Clare TD 'absolutely honoured and delighted' following appointment to Sinn Fein front bench

Announcing the make-up of the new front bench, Ms McDonald said: “This is a frontbench in which women are represented equally and which is regionally balanced and we intend to go toe to toe with this government from day one. It is regionally balanced so that the voices of people in every region are represented."

Speaking at Leinster House, she added: “There are 11 changes to the previous frontbench and two first time TDs have been appointed – Joanna Byrne and Donna McGettigan. It brings together the necessary combination of experience and change. Further appointments to spokesperson roles such as mental health and rural affairs and committee cathaoirligh will be made in the coming weeks.

“Our first job is to hold government to account and the importance of that role was shown last week when we saw the actions of an arrogant government attempting to undermine how the Dáil is run on the back of a dodgy deal. The government was forced to climb down in the face of the combined opposition and that must now be reflected in the change to Standing Orders. You cannot be in government and opposition at the same time. It is as simple as that."

Donna McGettigan, who will be the party spokesperson on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science said: "I am absolutely honoured and delighted to be on the front bench for Sinn Féin. I am looking forward to the challenge and will give it my all."

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The new Sinn Féin frontbench team is:
President: Mary Lou McDonald
Finance: Pearse Doherty
Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Mairéad Farrell
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence: Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Climate, Environment, Energy and Transport: Pa Daly
Education and Youth: Darren O’Rourke
Children, Disability and Equality: Claire Kerrane
Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Rose Conway-Walsh
Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Louise O’Reilly
Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Joanna Byrne
Health: David Cullinane
Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Eoin Ó Broin
Justice, Homes Affairs and Migration: Matt Carthy
Agriculture, Food, Fisheries, and the Marine: Martin Kenny
Further and Higher Education,Research, Innovation and Science, Gaeilge and Gaeltacht: Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Chief Whip: Pádraig Mac Lochlainn