Definitions for "Minister for Foreign Affairs"
The office of the Minister for Foreign Affairs has existed in Sweden since 1809, its creation was a result of the constitutional Instrument of Government promulgated in the same year. Until 1876 the office was called Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs , similar to the office of Prime Minister for Justice . However both offices were Prime Ministers in name only, and in reality they were no more than heads of their respective ministries.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs is the senior minister at the Department of Foreign Affairs in the Irish Government. Its headquarters are at Iveagh House, on St. Stephen's Green in Dublin; "Iveagh House" is often used as a metonym for the department as a whole.
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Prior to 1970, the office was known as the Minister for External Affairs. The minister is usually one of the most senior members of Cabinet — the position is equivalent to that of Secretary of State in the United States or Foreign Secretary in the United Kingdom — as shown by the fact that eleven Prime Ministers of Australia have also worked as the Minister for Foreign Affairs.