Desmond FitzGerald was an Irish revolutionary, poet, publicist and Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1927 to 1932, Minister for External Affairs from 1922 to 1927, Minister for Publicity from 1921 to 1922 and Director of Publicity from 1919 to 1921. He served as a Teachta Dála (TD) from 1918 to 1937. He was a Senator for the Administrative Panel from 1938 to 1943.

The Minister for Defence is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the Department of Defence. The current Minister for Defence is Micheál Martin, TD. He is also Minister for Foreign Affairs.