In the past weeks, we have seen the election of a new Taoiseach and a cabinet reshuffle. There are three new faces in this cabinet, along with shuffles in various departments.
One of these alterations saw that the Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform Departments became unified and are now directed by Minister Paschal Donohoe. Michael Ring has also been reappointed from his position as the Minister of Rural Affairs to the new Department of Community and Rural Affairs.
Many other Ministers have been transferred into new Departments, such as Minister Frances Fitzgerald who has been reappointed to the Department of Enterprise & Innovation, moving away from her position in Justice.
Taking up the position in the Department of Justice is Minister Charlie Flanagan, his previous position as Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade, falling to Simon Coveney, formerly of the Department for Housing, Planning & Local Government.
Eoghan Murphy will be taking over from Coveney and he is to take over as the Minister for Housing Planning & Local Government. Barrister Seamus Woulfe has been appointed as the 31st Attorney General of Ireland, succeeding former Attorney General Máire Whelan.
Previous Whip, Regina Doherty has been appointed as the Minister for Employment & Social Protection, while the Whip status is passed down to Minister Joe McHugh. As well as gaining the position of Chief Whip, McHugh has become the Minister for Culture with a special responsibility towards Gaeilge, the Gaeltacht & the Islands.
Mary Mitchell O’Connor has moved from her position in the Department of Jobs, Innovation & Enterprise to become the Minister for Education with a special responsibility in Higher Education.
The Full List of the New Cabinet and Departments are as follows:
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise & Innovation Frances Fitzgerald
Minister for Finance and Department of Public Expenditure & Reform Paschal Donohoe
Minister for Health Simon Harris
Minister for Justice & Equality Charlie Flanagan
Minister for Agriculture, Food & the Marine Michael Creed
Minister for Education & Skills Richard Bruton
Minister for Employment & Social Protection Regina Doherty
Minister for Foreign Affairs & Trade Simon Coveney
Minister for Housing, Planning & Local Government Eoghan Murphy
Minister for Community & Rural Affairs Michael Ring
Minister for Arts and Culture Heather Humphreys
Minister for Transport, Tourism & Sport Shane Ross
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone
Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment Denis Naughten
Chief Whip & Minister of State at the Department of Culture
(with responsibility for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands) Joe McHugh
Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and
the Department of Defence Paul Kehoe
Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection,
the Department of Justice & Equality, and the Department of Health
(with special responsibility for Disability Issues) Finian McGrath
Minister of State at the Department of Education
(with special responsibility for Higher Education) Mary Mitchell O’Connor