Taoiseach Enda Kenny has named his new Cabinet, with Eamon Gilmore confirmed as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade – but there are no senior cabinet positions for Dinny McGinley or Joe McHugh.
Deputy McGinley had been previously tipped to take a senior position – with the Gaeltacht portfolio one job he had been tipped to take over.
However that went to Jimmy Deenihan, his party colleague. Deputy McGinley may well get a junior ministry in the next few hours but there was no confirmation as yet from Fine Gael.
The full cabinet is as follows.
Michael Noonan – Finance
Ruairi Quinn – Education and Skills
Richard Bruton – Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation
Frances Fitzgerald – Children
James Reilly – Health
Phil Hogan – Environment, Community and Local Government
Leo Varadkar – Transport, Tourism and Sport
Jimmy Deenihan – Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs
Paul Kehoe – Chief Whip
Alan Shatter – Justice, Equality and Defence
Simon Coveney – Agriculture, Marine and Food
Joan Burton – Social Protection
Pat Rabbitte – Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Brendan Howlin – Public Expenditure and Reform
Willie Penrose – Super Junior Minister at Department of Environment with responsibility for Housing and Planning (will sit at Cabinet).
Paul Kehoe will be Government Chief Whip.
Enda Kenny was officially appointed Taoiseach by President McAleese during a ceremony this afternoon at Áras an Uachtaráin.
President McAleese signed the warrant of appointment of Taoiseach and presented Mr Kenny with his seal of office and a seal of Government.
Mr Kenny was elected as Taoiseach by 117 votes to 27 during the first session of the 31st Dáil.
In his first Dáil address as Taoiseach, Mr Kenny said the country was on the threshold of fundamental change.
He said he was entering into a covenant with the public and that honesty was his only policy.
‘This is the darkest hour before the dawn.’
Fine Gael’s Seán Barrett was earlier elected as the new Ceann Comhairle.
