Explained: Why Sligo - Leitrim's new junior minister isn't official yet
On Wednesday, a record number of junior minister positions were filled as the government divided out portfolios for the next four years.
On Wednesday, it was announced that, as expected Sligo-Leitrim’s Marian Harkin, would take up a Junior minister position in the Department of Education, that said, she isn’t officially a junior minister yet.
Deputy Harkin will have to wait until legislation is passed that increases the amount of junior ministers that the government is allowed to have at one time.
Right now, the government is only allowed to have 20 deputies in junior minister positions, however, this government announced that they would have 23 to account for the regional independents who supported the government.
Therefore, Marian Harkin along with Colm Brophy (Fine Gael), and Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil) will have to wait for Legislation to pass before they can officially take up their new roles.
It is not clear how long it will take for this legislation to pass, though it will not be before the Dáil reconvenes on the 5th of February.
Until then, Sligo-Leitrim will not have a junior minister in the Dáil as Deputy Frank Feighan was passed over for a junior minister role on Wednesday.
The record number of junior minister positions were filled by 10 Fianna Fáil TDs, eight Fine Gael TDs and five Independents.
It was made clear that Deputy Harkin would get a junior ministerial position during the government's negotiations with the regional independent group.
The appointment of junior ministers has drawn some criticism to the government, thus far, as only six out of the 23 positions were awarded women deepening questions around gender equality in government.
Meanwhile, the salary of junior ministers also increased by €45,000 in this Dáil to just under €160,000 a year, according to figures published by the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Deputy Harkin was not present at government buildings on Wednesday for the announcements as her mother, who passed away earlier in the week, was laid to rest in Sligo.