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JUNIOR MINISTER JACK Chambers has been named the new deputy leader of Fianna Fáil.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin announced his appointment to the role outside Government Buildings this evening.
The position of deputy leader has been vacant since August 2020, when Dara Calleary resigned as Minister for Agriculture following the fallout from the infamous Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Galway.
Chambers, the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West, serves as a Minister of State in the Department of Transport.
Martin said the appointment is part of the “reorganisation of Fianna Fáil” over the next eight months “and in particular, the next general election”.
Micheal Martin announces that Jack Chambers is now the new deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. pic.twitter.com/colwg529YN
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) June 19, 2024
“I’m very focused on that and Jack will now be a critical part of our broader effort to both defend the seats we have and increase the seats in Dáil Éireann,” he said.
He said Chambers has “displayed an extraordinary commitment and dedication to political life, the most recent manifestation of that was in his capacity as director of elections for Fianna Fáil in the local elections”.
Chambers said it was a great privilege to be asked to serve as deputy leader of Fianna Fáil and to previously serve as director of elections for the local elections.
He said the party’s results in the elections “exceeded all expectations”, with 248 councillors elected and double the numbers of MEPs in the European Parliament.
“But that’s in the past, we’ve drawn a line under that, and we’re ambitious as a party about the future,” he said.
“This government has about eight months to go and we’re keen as a party to really drive new organisation, new ambition and new plans for the future to look at the next five years.”
Martin denied that the decision was in any way paving the way for him to step down and confirmed that he would lead Fianna Fáil into the next general election.
He also confirmed that he would make an announcement in relation to the nomination of Ireland’s next European Commissioner by next week.
Jack Chambers has held various other high profile roles, including Government Chief Whip, and Minister of State for Sport, the Gaeltacht and Defence.
He was elected to the Dáil in the February 2016 General Election and was re-elected in the 2020 General Election.
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Roll on election time
@Ken Kennedy: It has barely rolled off.
@Ken Kennedy: . What will change.. nothing. No change after local and European elections. Seems those calling for change didn’t bother to vote.
Thankfully we are in safe hands :)
@Ken Kennedy: We need to talk about Eamon’s 9 unelected Special Advisors will they now be payed off with RTE type money.
@David Murray: They’ll probably move onto the next leader of the Greens.
@Ken Kennedy: do you honestly think you will get a new govt? FFG got 52% of support in the election two weeks ago. That’s enough for another 5 year term alone.
@Philip A Howlin: something WOULD change if Irish people weren’t complacent enough to think it’s fine that we haven’t had a change of power since COVID despite multiple scandals and the former Taoiseach running for the hills, only locals and it’s been FFG bar one occasion since the feckin war of independence
Chambers anyway, what an absolute weapon prior to coming ‘out’ …as an ambitious successor to his party leader who became Taoiseach by just wearing the electorate down
Fits the bill. Someone MM can push around. A yes man.
@Billy Hayes: All FF TD’S AND UNELECTED SENATORS ARE YES PEOPLE
THAT THE BERTIE KISSER CAN CONTROL A KIND OF A CULT.
@David Murray: clearly false
@David Murray: And yet theygot 23% in the last election and bertie is gone almost 20 years .
The present government will be returning perhaps without the Greens but some other party or independents.
@David Murray: David did you misspell cult
Chief whip during the pandemic, pushing through legislation that was unpopular with party members. Was a loud voice for a no vote in the abortion referendum. Always found him to be a strange fish.
And it took him 33 years before he came out to the constituency and the public as gay, and fair play to him but to take that long when he’s been in politics since his early 20s is a strong level of dishonesty
@9QRixo8H: Nobody’s business but his own. It’s called your ” Private Life” for a reason.
@Ger McDonnell: His private life is his own business, but one would have to ask why he chose to reveal his sexual orientation when it makes no difference to his constituents of whom I am one. Gay, straight or bisexual I personally don’t care but wouldn’t vote for him or his government colleagues because of their policies not their personalities.
Pox poor decision/ choice , though not much elsewhere . A great man for mouthing off with extremely backward thinking, anti woman, anti everything. And then announces himself to the world. Another God complex on offer
@uXGdMXx5: how is he anti women ?
It’s gone down the Jacks for FF
god help us
Now just need to get rid of the career failure, MM.
An email to media outlets would have sufficed, what a palava.
What has Chambers done to get this I wonder?????
@donal finn: He is a proper sycophant, that’s all the criteria you need.
Jesus wept
He’s young …”we’re cut from the same cloth,” comes to mind…
Cute move…. looking for a certain vote.
Mmmmm, why now four years after the last deputy leader??
Is the writing on the wall??
Election soon maybe very soon!!
Watched TV interview with him (Jack) a few years back and even then,his arrogance was dumbfounding for a so called politician !!!.Even since then his arrogance is just below the surface and only a scratch away !!!
There is something wrong with the justice when a person can’t face a jury ,
Another slot on the gravy train slurping up the inflated salary and expenses full training on how to waffle and show solidarity pure nonsense.
have your say