The Minister for Finance holds the second most important ministerial position in the Irish Cabinet after that of the Taoiseach.

The minister is in charge of the Department of Finance responsible for all financial matters in Ireland.

It is one of three positions in the government which the Constitution requires to be held by a member of Dáil Éireann, the other two being Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

Ministers for finance who later became Taoiseach include Jack Lynch, Charles Haughey, Albert Reynolds, John Bruton, Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen.

One of the most important aspects of the Minister's work is the creation of the annual budget which is delivered to the Dáil in a speech, which must be given before 15 October due to the Two-Pack agreement.