Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Everyday I'm Shufflin

Confirmed: Leo Varadkar is the new Health Minister, Pat Rabbitte dropped from Cabinet

Who’s in? Who’s out? Who’s stuck with the same job?

Updated 22.45pm

Hugh O'Connell / YouTube

TAOISEACH ENDA KENNY has announced a reshuffle of Cabinet ministers which will see Leo Varadkar become Minister for Health and Labour’s deputy leader Alan Kelly become the new Minister for Environment.

Fine Gael has dropped Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan and Phil Hogan (Environment), who is bound for the EU Commission, with Labour most-notably dropping both Pat Rabbitte (Communications) and Eamon Gilmore (Foreign Affairs) from Cabinet.

Fine Gael has promoted junior minister Paschal Donohoe (Transport) and Cavan-Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys (Arts) to Cabinet while Labour has brought in Jan O’Sullivan (Education) and Alex White (Communications) in addition to Kelly.

Louth TD Ged Nash is the new super junior minister at the Department of Jobs. Enda Kenny told the Dáil that a reshuffle of junior ministers will be announced in the near future.

Just over half of the ministerial portfolios have changed hands in the overhaul announced by Kenny to the Dáil this afternoon.

Here are the reshuffle changes in full:

Staying put

Michael Noonan (FG) – Finance
Brendan Howlin (Labour) – Public Expenditure and Reform
Joan Burton (Labour) – Social Protection
Richard Bruton (FG) – Jobs
Simon Coveney (FG) – Agriculture (also takes on Defence)
Frances Fitzgerald (FG) – Justice
Paul Kehoe (FG) – Government Chief Whip/junior defence minister

On the move

James Reilly (FG) – Health to Children
Jan O’Sullivan (Labour) – Housing (super junior) to Education
Charlie Flanagan (FG) – Children to Foreign Affairs
Leo Varadkar (FG) – Transport to Health

New entries

Paschal Donohoe (FG) – Transport
Heather Humphreys (FG) – Arts
Alex White (Labour) – Communications
Alan Kelly (Labour) – Environment and Local Government
Ged Nash (Labour) – Business and Employment (super junior)

Dropped

Phil Hogan (FG) – out of Environment to be Ireland’s EU Commissioner
Jimmy Deenihan (FG) – out of Arts to be junior minister for diaspora
Pat Rabbitte (Labour) – out of Communications
Eamon Gilmore (Labour) – out of Foreign Affairs
Ruairí Quinn (Labour) – out of Education

First published 13.39pm

Read: Who’s doing what? A pictorial guide to your new Cabinet

Your Voice
Readers Comments
146
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.