The 26th government of Ireland (6 June 2002 – 14 June 2007) was the government of Ireland formed after the 2002 general election to the 29th Dáil which had been held on 17 May 2002. It was led by Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, with Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney as Tánaiste. It was the first, and to date only, coalition government to be returned to government after an election; both parties increased their number of seats, and together secured a Dáil majority, where in the previous government they had governed together as a minority government dependent on the support of Independent TDs. It lasted for .
Nomination of Taoiseach
The 29th Dáil first met on 6 June 2002. In the debate on the nomination of Taoisech, outgoing Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny, Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn, and Green Party leader Trevor Sargent were each proposed. Ahern received the nomination of the Dáil. Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary McAleese.
{| class="wikitable"
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| colspan="3" bgcolor="#C0C0C0" align="center" | 6 June 2002<br />Nomination of Bertie Ahern (FF) as Taoiseach
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|Taoiseach
|Bertie Ahern
|2002–2007
|
|-
|Tánaiste
|rowspan=2|Mary Harney
|2002–2006
|
|-
|Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|2002–2004
|-
|Minister for Finance
|Charlie McCreevy
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Defence
|Michael Smith
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Agriculture and Food
|Joe Walsh
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Foreign Affairs
|Brian Cowen
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Education and Science
|Noel Dempsey
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
|Dermot Ahern
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism
|John O'Donoghue
|2002–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Health and Children
|Micheál Martin
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Transport
|Séamus Brennan
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform
|Michael McDowell
|2002–2007
|
|-
|Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
|Martin Cullen
|2002–2004
|
|-
|Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
|Éamon Ó Cuív
|2002–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Social and Family Affairs
|Mary Coughlan
|2002–2004
|
|-
|colspan="5"|
Changes 29 September 2004
Following the resignation of Charlie McCreevy on his nomination as European Commissioner and of Michael Smith and Joe Walsh.
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|Minister for Health and Children
|Mary Harney
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Finance
|Brian Cowen
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
|Noel Dempsey
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Foreign Affairs
|Dermot Ahern
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|Micheál Martin
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Social and Family Affairs
|Séamus Brennan
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Transport
|Martin Cullen
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Agriculture and Food
|Mary Coughlan
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Education and Science
|Mary Hanafin
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for Defence
|Willie O'Dea
|2004–2007
|
|-
|Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government
|Dick Roche
|2004–2007
|
|-
|colspan="5"|
Changes 13 September 2006
Following the resignation of Mary Harney as leader of the Progressive Democrats and the election of Michael McDowell.
|-
!Office
!Name
!Term
!colspan="2"|Party
|-
|Tánaiste
|Michael McDowell
|2006–2007
|
|}
;Changes to departments
Attorney General
Rory Brady SC was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.||Children
|
|-
|Tom Kitt
|Foreign Affairs
|Overseas Development and Human Rights
|
|-
|Síle de Valera
|Education and Science
|Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage
|
|-
|Jim McDaid
|Transport
|Road Traffic and Road Haulage
|
|-
|Frank Fahey
|Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|Labour Affairs
|
|-
|Noel Treacy
|Agriculture and Food
|Food and Horticulture
|
|-
|Willie O'Dea
|Justice, Equality and Law Reform
|Equality and Disability Issues
|
|-
|
|Environment, Heritage and Local Government||Environmental Protection
|
|-
|Liam Aylward
|Agriculture and Food
|Animal Health and Welfare; and Customer Service
|
|-
|John Browne
|Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
|Marine
|
|-
|Michael Ahern
|Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|Trade and Commerce
|
|-
|Ivor Callely
|Health and Children
|Older People
|
|-
|Noel Ahern
|Environment, Heritage and Local Government<br>Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
|Housing and Urban Renewal<br>Drugs Strategy and Community Affairs
|
|-
|Tim O'Malley
|Health and Children
|Mental Health Services and Food Safety
|
|-
|Tom Parlon
|Finance
|Office of Public Works
|
|-
|colspan=5|
Changes 29 September 2004
Following the election to the European Parliament of Liam Aylward and the appointment to government of Mary Hanafin, Dick Roche and Willie O'Dea.
|Marine
|
|-
|John Browne
|Agriculture and Food
|Forestry
|
|-
|Ivor Callely
|Transport
|Traffic Management, Road Haulage and the Irish Aviation Authority
|
|-
|Seán Power
|Health and Children
|Health Promotion
|
|-
|Batt O'Keeffe
|Environment, Heritage and Local Government
|Environmental Protection
|
|-
|Tony Killeen
|Enterprise, Trade and Employment
|Labour Affairs
|
|-
|Brendan Smith
|Agriculture and Food
|Food and Horticulture
|
|-
|colspan=5|
Changes 5 October 2004
Following the resignation of Jim McDaid.
|-
|Conor Lenihan
|Foreign Affairs
|Overseas Development and Human Rights
|
|-
|colspan=5|
Change 7 December 2005
Redesignation of role.
|-
|Brian Lenihan<br>
|Health and Children<br>Justice, Equality and Law Reform<br>Education and Science||Office of the Minister for Children
|
|-
|colspan=5|
Changes 14 February 2006
Following the resignation of Ivor Callely on 8 December 2005.
|-
!Name
!Department(s)
!Responsibility
!colspan=2|Party
|-
|Mary Wallace
|Agriculture and Food
|Forestry
|
|-
|John Browne
|Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
|Marine
|
|-
|Pat "the Cope" Gallagher
|Transport
|Traffic Management, Road Haulage and the Irish Aviation Authority
|
|-
|colspan=5|
Changes 12 December 2006
Following the resignation of Síle de Valera on 8 December 2006.
|-
!Name
!Department(s)
!Responsibility
!colspan=2|Party
|-
|Seán Haughey
|Education and Science
|Adult Education, Youth Affairs and Educational Disadvantage
|
|}
Dissolution
On 29 April 2007, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach, and a general election was held on 24 May. The 30th Dáil met on 14 June and Bertie Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach and formed a new government.