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Taoiseach Micheál Martin Names Cabinet

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has arrived in Government Buildings to start appointing Cabinet ministers....
Newsroom
Newsroom

6:58 PM - 27 Jun 2020



Taoiseach Micheál Martin Names...

News

Taoiseach Micheál Martin Names Cabinet

Newsroom
Newsroom

6:58 PM - 27 Jun 2020



Taoiseach Micheál Martin has arrived in Government Buildings to start appointing Cabinet ministers.

He can hand out no more than 15 seats at the cabinet table, though some Ministers of State will get to join meetings as "super-juniors".

This cap is set out in the Constitution, and means the new Taoiseach will have to start his term in office by freezing at some people out.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will take six seats each, with three from the Green Party.

The list

The tough decisions have started with Fianna Fáil's deputy leader Dara Calleary: he hasn't made the cut and will have to settle for the job of Chief Whip.

An Taoiseach: Micheal Martin, Cork East

Minister for Education: Norma Foley, TD for Kerry and a former primary school teacher.

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Michael McGrath

Minister for Agriculture and Marine: Laois-Offaly's Barry Cowen, the brother of former Taoiseach Brian Cowen and most recently spokesman on Public Expenditure and Reform.

Minister for Health: Wicklow's Stephen Donnelly, the former Fianna Fáil spokesman on health

Housing Minister: Darragh O'Brien, again, the party's frontbench spokesman on the housing brief.

Attorney General: Senior Counsel Paul Gallagher, who served as the government's chief legal advisor under Brian Cowen between 2007 and 2011.

Last weekend Leo Varadkar said this government would be a chance to get a "second chance" to solve the housing crisis, but that portfolio has gone to Fianna Fáil, and former housing minister Eoghan Murphy is nowhere to be seen.

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise: Leo Varadkar, Dublin West

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence: having campaigned successfully for Ireland's seat on the UN Security Council, Simon Coveney is keeping his old job.

Minister for Finance: so is Dublin Central TD Paschal Donohue

Minister for Justice: an unexpected promotion for Helen McEntee, who was previously Minister of State for European Afffairs.

Minister for Social Protection, Community and Rural Development: Former arts minister and TD for Cavan-Monaghan, Heather Humphreys

Minister for Higher Education: former Minister for Health Simon Harris

The Greens' three full Cabinet seats have gone to three senior members in Dublin.

Minister for Climate and Transport: Eamon Ryan, Dublin Bay South, the Green Party leader who now faces a leadership challenge.

Minister for Culture Media, Arts, Tourism and Sport and the Gaeltacht: Catherine Martin, Dublin Rathdown, the Greens' deputy leader and the only other candidate in her party's leadership contest.

Minister for Children, Equality and Disability: Dr Roderic O'Gorman, the first-time TD for Dublin West, but long the party's chainrman, he is a former lecturer in law at DCU.



Read more about

Cabinet Government Leo Varadka Micheál Martin

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