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New Cabinet holds first meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin

The first meeting of the new Cabinet is taking place at Aras an Uachtarain. The Ministerial chang...
Newstalk
Newstalk

06.10 11 Jul 2014


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New Cabinet holds first meetin...

New Cabinet holds first meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin

Newstalk
Newstalk

06.10 11 Jul 2014


Share this article


The first meeting of the new Cabinet is taking place at Aras an Uachtarain.

The Ministerial changes in the reshuffle include the appointment of Leo Varadkar as the new Minister for Health.

His predecessor James Reilly is remaining on in government. However Pat Rabbitte is among those to lose their place in the Cabinet.

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The new Cabinet have received their seals of office from President Michael D. Higgins.

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste will hold a joint press conference later this evening.

Enda Kenny earlier announced the Cabinet reshuffle with five new faces in government. Kenny and Joan Burton have also appointed a new Super Junior post of Minister for Business and Employment.

Jimmy Deenihan, Phil Hogan, Eamon Gilmore, Pat Rabbitte and Ruairi Quinn are all out.

Enda Kenny has promoted Paschal Donohoe to Cabinet to Transport, Tourism and Sport after a short stint as a Junior Minister. And in a bigger surprise, he is bringing first time TD Heather Humphries into the government as Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

The announcements were made to a full Dail chamber 

Leo Varadkar will move to Health, with the Department of Children becoming the new home for James Reilly who will take over from Charlie Flanagan who has only been in the job for a short time.

The Laois-Offaly TD now moves to Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Richard Bruton has held on in Jobs, as has Simon Coveney in Agriculture who also gets the Defence portfolio.

In Labour - Alan Kelly goes to Environment, Jan O'Sullivan is the new Education Minister and Alex White to Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.

Leo Varadkar (right) moves to Health, with Paschal Donohoe (left) taking Transport (Image: Merrion Street)

Ged Nash also becomes the Super Junior in the Department of Jobs, with the title Minister for Business and Employment.

Confirmation as well that Phil Hogan will be the Irish nominee to the European Commission.

Hear the announcement in full:

Mr. Kenny also paid tribute to his out-going members:

The new Cabinet will have four female members: Joan Burton, Frances Fitzgerald, Jan O'Sullivan and Heather Humphreys (Image: Merrion Street)

But Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin has slammed the re-shuffle, saying the public wanted a change in policy but the coalition was standing over what they had done for the past three years.


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