Super junior minister to protect roads from Greens
A NEW super junior minister will be tasked with protecting the roads budget in a new Green Party-run Department of Climate Action and Transport.
The super junior minister for roads will be appointed by either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael. However, which party will fill the ministry has yet to be decided.
It is expected Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will be appointed as Climate Action and Transport Minister, if a programme for government deal is agreed by the membership of all three parties today.
The decision to appoint a super junior minister for roads follows tension during government negotiations over the transport budget.
It comes as outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he expected all three parties to vote in favour of the deal to form a government today. The only Fine Gael ministers guaranteed to retain their Cabinet seats are Paschal Donohoe and Simon Coveney, according to senior Fine Gael sources.
A NEW super junior minister will be tasked with protecting the roads infrastructure in a new Green Party-run Department of Climate Action and Transport.
The super junior minister for roads will be appointed by either Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael.
However, a decision on which party will fill the ministry has yet to be decided.
It is expected Green Party leader Eamon Ryan will be appointed as Climate Action and Transport Minister, if a programme for government deal is agreed by the membership of all three parties today.
The decision to appoint a super junior minister for roads follows tension during government negotiations over the transport budget.
The Green Party insisted on a 2:1 split in favour of investment in public transport over funding for roads infrastructure. The Greens insisted this should include spending on road maintenance.
However, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael blocked this proposal – and ensured a number of major road projects were protected.
It comes as outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he expected all three parties to vote in favour in the deal.
“My prediction is that the three parties tomorrow will vote to go into coalition with each other and that the yes vote will be larger than people expect in all three parties and that we will have a new government on Saturday,” Mr Varadkarsaid.
The Fine Gael leader also warned there’s “no arrangement in place” for a scenario where the deal does not pass.
Sources said the delay in finalising the new ministerial portfolios was due to Mr Ryan seeking time to clarify issues relating to the cabinet reshuffle.
The leaders will not appoint TDs to the portfolios until after Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin is elected Taoiseach tomorrow afternoon.
At Cabinet yesterday, Mr Varadkar wished his team of ministers well, and noted that the majority of them will not be returning – as he could only appoint six TDs to senior government positions.
The only Fine Gael ministers guaranteed to retain their seats are Paschal Donohoe and Simon Coveney, according to senior Fine Gael sources.
Mr Donohoe will remain Finance Minister and will campaign to become the next president of the Eurogroup – an influential role responsible for co-ordinating finance ministers across the eurozone.
Mr Coveney is expected to remain in the Department of Foreign Affairs where he will oversee the country’s Brexit strategy and Ireland’s tenure on the UN Security Council.
Fianna Fáil’s finance spokesperson Michael McGrath is expected to be appointed Public Expenditure and Reform Minister. Mr McGrath will have special responsibility for redrafting the Government’s national development plan.
Fianna Fáil deputy leader Dara Calleary is also destined for cabinet but it was undecided yesterday what portfolio he will hold.
Green Party deputy leader Catherine Martin was being tipped to become education minister.
The negotiations on the carve-up of cabinet portfolios will continue today, following a meeting between the party leaders yesterday.
The leaders and their advisers are expected to have the shake-up of cabinet portfolios completed ahead of the proposed vote on the Taoiseach.
The cabinet will potentially be appointed tomorrow, while ministers of State will be announced on Tuesday after another meeting of senior ministers.
However, they will have to await the outcome of the votes of all three parties which are expected to be known by around 6pm today. The Green Party’s vote was still on a knife edge last night, ahead of the deadline to cast a ballot on the deal at noon today.