The list of new Ministers of State has been presented to the Dáil this afternoon.
13 of the outgoing Ministers of State are reappointed as well as two new appointments, Dara Calleary of Mayo and Kildare North's Áine Brady.
Seven of the outgoing Junior Ministers have been dropped.
They are Noel Ahern, John McGuinness, Micheal Kitt, Sean Power, Maire Hoctor, Mary Wallace and Jimmy Devins.
The new ministers and their responsibilities are as follows:
Pat Carey: Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence, with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip;
Barry Andrews: Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, with special responsibility for Children and Young People;
Dick Roche: Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs, with special responsibility for European Affairs;
Trevor Sargent: Minister of State at the Departments of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Health and Children, with special responsibility for Food and Horticulture;
Tony Killeen: Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, with special responsibility for Forestry, Fisheries and the Marine;
Conor Lenihan: Minister of State at the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Education and Science, and Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, with special responsibility for Science, Technology, Innovation and Natural Resources;
Sean Haughey: Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, with special responsibility for Lifelong Learning and School Transport.
Billy Kelleher: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with special responsibility for Trade and Commerce;
John Moloney: Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Education and Science, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, with special responsibility for Equality, Disability Issues and Mental Health;
Michael Finneran: Minister of State at the Department of the
Environment, Heritage and Local Government, with special responsibility for Housing and Local Services;
John Curran: Minister of State at the Departments of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Education and Science, and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, with special responsibility for Integration and Community;
Peter Power: Minister of State at the Department of Foreign
Affairs, with special responsibility for Overseas Development;
Martin Mansergh: Minister of State at the Departments of Finance, including special responsibility for the Office of Public Works, and Arts, Sport and Tourism, with special responsibility for the Arts;
Áine Brady: Minister of State at the Departments of Health and Children, Social and Family Affairs and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, with special responsibility for Older People and Health Promotion; and
Dara Calleary: Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with special responsibility for Labour Affairs.
Dáil reaction
Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton congratulated those appointed but likened them to being third mates on the Titanic and pointed out that 15 was enough to fill a life boat.
Labour Leader Eamon Gilmore said the country needs more politically profound change than a reshuffling of the Ministers of State.
The Dáil also discussed the Social Welfare Bill implementing the Budget changes.
Minister for Social and Family Affairs Mary Hanafin said the decision to scrap Christmas bonus payments for social welfare recipients was probably the hardest one the Government had to make in drawing up the Budget.
She said she accepted that its scrapping would be 'very difficult' for those affected. She also said the Government regrets having to make 'these difficult decisions'.
Labour's Roisin Shortall said it was a savage cut, with her party colleague, Sean Sherlock, saying it was miserly and mean.
The debate will continue tomorrow.
