There were two governments of the 30th Dáil, which was elected at the 2007 general election on 24 May 2007. The 27th government of Ireland (14 June 2007 – 7 May 2008) was led by Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach and lasted days. The 28th government of Ireland (7 May 2008 – 9 March 2011) was led by Brian Cowen as Taoiseach and lasted days. The governments were formed as coalition governments of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats. The Progressive Democrats disbanded in November 2009 and Mary Harney continued as an Independent member of the government until 20 January 2011. The Green Party left government on 23 January 2011.

27th government of Ireland

The 27th government of Ireland was composed of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and the Progressive Democrats. It was also supported by four independent TDs: Beverley Flynn, Jackie Healy-Rae, Michael Lowry and Finian McGrath. Flynn later rejoined the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party in April 2008.

Nomination of Taoiseach

The 30th Dáil first met on 14 June. In the debate on the nomination of Taoisech, both outgoing Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern and Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny were proposed. Ahern received the nomination of the Dáil. Ahern was re-appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary McAleese.

Government ministers

After his appointment by the president, Bertie Ahern proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day.

Attorney General

On 14 June 2007, Paul Gallagher was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of state

On 14 June 2007, Ahern announced to the Dáil that the government on his nomination would re-appoint Tom Kitt, TD to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Defence, and would appoint Dick Roche, TD to the position of Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, with special responsibility for European Affairs. On 20 June 2007, the Taoiseach announced the government had appointed of a further 15 Ministers of State on his nomination, as well as the names of three Ministers of State the government would appoint on his nomination after the passage of the Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Act 2007. This legislation increased the number of Ministers of State from 17 to 20 and was enacted on 9 July 2007. Kitt and Brendan Smith attended meetings of the cabinet. {| class="wikitable" !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan=2|Party

Appointments after 9 July 2007

Following the increase in the number of Ministers of State. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan=2|Party

Confidence in the Government

On 26 September 2007, a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government proposed by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was approved with 81 votes in favour and 76 against. On 28 November 2007, a motion of no confidence in the Minister for Health and Children Mary Harney was proposed by Jan O'Sullivan for the Labour Party. The motion was amended by the Minister, and the amended motion (now a vote of confidence) was carried, with 83 votes in favour to 73 votes against.

Resignation

On 2 April 2008, Bertie Ahern announced his intention to resign as leader of Fianna Fáil. On 9 April, Brian Cowen was elected unopposed to succeed him. On 6 May, Ahern resigned as Taoiseach.

28th government of Ireland

The 28th government of Ireland was formed on 7 May 2008 following the resignation the previous day of Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach. The new Fianna Fáil leader Brian Cowen was nominated by the Dáil as Ireland's 12th head of government. It was initially composed of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party, the Progressive Democrats and supported by independent TDs Jackie Healy-Rae, Michael Lowry and Finian McGrath. McGrath later withdrew his support in October 2008. Following the disbandment of the Progressive Democrats in 2009, it became a coalition of Fianna Fáil, the Green Party and Mary Harney, continuing as an Independent minister. A cabinet reshuffle took place on 23 March 2010, following the resignations of Willie O'Dea and Martin Cullen. After the resignations of six ministers in January 2011, the vacant portfolios were reassigned to other ministers; with the subsequent resignation of Brian Cowen as leader of Fianna Fáil on 22 January 2011, the Green Party withdrew their support from the government. The government was dominated by responses to the economic downturn, culminating in a troika of the EU/ECB/IMF troika directing the government's financial decisions in November 2010.

Nomination of Taoiseach

On 7 May 2008, following the resignation of Bertie Ahern as Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil leader Brian Cowen, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and Labour Party leader Eamon Gilmore were each proposed to be nominated by Dáil Éireann for the position of Taoiseach. Cowen received the nomination of the Dáil. Cowen was appointed as Taoiseach by President Mary McAleese.

Government ministers

After his appointment by the president, Brian Cowen proposed the members of the government and they were approved by the Dáil. They were appointed by the president on the same day. {| class="wikitable" !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party

Changes 23 March 2010

Resignation of Willie O'Dea on 18 February and Martin Cullen on 23 March !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party

Change 19 January 2011

Resignation of Mícheál Martin. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party

Changes 20 January 2011

Resignation of Mary Harney, Noel Dempsey, Dermot Ahern, Batt O'Keeffe and Tony Killeen. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party

Changes 23 January 2011

Resignation of Green Party ministers John Gormley and Eamon Ryan. !Office !Name !Term !colspan="2"|Party

Attorney General

On 7 May 2008, Paul Gallagher was appointed by the president as Attorney General on the nomination of the Taoiseach.

Ministers of state

On 7 May 2008, Cowen announced that the government would on his nomination appoint Pat Carey, Barry Andrews, Trevor Sargent, and Dick Roche as ministers of state. Carey and Andrews would attend meetings of the cabinet. On 13 May 2008, Cowen announced the appointment by the government on his nomination of 16 further ministers of state. {| class="wikitable" width=85% !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan=2|Party

Changes 22 April 2009

On 22 April 2009, Taoiseach Brian Cowen sought the resignation of all 20 ministers of state. He then nominated a reduced number of 15 ministers of state for appointment by the government as part of cost-cutting measures due to the Irish financial crisis. These included 13 of the outgoing ministers, as well as two new appointments, Dara Calleary and Áine Brady. Those not reappointed were Noel Ahern, John McGuinness, Michael Kitt, Seán Power, Máire Hoctor, Mary Wallace and Jimmy Devins. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan=2|Party

Changes 23 March 2010

Following the resignation of Trevor Sargent on 23 February 2010, and the appointment of Carey and Killeen to government. !Name !Department(s) !Responsibility !colspan=2|Party

Changes 23 January 2011

Ciarán Cuffe and Mary White resigned on 23 January 2011 after the Green Party withdrew from government.

Constitutional referendums

On 12 June 2008, a referendum was held on the approval of the Treaty of Lisbon. This was defeated, by a margin of 46.6% to 53.4%. On 15 October 2009, a second referendum was held on its approval, which was approved by 67.1% to 32.9%.

Budgets

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, delivered the following budgets:

Motions of confidence

On 10 June 2009, a motion of confidence in the government proposed by Taoiseach Brian Cowen was approved with 85 votes in favour and 79 against. On 17 February 2010, a motion of confidence in Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea proposed by Taoiseach Brian Cowen was approved with 80 votes in favour and 69 against. Nevertheless, Willie O'Dea did resign the following day. On 15 June 2010, a motion of confidence in the Taoiseach and the government by Taoiseach Brian Cowen was approved with 82 votes in favour and 77 against.

Dissolution

On 1 February, the president dissolved the Dáil on the advice of the Taoiseach and a general election was held on 25 February 2011.