JOHN PATRICK KIERANS AOIFE MOOFE

Varadkar reshuffles his Cabinet to move Bruton to plug Comms gap

RICHARD Bruton has been appointed as Communications Minister following Denis Naughten’s shock resignation.

Mr Bruton, who has served as Education Minister since May 2016, will be replaced by Donegal TD Joe Mchugh.

The Taoiseach has confirmed four new ministerial appointments to his Cabinet. Mr Varadkar proposes to assign Sean Kyne as the new Chief Whip and Minister for the Gaeltacht and the islands, and unaligned Independent TD Sean Canney the Minister of State at the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment.

The Government was called into question this

Mr Bruton week following the resignation of the Communications Minister. Mr Varadkar came under scrutiny from the public and Opposition parties with many predicting an election was imminent. However, on Friday, Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin called on the premier not to collapse the Irish Government until Brexit issues have been resolved.