[3] He achieved ministerial office in 1987, in the 25th Dáil, when Fianna Fáil returned to power under Taoiseach Charles Haughey and formed the 29th Government of Ireland.
[4] At the 1989 general election Fianna Fáil hoped to increase its representation in the 26th Dáil but instead lost seats, and entered a coalition government with the Progressive Democrats.
Lyons returned to his previous job as Minister of State, this time in the renamed Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications.
[2] At the 1992 general election, Fianna Fáil won only one seat in the five-seater Cork North-Central constituency, and Fine Gael's Liam Burke replaced Lyons in the 27th Dáil.
Lyons then stood unsuccessfully at the 1993 Seanad Éireann election for the Industrial and Commercial Panel.