Minister profiles: The people at the Cabinet table

By Staff reporter
Published 23rd Jan 2025, 17:56 BST
Updated 23rd Jan 2025, 18:05 BST
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As Micheal Martin becomes Taoiseach again and Simon Harris prepares for the Foreign Affairs and Trade brief, here are some TDs who could be in line for a ministerial role.

Jack Chambers, who was first elected as a TD for Dublin West in 2016, is the Minister for Public Expenditure. The 34-year-old was touted as a talent within the coalition from early on. He had a good 2024 when he became the deputy leader of Fianna Fail and the youngest finance minister since revolutionary Michael Collins.

Among his political achievements are reform of road rules, including reduced speed limits and a revamped penalty points system, and delivering a 10.5 billion euro budgetary package.placeholder image
Among his political achievements are reform of road rules, including reduced speed limits and a revamped penalty points system, and delivering a 10.5 billion euro budgetary package.

Darragh O’Brien, a Malahide native, is moving to the Department of Transport, Climate and Energy.

Since he became housing minister in June 2020, the number of people accessing emergency accommodation has increased by 50% to 15,000 people, and house prices have ballooned by 37% since the start of 2020.

Mr O’Brien’s Housing for All plan aimed to build an average of 33,000 homes a year until 2030, a target that has increased to an average of 60,000 homes a year under the programme for Government.

He has introduced cost rental schemes, which offer below-market rents based on the cost of building and maintaining the property, and the government shared equity First Home scheme.placeholder image
He has introduced cost rental schemes, which offer below-market rents based on the cost of building and maintaining the property, and the government shared equity First Home scheme.

Norma Foley, a Tralee teacher who comes from a staunchly Fianna Fail family, will be the next Minister for Children and Disability.

Ms Foley used to canvass for her father who served as a TD for Kerry North for 18 years.

Elected as a first-time TD in 2020, Ms Foley was appointed Education Minister where she faced school closures and State exam disruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A measure to spend nine million euros on phone pouches for secondary schools drew significant criticism in the last budget.placeholder image
A measure to spend nine million euros on phone pouches for secondary schools drew significant criticism in the last budget.

Dara Calleary, a Mayo TD, had served as agriculture minister and deputy leader of Fianna Fail before resigning in 2020 in the wake of the Golfgate controversy.

He rejoined Cabinet as a super junior minister in June last year and has completed his return to the Cabinet table with his appointment as Minister for Social Protection.placeholder image
He rejoined Cabinet as a super junior minister in June last year and has completed his return to the Cabinet table with his appointment as Minister for Social Protection.

Dublin Bay South TD Jim O’Callaghan is the next Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Integration.

The practising barrister was appointed Fianna Fail’s spokesman for justice by party leader Mr Martin in May 2016. He turned down an offer of junior minister at the Department of Justice previously, and during the 2024 election campaign he said it was time for a “new energy” in the department after 14 years under Fine Gael’s control.placeholder image
The practising barrister was appointed Fianna Fail’s spokesman for justice by party leader Mr Martin in May 2016. He turned down an offer of junior minister at the Department of Justice previously, and during the 2024 election campaign he said it was time for a “new energy” in the department after 14 years under Fine Gael’s control.

James Browne, who accepted the junior justice ministry job when Mr O’Callaghan turned it down, is to become the next Housing Minister.

He is a barrister who practised for 11 years and was first elected as a TD for Wexford in 2016, taking on the mantle from his father John who served as a TD for more than 30 years.

He has been credited with passing the Gambling Regulation Act, which aims to prevent children from starting to gamble and aims to tackle gambling addictions.placeholder image
He has been credited with passing the Gambling Regulation Act, which aims to prevent children from starting to gamble and aims to tackle gambling addictions.

Mary Butler, who is the Government Chief Whip, ran the family grocery shop in Portlaw, Co Waterford before entering politics, becoming a councillor in 2014.

She has served as a TD since 2016 and has served as a minister of state with responsibility for mental health and older people since 2020.

She called for a no vote in the Eighth amendment referendum and in 2018 proposed a bill banning intimate piercings and tattoos for under 18s.placeholder image
She called for a no vote in the Eighth amendment referendum and in 2018 proposed a bill banning intimate piercings and tattoos for under 18s.

James Lawless, a prominent government spokesperson in the media during the last government, is the next Minister for Higher Education.

The Fianna Fail TD for Kildare North was rewarded for his loyalty with a junior ministerial role at the Department of Transport when Simon Harris took over as taoiseach in April.

During that short stint he met with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary who has called for the lifting of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, and with the Welsh transport minister over ferry disruptions at Holyhead.placeholder image
During that short stint he met with Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary who has called for the lifting of the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, and with the Welsh transport minister over ferry disruptions at Holyhead.

Limerick TD Patrick O’Donovan was appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works in 2020, and elevated to Cabinet as Higher Education minister after Simon Harris became Taoiseach. He is the Minister for Arts, Culture, Media and Sport.

A politician known for blunt retorts and commentary, one of the biggest challenges he will grapple with will be funding for RTE.placeholder image
A politician known for blunt retorts and commentary, one of the biggest challenges he will grapple with will be funding for RTE.

Two-term Eurogroup president Paschal Donohoe is to move back to the Finance portfolio for his seventh budget in the role. Described as a “prudent” politician, he has served as a minister in three different portfolios for the past 10 years.

He brushed past questions raised around undeclared election poster services and was considered a possible Fine Gael leadership contender when Leo Varadkar stood down, but stated his focus remained on serving as a minister and Eurogroup president.placeholder image
He brushed past questions raised around undeclared election poster services and was considered a possible Fine Gael leadership contender when Leo Varadkar stood down, but stated his focus remained on serving as a minister and Eurogroup president.

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, a rising star within the Fine Gael party and a robust debater, is Minister for Health.

The barrister served as a former adviser in the Department of Children and the Department of Justice.

She has served as Minister of State for European Affairs since April when Mr Harris became taoiseach.placeholder image
She has served as Minister of State for European Affairs since April when Mr Harris became taoiseach.

Helen McEntee is the deputy Fine Gael leader who had been suggested for Enterprise but instead is to move from the senior role of Justice to Minister for Education.

Ms McEntee dealt with charged and complex issues such as the aftermath of the Parnell Square knife attack and Dublin riots; push back against hate incitement legislation, which was subsequently scrapped; the introduction of facial recognition technology for gardai; and how to tackle violence against women.

Fianna Fail figures have been critical of her tenure in Justice, with Willie O’Dea branding her the “worst Minister for Justice in the history of the State” and Jim O’Callaghan stating Justice needed a “new energy” after 14 years with Fine Gael.

Simon Harris said there had been “an undertone” of sexism in relation to criticism of Ms McEntee, and said she had highlighted domestic, sexual and gender-based violence more than any other justice minister.placeholder image
Simon Harris said there had been “an undertone” of sexism in relation to criticism of Ms McEntee, and said she had highlighted domestic, sexual and gender-based violence more than any other justice minister.

Westmeath native Peter Burke got his election campaign off to the wrong start with an endorsement by Michael O’Leary where the Ryanair boss made controversial comments about teachers not being people who “get things done”.

A chartered accountant, he previously served as minister of state for European affairs before being appointed Enterprise minister in April after Simon Coveney announced his resignation shortly after Leo Varadkar stood down.

He is set to retain the role in Enterprise and Tourism, the only minister to retain their portfolio.

Kildare South TD Martin Heydon is a junior minister at the Department of Agriculture, and will taken on the senior Agriculture role.

Rossa Fanning SC will remain as Attorney General for a second term.

Related topics:GovernmentMicheal MartinTaoiseach
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