MARY Lou McDonald has defended not revamping Sinn Fein’s front bench as she boasted: “I will happily hitch my wagon to Pearse Doherty, Eoin O’Broin and David Cullinane.”
Following major changes at the Cabinet by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael last week, Sinn Fein announced their new front bench with many of the party’s big names staying in their old briefs.
Pearse Doherty will stay in finance, Eoin O’Broin remains in housing and David Cullinane will continue as spokesman on Health.
Two new TDs have been promoted to the front bench in Clare’s Donna McGettigan who is the party’s spokesperson on Higher Education while Louth’s Joanna Byrne will lead on Arts and Sport.
Martin Kenny has moved to Agriculture, Louise O’Reilly will take on Social Protection and Rose Conway Walsh is the new spokesperson on Enterprise.
The most significant move sees Pa Daly dumped out of the Justice role and moved to Transport in order to make way for Matt Carthy who will mark Minister Jim O’Callaghan.
Mairead Farrell is spokesperson on Public Expenditure, Claire Kerrane will take on the Children and Disability portfolio while Donnchadh O’Laoghire will mark Simon Harris in Foreign Affairs.
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald claimed she wanted to opt for “expertise and experience” in the mini reshuffle.
She said: “Let me tell you, if any other party had Pearse Doherty in Finance, Eoin O’Broin in Housing and David Cullinane in Health they wouldn’t change them either.
“I think you will see when we finally get back to business when the Government comes back off their holibops and when they actually get down to business you will see in those three policy areas and beyond that we have the quality, experience and the right policy platform.
“So I will happily hitch my wagon to Pearse Doherty, Eoin O’Broin and David Cullinane in their respective briefs.”
Deputy McDonald claimed that many voters believe “Sinn Fein has it right on housing” but the party needs to press for changes in the Government’s plans.
The Sinn Fein leader also defended the appointment of Matt Carthy as the party’s justice spokesman despite the Monaghan TD being convicted of a public order offence more than 20 years ago.
FULL IRISH GOVERNMENT CABINET LINE-UP
- Taoiseach – Micheal Martin
- Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence – Simon Harris
- Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation – Jack Chambers
- Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration – Jim O’Callaghan
- Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht – Dara Calleary
- Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage – James Browne
- Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport – Darragh O’Brien
- Minister for Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science – James Lawless
- Minister for Children, Disability and Equality – Norma Foley
- Minister for Finance – Paschal Donohoe
- Minister for Health – Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
- Minister for Education and Youth – Helen McEntee
- Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine – Martin Heydon
- Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment – Peter Burke
- Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport – Patrick O’Donovan
- Government chief whip – Mary Butler
Asked about this, Deputy McDonald said: “Matt is more than an appropriate fit for this and I think what you will see is that Matt Carthy will bring vigour to this portfolio and he will challenge the government very very strongly in terms of people feeling safe on their streets.
“I tell you what, if you want to go back and do a review of all members of the Oireachtas and find who pulled whose pig tails on the playground or who was involved in what you are going to find far more spicy narratives than anything around Matt Carthy so I have absolutely full confidence in him.”
