Tainiste

Tánaiste
Incumbent Simon Coveney since 30 November 2017
Member of	Cabinet Council of State Dáil Éireann
Reports to	Taoiseach
Seat	Dublin, Ireland
Appointer	President of Ireland on the nomination of the Taoiseach
Inaugural holder	Seán T. O'Kelly
Formation	29 December 1937
Salary	€175,673

The Tánaiste [ˈt̪ˠaːn̪ˠəʃtʲə] is the deputy head of government 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 Simon Coveney, TD, who was appointed on 30 November 2017.

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.

The Taoiseach nominates a member of Dáil Éireann, who will also be a member of the government, to the office. The nominee then receives their seal of office from the President of Ireland in recognition of their appointment. The Tánaiste acts in the place of the Taoiseach during his or her temporary absence. In the event of the Taoiseach's death or permanent incapacitation, the Tánaiste acts in their stead until another Taoiseach is appointed. The Tánaiste is, ex officio, a member of the Council of State. The Tánaiste chairs meetings of the government in the absence of the Taoiseach and may take questions on their behalf in the Dáil or Seanad.