On 6 June 2002, the 26th Government of Ireland was officially appointed by Dáil Éireann. The Fianna Fáil–Progressive Democrats coalition was led by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
On that day Ahern announced to the Dáil that the Government had appointed Mary Hanafin, TD to the post of Minister for State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, and for the Information Society. Dick Roche, TD was appointed on the same date to the position of Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs, with special responsibility for European Affairs. On 18 June 2002, the Taoiseach announced that the Government had appointed with effect from 19 June the other 15 Ministers of State and that the Government had also appointed Mary Hanafin to be Minister of State at the Department of Defence.