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TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has today appointed his Ministers of State.
There are 18 junior ministers jobs up for grabs, with the Minister of State positions used to balance out rural and urban appointments.
Following the Cabinet appointments, there was anger that the West is not adequately represented.
Speaking in the Dáil yesterday, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar admitted it’s very unusual for there not to be a senior minister west of the Shannon and suggested he didn’t co-ordinate appointments with Micheál Martin and Eamon Ryan.
He promised that regional balance would be addressed with the junior minister positions, so here they are:
There were some notable snubs of job offers today. Most notable was that of Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan.
He was offered a junior ministry by Micheál Martin, however, in a statement he said “his energies and abilities” would be best spent as a backbencher.
He said senior members in the party will be preoccupied with their senior roles in government, so he wants to devote his time to “strengthening our great party by making it more of an attractive option to young voters”.
“I also believe Fianna Fáil needs strong voices outside government who can ensure that our party’s identity can be protected during the term of this coalition government,” he said.
Such a statement certainly put the cat among the pigeons in Leinster House today, with widespread speculation that this could be the first step by the Dublin Bay South TD towards a move against the leader.
Fine Gael’s Joe McHugh from Donegal was also offered a junior ministerial role, but also turned down the offer. The former Education Minister had been tipped for a position, particularly for geographical reasons, but his refusal to take the job left the door open for Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue.
It had been widely speculated that Kerry TD Brendan Griffin would hold on to a junior ministry, however, he did not get the nod today. There had also been speculation the olive branch might have been extended to Richard Bruton who campaigned strongly to be kept on in his ministerial position.
It is also notable about no newly elected TDs from Fine Gael were given the nod this time around. Criticism about the number of women appointed to junior positions is also set to feature tomorrow.
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20 more for the trough . What a joke
@Seamus Grant: Comments are being deleted right and centre.
@Mick Andrews: better make the comments left so
@Seamus Grant: Big pension guaranteed for all of them.
@Jim Buckley Barrett: they’re always left around here.
@Joe Johnson: not true actually
There should be no pay rises for TDs until front line workers get their pay restored. This stuffing of a few pockets must stop
@Sean Nihill: Hope you don’t rope teachers and Guards into that mix.
@Rob Jones: can’t speak for all schools but my kids teachers played a blinder since March.
So Calleary for all his cry arseing now has a nice hefty super junior Chief whip salary and an extra salary for his minister of state for Sport and the Gaeltacht all on top of his basic TDs salary and not to mention his massive expenses the guy is cleaning up.
Frank Feighan ! Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.
@Leadóg: He elbowed his way in apparently.
Great to see them all getting well paid jobs so they can ignore their constituents
@Michael: They can all hide behind their covid masks and wait out the big pensions.
Callery two pensions now chief whip and junior minister no complaints from him…
@Martin Smith: I’m not sure it works like that, I think whatever is the highest paid position is the pension you retire with once you served enough time in the role. I could be wrong but it seems absurd that retired Taosaigh would get a Taoiseach pension, plus a ministerial pension, plus a TD pension. I think it’s just each step up entitles you to a larger pension.
@JC: that would be an ecumenical matter.
@JC: In a normal world yes but in Irish politics I’m not sure.
@Hans Vos: JC is correct. Look it up.
@Martin Smith: wrong again the system was changed a few years ago
One for everyone in the audience?
Do ye reckon that lad Brophy is using a box colour on the aul hair?
@Dave Byrne:
I wish he would drink it.
Absolute useless waffler.
Does nothing for Dublin South West.
Total waste of space .
Franky ‘elbows’ feighan??? Oh lord! . It just keeps getting worse.
The West of Ireland should split away from this chaos.
@Mayo GAA Banter: Connexit!
@Mayo GAA Banter: Can Munster come with you?
I have to say that Malcolm Noonan ( Carlow- Kilkenny) is an excellent local politician who campaigns tirelessly for local issues.
@Mary Walshe: I 100% agree with you there Mary.
Jimbo getting ready to position himself for top job
Minister for older people and mental health…. Seriously… Down with this sort of thing.
Jack. Chambers.
@Ann Experiment: the minister for shouting at TV presenters…. Another FF sleeve en from Dublin West…. God spare us.
@Ann Experiment: useless snake.
We should have hired interns.
@Paul Power: I mis-read that Paul and thought you said “ we should have hired Morons.” I was about to reply that we did.
Lots of ambition, not so much talent.
Will leave this here, Anne rabbitte, last year, made a very big blunder over the tuam babies https://www.broadsheet.ie/2019/04/23/stop-digging/
I hope when it comes to forward planning those that are in government remember where Rosslare is and close it is to Europe. I’m no fan of fan of Verona Murphy but she is pushing Rosslare.
Joe O’ Brien is the spit of Riker from Star Trek.
@Peter Denham: I thought he was channeling late stage Steven Segal. Suspiciously dark hair and dead behind the eyes.
@Peter Denham: haha Koala-T!
@Shane McGettrick: leather trousers out of shot
@Peter Denham: he’s pretty good, in fairness, the kind of pragmatic and sensible guy the Greens will need if they are to progress further in Irish politics.
The truth is, we need a focus on the environment within government, and the Greens being crucified next time around isn’t in anyone’s interest.
Still no senior ministers west of the Shannon and north of Monaghan. Junior Ministers have little power compared to those sitting around the cabinet table. This government has got off to a very start.
Jim O’Callaghan for Leader of FF. A thorough Gentleman… Go Jim… Michael Martin has left the members of FF in total frustration and we await his demise… How dare he…
Colm Brophy. A head like a boiled ham. Some carry on in this country. Love Ireland but not the meat balls that run it.
What salaries/benefits are these guys on?
Is the a ministry for silly walks too?
Anne Rabbitt oh my god now there is a person who is despised.
Is there a ministry for silly walks too?
Kieran O Donnell FG from the mid – west has lost out.
Minister for disability, hope they dont disappear like the last one.Day services for disabled people still CLOSED.
Most of them were on political programmes ability to give 2 answers to the same question economical with the truth in a pub would be called a liar bring back Vincent brown
So women in all the traditional caring roles. How bloody 1980.
I wonder how many are teachers and lawyers? We’ll have to make a bigger trough.
Today’s announcement in regard to Rosslare would seem to indicate that Verona Murphy has got her way But this should not be at the expense of Ringaskidy. The Brittany Ferries Cork to Santander ship that moved to Rosslare to service Rosslare to Bilbao should be replaced by another ship or comany.
Malcolm Noonan, not Michael
Best of luck to them all, Now they have to maje their mark and deliver,
have your say