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Programme for Government ratified by new Cabinet

President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Áras yesterday
President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the Áras yesterday

The Cabinet has formally ratified the Programme for Government, following a meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin last night.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin spoke with ministers about the priority of delivering across key areas such as infrastructure, housing, climate, public services and the economy.

The Taoiseach also gave a briefing on the potential impact and preparations for Storm Éowyn.

Mr Martin will shortly establish the new unit on disability that will sit in the Department of Taoiseach, and meet with the Ministers and Secretary-Generals to outline the priorities for the coming weeks and months.

On Monday, he will attend a ceremony in Poland to commemorate 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz.

The new Cabinet was named by Mr Martin yesterday.


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Fine Gael leader Simon Harris will be Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade as well as Minister for Defence.

Fianna Fáil TD Jack Chambers is moving from finance to take up the role of Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation.

Paschal Donohoe becomes Minister for Finance once again.

Fianna Fáil TD Jim O'Callaghan, who is also a barrister, is the new Minister for Justice.

The previous minister for justice, Fine Gael's Helen McEntee, is the new Minister for Education and Youth.

Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will serve as the new Minister for Health.

Fianna Fáil's Dara Calleary will be Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht.

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Read more: Cabinet list in full with number of promotions, changes


Fianna Fáil TDs Norma Foley and Darragh O'Brien, who were in the last cabinet, are moving departments.

Ms Foley, who was the minister for education, will take up the role as Minister for Children and Disability and former minister for housing Darragh O'Brien is moving to the Department of Transport, Environment and Energy.

Fianna Fáil TD for Waterford Mary Butler will take up the role of Government Chief Whip and will also have responsibility for Mental Health.

Fianna Fáil's James Lawless will be appointed as Minister for Higher Education Research, Innovation and Science and Fine Gael's Patrick O'Donovan will be Minister for Arts, Culture, Communications, Media and Sport.

Fine Gael's Martin Heydon replaces Charlie McConalogue as Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine.

Senior counsel Rossa Fanning has also been reappointed as Attorney General.

The announcements mean that of the eight ministerial positions for Fianna Fáil including Taoiseach, three TDs - Mr Lawless, Mr Browne and Mr Calleary - have been promoted to full ministries.

However, the only minister to keep their old portfolio is Peter Burke, who remains as Minister for Enterprise and Employment.

Three super junior ministers, who will be allowed to sit at Cabinet but not allowed to speak at it, have also been appointed.

They are Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton, and Regional Independent TDs Sean Canney and Noel Grealish.

FF councillor critical of number of women in Cabinet

A Fianna Fáil councillor has criticised the low number of women in the Cabinet, describing it as a "backward step".

Cllr Rachael Batten, who is the Fianna Fáil group leader in Dublin City Council, said she believed women had been "sidelined" in the current Cabinet.


Criticism over lack of gender balance in new Cabinet


She said the appointment of three women to the Cabinet is more than a representation issue she said it's about fairness.

She called for urgent action to address the issue.

"As a woman in politics, and as a mother, I find it difficult to accept that we continue to tell our daughters that there is an equal playing field in politics when the evidence stands in stark contradiction," she said.

"We need stronger policies and leadership that reflect the realities faced by women in society and create the conditions for true gender equality in our political institutions."

Additional reporting Samantha Libreri