Two Longford-Westmeath TDs have been appointed as junior ministers

Two Longford-Westmeath TDs have been appointed as junior ministers - Independent Kevin 'Boxer' Moran is the new Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and Fianna Fáil's Robert Troy will be Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance. 

The Government unveiled its team of junior ministers today (Wednesday, January 29), including former agriculture minister Charlie McConalogue and Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae.

Fifteen senior ministers were appointed last Thursday when Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin became Taoiseach, a day after disruptive scenes in the Dáil.

Criticisms were made at the drop in the number of women at Cabinet from four to three.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, just two seats short of a majority, formed a coalition deal with the regional independent group and Kerry brothers Michael and Danny Healy-Rae.

To reflect the mandate of each political group based on November’s election, Fianna Fail has 10 junior ministry roles, including chief whip Mary Butler; Fine Gael has eight, while the independents have five.

Three “super” junior ministers were announced last week: the Regional Independents Sean Canney and Noel Grealish, and Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton.

Three other independents, Kevin “Boxer” Moran, Marian Harkin and Mr Healy-Rae, have been given junior ministries.

On Wednesday, the full 16 junior ministerial roles were revealed – six of whom are women, three of whom are new female junior ministers.

Donegal TD Mr McConalogue, who was the only minister to be dropped from Cabinet last week, accepted a role as a minister of state.

Robert Troy, who resigned as a junior minister at the Department of Enterprise in August 2022 after failing to declare all his property dealings on the Dail register of members’ interests, has returned to the junior benches.

The Longford-Westmeath TD said at the time these were “genuine errors” and not an attempt “to conceal anything”.

Fianna Fáil has promoted former media committee chairperson Niamh Smyth and Jennifer Murnane O’Connor as junior ministers.

Cork North-West TD for Fianna Fail Michael Moynihan, Cork TD Christopher O’Sullivan and Clare TD Timmy Dooley have also been promoted to junior ministries.

Thomas Byrne and Niall Collins have been re-appointed to junior ministerial roles.

For Fine Gael, Cork South-Central TD Jerry Buttimer, former cathaoirleach of the Seanad; Dublin South West TD Colm Brophy; and Waterford TD John Cummins have been promoted as ministers of state.

Alan Dillon, Neale Richmond, Emer Higgins and Kieran O’Donnell remain as ministers of state.

The Government nominees for the leas Ceann Comhairle role is a joint bid between Fianna Fail’s John McGuinness and Fine Gael’s Frank Feighan, who will rotate the role on November 16, 2027.

On Tuesday, Sinn Fein TD Pa Daly began a legal challenge against the Government as to whether having “super” junior ministers at Cabinet is unconstitutional.

There can only be a maximum of 15 members of Government at Cabinet as per the Irish constitution. Mr Daly’s case was granted leave in the High Court on Wednesday after a record high number of junior ministerial appointments.

Labour’s finance spokesperson Ged Nash said that “the boom-time ‘baby minister’ bonanza is back”.

He added: “Fianna Fail and Fine Gael are prepared to spend at least an extra €1.5 million euro a year of public money to keep Independents and their own TDs happy with new perks and positions.

“This stroke by the Taoiseach, Tanaiste and their partner in government Michael Lowry have absolutely smashed the pre-crash record of 20 ministers of state.

“By the time the committee chair gigs are doled out, we will have in excess of 50 TDs with Government-sponsored jobs.”

Junior Ministers

The appointments comprise:

Thomas Byrne TD

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs and at the Department of Defence

Michael Moynihan TD

Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion

Charlie McConalogue TD

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with Special Responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy

Kevin Boxer Moran TD

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with responsibility for the Office of Public Works

Emer Higgins TD

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with special responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment

Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD

Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy

Michael Healy-Rae TD

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture

Neale Richmond TD

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora

Jerry Buttimer TD

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, with special responsibility for Community Development, Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands and the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport

John Cummins TD

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning

Christopher O’Sullivan TD

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity

Kieran O’Donnell TD

Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Older People and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Housing

Robert Troy TD

Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance

Niall Collins TD

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice

Niamh Smyth TD

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation

Alan Dillon TD

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Small Businesses and Retail and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Circular Economy

Timmy Dooley TD

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for the Marine

Colm Brophy TD

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for Migration

Marian Harkin TD

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with special responsibility for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills