SINN FÉIN LEADER Mary Lou McDonald has announced a reshuffle of her party’s front bench spokespeople this afternoon.

McDonald confirmed that two TDs, Pa Daly and Sorca Clarke, would be elevated to the front bench for the first time, while no TDs have been dropped despite some movement.

A number of TDs, including Pearse Doherty, Eoin Ó Broin, David Cullinane and Louise O’Reilly, will remain in their current briefs.

“This is the team that will lead Sinn Féin into the next General Election – a team full of talent, experience and ambition and bursting with the energy to deliver; a team that is ready to deliver change in government,” McDonald said.

The biggest change is likely the elevation of Rose Conway-Walsh, who moves from Higher Education to take on the Public Expenditure and Reform (PER) brief. The Mayo TD is swapping with Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell.

Conway-Walsh will now be opposite Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, while Farrell will shadow Minister Simon Harris in Higher Education.

Cavan-Monaghan TD Matt Carthy is also being moved from Agriculture to Foreign Affairs and Defence, with McDonald citing his experience as an MEP. Galway-Roscommon TD Claire Kerrane will now take on the Agriculture brief.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire is now taking on the Social Protection brief. Additionally, Sinn Féin is splitting Climate and Transport, with Darren O’Rourke remaining in Climate while Martin Kenny will take up Transport and Communications.

The entire front bench is as follows:

• Mary Lou McDonald – Leader of the Opposition
• Finance – Pearse Doherty
• Health – David Cullinane
• Housing, Local Government and Heritage – Eoin Ó Broin
• Enterprise, Trade and Employment – Louise O’Reilly
• Environment and Climate Action – Darren O’Rourke
• Foreign Affairs and Defence – Matt Carthy
• Justice – Pa Daly
• Public Expenditure and Reform – Rose Conway-Walsh
• Education – Sorca Clarke
• Higher Education, Innovation and Science – Mairéad Farrell
• Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs – Claire Kerrane
• Communications and Transport – Martin Kenny
• Social Protection – Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
• Youth and Integration – John Brady
• Childcare – Kathleen Funchion
• Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media – Imelda Munster
• Chief Whip and Fisheries and the Marine – Pádraig MacLochlainn
• An Gaeltacht, Gaeilge and Culture – Aengus Ó Snodaigh

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