The Labour Party is the fourth-largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Labour Party leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. When the Labour Party was in Government their front bench consisted of the ministerial officeholders. The Labour Party has been in opposition since March 2016 and accordingly, their front bench areas of responsibility broadly correspond to those of Government ministers. The new front bench was announced on 8 June 2016. Due to the small number of TDs, many front bench areas were given to senators and former TD's from outside the Oireachtas.
Labour Party frontbench
During the Leadership Election in May 2016, The Parliamentary Labour Party did not propose a TD for the position of Deputy Leader, this makes the office de facto Abolished. The position however does still exist in the Labour Party Constitution, efficiently meaning the Parliamentary Party could at any time decide to facilitate the election of a Deputy Leader, this is unlikely however as the Parliamentary Party has expressed the position is unnecessary in the current Dáil term with only 7 TDs.