‘New energy’ was promised, but Harris goes softly-softly with Cabinet reshuffle

Fears civil service would ‘run rings’ around ministers

Taoiseach Simon Harris has played it safe with a conservative cabinet reshuffle despite his promise of “new energy”.

The new Fine Gael leader put geography ahead of gender as he handed promotion to men from the midlands and Munster.

Government sources insist there is strong logic behind keeping the rest of Leo Varadkar’s team in place, including concerns that the civil service would “run rings around” new ministers if there was wholesale change.

But the Irish Independent can also reveal details of the intense lobbying behind the scenes that influenced Mr Harris’s choices over recent days.

Former Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald is said to have been instrumental in saving Justice Minister Helen McEntee from demotion.

And Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys pushed for Limerick TD Patrick O’Dovovan to take over as Minister for Further and Higher Education.

The two women are close confidantes of the new Taoiseach.

Harris’s early days in politics were spent working for Fitzgerald, while his first appointment after taking over the Fine Gael leadership was to make Humphreys his deputy.

The appointment of Westmeath TD Peter Burke as Enterprise Minister was widely predicted.

It means Galway TD Hildegarde Naughton missed out on a full cabinet role, but she remains as Government Chief Whip and will take on new responsibilities in the area of disabilities, which Mr Harris has set as a priority. He also appointed Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as Minister of European Affairs.

A further shake-up of junior ministries is expected tomorrow, with Neale Richmond in line to take over from Ms Carroll MacNeill in the Department of Finance. He will be tasked with drafting Fine Gael tax policy.

Mayo TD Alan Dillon, Dublin MidWest TD Emer Higgins and Cork North Central TD Colm Burke are also tipped for promotion.

A senior government source defended the small reshuffle last night, saying the Taoiseach had concerns the civil service would prevent novice ministers from enacting significant reforms less than a year out from a general election.

The most radical move considered by Mr Harris was dropping Helen McEntee from the justice portfolio, where she struggled to make an impact in recent months.

But an intervention from Ms Fitzgerald, who is a former justice minister, along with the departure of Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney from the Cabinet convinced him to keep her in position. However, Mr Harris, who pledged to make a law and order a central plank of his Fine Gael leadership, told Ms McEntee he intends to work closely with her on justice issues.

His co-chief of staff, Sarah Bardon, will also play a key role in overseeing justice briefings from the Department of the Taoiseach.

“He definitely changed his mind on Helen. She has not delivered in that position at all. It was Peter [Burke] who was going to get it,” a former minister close to Mr Harris said.

“Frances is the most influential person now with the man himself [Simon Harris]. She pointed to the difficulties for a newcomer in getting a handle on that department, with all the various issues crossing the minister’s desk.”

It is also understood the appointment of Mr O’Donovan was decided by Mr Harris at the weekend.

“That was on the cards for the last three to four days. The notion that he could have left Munster without a cabinet minister was ludicrous. He realised it late last week,” a former minister said.

Mr O’Donovan was tipped for the Chief Whip job, but a source said Mr O’Donovan could not be appointed as Chief Whip as he is “not good at bringing people together”.

His appointment means Fine Gael does have a minister in every province, and government sources also noted that the Taoiseach has three male and three female ministers.

However, Fine Gael backbench TDs and senators criticised the party leader for an “underwhelming” reshuffle.

One source said it did not reflect the major push for a “new energy” within the party in recent weeks and at the ard fheis.

Helen McEntee not being moved out of the Department of Justice despite speculation this would happen in recent weeks came in for criticism.

There also has been some criticism of the lack of women promoted to senior roles in the Cabinet, with Labour leader Ivana Bacik telling the Dáil: “It’s a pity we haven’t seen more women elevated to the Cabinet, I must say that.”

One party source also agreed with this assessment, but another figure said it was “far more important” to be geographically balanced at this reshuffle.

Another TD said there is still a good gender balance among the senior party ministers.