with 82 votes in favour and 61 votes against. Lynch was appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center"|5 July 1977<br/>Nomination of Jack Lynch (FF) as Taoiseach<br/>Motion proposed by Vivion de Valera and seconded by Kit Ahern<br/>Absolute majority: 75/148
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
!width=80px|Vote
!width=425px|Parties
!width=80px|Votes
|-
| Yes || Fianna Fáil (82) ||
|-
| No || Fine Gael (43), Labour Party (16), Independent (2) ||
|-
| Not voting || Ceann Comhairle (1), Fianna Fáil (1), Labour Party (1), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1) ||
|}
Members of the Government
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Jack Lynch proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
||Taoiseach
! style="background-color: " |
|Jack Lynch
|1977–1979
|-
|Tánaiste
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=3|George Colley
|rowspan=3|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Finance
|-
|Minister for the Public Service
|-
|Minister for Agriculture
|style="background-color: " |
|Jim Gibbons
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Defence
|style="background-color: " |
|Bobby Molloy
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Economic Planning and Development
|style="background-color: " |
|Martin O'Donoghue
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Education
|style="background-color: " |
|John Wilson
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for the Environment
|style="background-color: " |
|Sylvester Barrett
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Fisheries
|style="background-color: " |
|Brian Lenihan
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Foreign Affairs
|style="background-color: " |
|Michael O'Kennedy
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for the Gaeltacht
|style="background-color: " |
|Denis Gallagher
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Health
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=2|Charles Haughey
|rowspan=2|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Social Welfare
|-
|Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy
|style="background-color: " |
|Desmond O'Malley
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Justice
|style="background-color: " |
|Gerry Collins
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Labour
|style="background-color: " |
|Gene Fitzgerald
|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=2|Pádraig Faulkner
|rowspan=2|1977–1979
|-
|Minister for Tourism and Transport
|}
;Notes
Attorney General
On 5 July 1977, Anthony J. Hederman SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
|-
|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Tourism and Transport
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Pearse Wyse
|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Thomas Hussey
|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
|Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry and Commerce
|}
Ministers of State (1 January 1978 – 11 December 1979)
Following the enactment of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977, the post of Parliamentary Secretary was abolished and replaced by a new post of Minister of State. A maximum of 10 Ministers of State could be appointed. On 14 December 1977, Taoiseach Jack Lynch announced that the existing Parliamentary Secretaries would be appointed as Ministers of State in their respective departments with effect from 1 January 1978, and the appointment of three TDs as additional Ministers of State who would also take office on that date.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Department(s)
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: " |
|rowspan="2"|Patrick Lalor
|Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip)
|-
|Defence
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|David Andrews
|Foreign Affairs
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Jim Tunney
|Education
|-
|rowspan="2" style="background-color: " |
|rowspan="2"|Tom Fitzpatrick
|Posts and Telegraphs
|-
|Tourism and Transport
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Pearse Wyse
|Finance
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Thomas Hussey
|Agriculture
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
|Industry, Commerce and Energy
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|John O'Leary
|Environment
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Department(s)
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|David Andrews
|Justice
|-
|colspan="3"|
Changes 1 July 1979
Following resignation of Patrick Lalor on 17 June 1979 on his election to the European Parliament.
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Department(s)
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Michael Woods
|Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip)<br/>Defence
|}
Decisions of the government
This government approved the Nuclear Energy Board plans for a plant at Carnsore Point to go ahead. Desmond O'Malley, as Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy, was central to this policy. Later the 16th Government, during the same Dáil, dropped these plans.
Confidence in the government
On 29 May 1979, Frank Cluskey proposed a motion of no confidence in the government, citing the "serious economic mismanagement of the country by the Government". Brian Lenihan, Minister for Fisheries and Forestry, proposed an amendment to the motion expressing "satisfaction at the Government's management of the economy". On the following day, the amendment was carried by a vote of 67 to 46.
Resignation
Shortly after the loss by Fianna Fáil of two by-elections in Cork on 7 November 1979, Jack Lynch resigned as Fianna Fáil leader. Charles Haughey won the leadership election held on 7 December 1979. Lynch resigned as Taoiseach on 11 December 1979.
<!-- 16th government of Ireland redirects here-->16th government of Ireland
The 16th government was formed by Charles Haughey following the resignation of Jack Lynch.
Nomination of Taoiseach
On 11 December 1979, Haughey was proposed for the nomination of the Dáil for the position of Taoiseach, and this proposal was carried with 82 votes in favour and 62 votes against. Haughey was appointed as Taoiseach by president Patrick Hillery.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center"|11 December 1979<br/>Nomination of Charles Haughey (FF) as Taoiseach<br/>Motion proposed by Jack Lynch<br/>Absolute majority: 75/148
|- bgcolor="#D8D8D8"
!width=80px|Vote
!width=425px|Parties
!width=80px|Votes
|-
| Yes || Fianna Fáil (82) ||
|-
| No || Fine Gael (44), Labour Party (17), Independent (1) ||
|-
| Not voting || Ceann Comhairle (1), Fine Gael (1), Independent Fianna Fáil (1), Independent (1) ||
|}
Members of the Government
After his appointment as Taoiseach by the president, Charles Haughey proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil on 12 December. They were appointed by the president on the same day.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
||Taoiseach
|style="background-color: " |
|Charles Haughey
|1979–1981
|-
|Tánaiste
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=2|George Colley
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Tourism and Transport
|1979–1980
|-
|Minister for Agriculture
|style="background-color: " |
|Ray MacSharry
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Defence
|style="background-color: " |
|Pádraig Faulkner
|1979–1980
|-
|Minister for Economic Planning and Development
|rowspan=3 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=3|Michael O'Kennedy
|rowspan=3|1979–1980
|-
|Minister for Finance
|-
|Minister for the Public Service
|-
|Minister for Education
|style="background-color: " |
|John Wilson
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for the Environment
|style="background-color: " |
|Sylvester Barrett
|1979–1980
|-
|Minister for Fisheries and Forestry
|style="background-color: " |
|Paddy Power
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Foreign Affairs
|style="background-color: " |
|Brian Lenihan
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for the Gaeltacht
|style="background-color: " |
|Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Health
|rowspan=2 style="background-color: " |
|rowspan=2|Michael Woods
|rowspan=2|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Social Welfare
|-
|Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy
|style="background-color: " |
|Desmond O'Malley
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Justice
|style="background-color: " |
|Gerry Collins
|1979–1981
|-
|Minister for Labour
|style="background-color: " |
|Gene Fitzgerald
|1979–1980
|-
|Minister for Posts and Telegraphs
|style="background-color: " |
|Albert Reynolds
|1979–1981
|-
|colspan="4"|
Changes 22 January 1980
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
|Minister for Energy
|style="background-color: " |
|George Colley
|1980–1981
|-
|colspan="4"|
Changes 25 January 1980
Changes made to ministerial roles.
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
|Minister for Transport
|style="background-color: " |
|Albert Reynolds
|1980–1981
|-
|colspan="4"|
Changes 24 March 1980
Changes made to ministerial roles.
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
|Minister for the Public Service
|style="background-color: " |
|Gene Fitzgerald
|1980–1981
|-
|colspan="4"|
Changes 15 October 1980
Election of Pádraig Faulkner as Ceann Comhairle.
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
|Minister for Defence
|style="background-color: " |
|Sylvester Barrett
|1980–1981
|-
|Minister for the Environment
|style="background-color: " |
|Ray Burke
|1980–1981
|-
|colspan="4"|
Changes 16 December 1980
Appointment of Michael O'Kennedy as European Commissioner.
|-
!Office
!colspan="2"| Name
!Term
|-
|Minister for Finance
|style="background-color: " |
|Gene Fitzgerald
|1980–1981
|-
|Minister for Labour
|style="background-color: " |
|Tom Nolan
|1980–1981
|}
;Notes
Attorney General
On 11 December 1979, Anthony J. Hederman SC was re-appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Department(s)
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Seán Moore
|Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip)<br/>Defence
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Jackie Fahey
|Environment
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Jim Tunney
|Education
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Thomas Hussey
|Agriculture
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Ray Burke
|Industry, Commerce and Tourism
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Lorcan Allen
|Agriculture
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Ger Connolly
|Environment
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Tom McEllistrim
|Finance
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Seán Calleary
|Public Service<br/>Labour
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Mark Killilea Jnr
|Posts and Telegraphs
|-
|colspan="3"|
Changes 25 March 1980
The number of Ministers of State was increased from 10 to 15 following the enactment of the<br>Ministers and Secretaries (No.2) Act 1980.
|-
!colspan="2"|Name
!Department(s)
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Thomas Meaney
|Industry, Commerce and Tourism
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Tom Nolan
|Health<br/>Social Welfare
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Brendan Daly
|Labour
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Pádraig Flynn
|Transport
|-
|style="background-color: " |
|Seán Doherty
|Justice
|-
|colspan="3"|
Changes 15 October 1980
Following the appointment of Ray Burke to cabinet.
|}