[2] In 1979, Jack Lynch appointed him as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Government Chief Whip).

That same year Woods supported Colley in his leadership bid, but the other candidate, Charles Haughey, was successful.

[citation needed] Despite Woods having supported Colley, Haughey appointed him Minister for Health and Social Welfare.

Following the formation of the Fianna Fáil–Labour Party coalition in 1993, Woods remained in the cabinet, this time with the Social Welfare portfolio, and—after the mass resignation of the Labour ministers—was additionally appointed Minister for Health.

[3] While serving as Minister for Education, Woods signed a controversial agreement with 18 Irish religious orders involved in child sex-abuse scandals which limited their compensation liability to the victims of abuse to only €128 million.

[4] After the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA), Woods defended the deal; he claimed the Department of Education and Science had the management role in the schools in question and that the state knew all the details when making the deal.