The Minister for the Public Service was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1973, in March 1987 the ministers functions were transferred to the Minister for Tourism & Transport after the department was amalgamated.

The Irish Ministers for the Public Service have been:

#	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1.	*Richie Ryan	November 1, 1973	July 5, 1977	Fine Gael
2.	*George Colley	July 5, 1977	December 11, 1979	Fianna Fáil
3.	*Michael O'Kennedy	December 12, 1979	March 24, 1980	Fianna Fáil
4.	*Gene FitzGerald (1st time)	March 24, 1980	June 30, 1981	Fianna Fáil
5.	**Liam Kavanagh	June 30, 1981	March 9, 1982	Labour
	**Gene FitzGerald (2nd time)	March 9, 1982	December 14, 1982	Fianna Fáil
6.	John Boland	December 14, 1982	February 14, 1986	Fine Gael
7.	**Ruairí Quinn	February 14, 1986	January 20, 1987	Labour
8.	*John Bruton	January 20, 1987	March 10, 1987	Fine Gael
9.	*Ray MacSharry	March 10, 1987	March 20, 1987	Fianna Fáil

The asterisk * shows Ministers who held both the Finance and Public Service portfolios at the same time. The double asterisk ** shows Ministers who held both the Labour and Public Service portfolios at the same time.