Tánaiste

Tánaiste of Ireland
Incumbent Frances Fitzgerald since 6 May 2016
Appointer	President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holder	Seán T. O'Kelly
Formation	29 December 1937
Salary	€171,309

The Tánaiste (/ˈtɔːnᵻʃtə/) is the deputy prime minister of the Republic of Ireland and the second-most senior officer in the Government of Ireland. The Tánaiste is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Taoiseach. The current office holder is Frances Fitzgerald, TD, who was appointed on 6 May 2016.

Tánaiste (Irish pronunciation: [ˈt̪ˠaːnˠaʃtʲə]) was the Irish word for the heir of the chief (taoiseach) or king (rí), under the Gaelic system of tanistry. Before independence, the British Lord Lieutenant of Ireland or Viceroy was sometimes referred to in the Irish language as An Tánaiste-Rí, literally 'the deputy king'.

The office was created in 1937 under the new Constitution of Ireland, replacing the previous office of Vice-President of the Executive Council that had existed under the Free State constitution. This office was first held by Kevin O'Higgins of Cumann na nGaedheal from 1922 to 1927.