Irish Sunday Mirror

No time for quietly settling in...

Taoiseach Martin calls for ‘new way’ with emphasis on working together

- BY FERGHAL BLANEY Political Correspond­ent

TAOISEACH Micheal Martin has unveiled a new Cabinet with some surprising promotions, big-name demotions and shock omissions.

The Fianna Fail leader formally took the reins of power last night as head of the new coalition of his party, Fine Gael and the Greens, with one of his first tasks to announce his new team of ministers to the nation.

There are six Fianna Fail ministers, six Fine Gael ministers and three Green ministers now in charge of the country.

Fine Gael boss Leo Varadkar will serve as Mr Martin’s Tanaiste and will take over as Taoiseach in

December 2022 as part of the new deal.

Inevitably there was a cull of senior Fine Gael ministers, with Eoghan Murphy, Charlie Flanagan, Joe Mchugh and Michael Ring among the big names sent packing.

And there were some new Fianna Fail names everyone will get used to, none more so than first-time TD Norma Foley from Kerry, who has been given the massive brief of Education.

Stephen Donnelly getting Health saw him surprise many pundits and leapfrog others who were expecting the call.

Chief among these was the party’s deputy leader, Dara Calleary, who was overlooked for a senior ministeria­l role, only getting the Chief Whip’s job.

This is regarded as a Super Junior Minister job and he does get a seat at the Cabinet table.

As do the other two new Super Juniors appointed last night, Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton and Green Senator Pippa Hackett.

The Attorney General also gets a seat at the Cabinet table every week as the Government’s chief legal adviser and Paul Gallagher is returning to a role he has held before.

Outgoing Taoiseach Mr Varadkar was humble in his congratula­tions for Mr Martin.

He said: “I wish him well because when a new Taoiseach does well, the country does well.” Mr Varadkar

described Mr Martin’s ascent to the role of Taoiseach as one of the great political comebacks after Fianna Fail was nearly wiped out nine years ago.

He used the same words to describe his new colleague, Green leader, Mr Ryan’s rise.

Mr Varadkar added: “What an extraordin­ary political comeback.

“Today the Green Party is helping to shape our future for the better.

“And I know from our negotiatio­ns that this is definitely a party that is able to play senior hurling.”

This was in reference to what veteran Fianna Fail TD Seamus Brennan told one of the Greens last time they went into government with Fianna Fail in 2007, where he allegedly said: “You’re playing senior hurling now.” Sinn Fein are now the official leaders of the opposition as the largest party outside of government. Party leader Mary Lou Mcdonald was the first TD to criticise the newlyforme­d Government in Convention Centre Dublin last night. She said: “The wide expectatio­n that a new Government would deliver change was not to be because the century-old impulse to hold onto power of two parties held. “The truth is they have coalesced and colluded in Micheal Martin yesterday silencing the voice of change. This will be a Government of more of the same.

“Fianna Fail and Fine Gael forced into a government together is no historical departure.”

Labour leader Alan Kelly congratula­ted the new Taoiseach and said he was happy to see Mr Martin had gone to an public school like himself.

He then pointed out they were “in a minority” among the other Irish party leaders on this, name-checking Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael), Mary Lou Mcdonald (Sinn Fein) and Paul Murphy (Rise) as private school alumni.

But there was no doubt that it was Corkman Mr Martin’s day yesterday.

He unveiled his new Cabinet of ministers and said: “The Government which I am nominating will be committed to working together in a new way and with both urgency and ambition.

“There is no time for quietly settling in.

“Every minister has a substantia­l role to play not just in delivering the commitment­s for the department­s but also in the Government’s collective work.

“The challenges we must overcome are both immediate and, in many cases, long-standing.

“They can only be met and overcome if we work together across our responsibi­lities.

“There is no question about our first priority – continuing the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and moving decisively to recover from its devastatin­g social, economic and cultural impact.”

Meanwhile, the fact only four of the 15 senior ministers of the new Cabinet are women, was highlighte­d as being the same number as last time.

Ciairin de Buis, CEO of Women for Election, said the has gender imbalance is “not good enough”.

She added: “It is disappoint­ing that once again a Government has missed the opportunit­y to appoint a balanced cabinet.

“There have now been a total of 23 women who have been appointed to cabinet since the foundation of the State. That’s not good enough.”

news@irishmirro­r.ie

The challenges we must overcome are immediate and, in many cases, long-standing

TAOISEACH MICHEAL MARTIN YESTERDAY

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? ROLES Leo Varadkar & Eamon Ryan
ROLES Leo Varadkar & Eamon Ryan
 ??  ?? TOP JOB
TOP JOB
 ??  ?? HISTORIC Cabinet with President Higgins
HISTORIC Cabinet with President Higgins

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