Smyth lands Junior Ministerial position

No Border TDs in new government Cabinet

Cavan-Monaghan Fianna Fáil Deputy Niamh Smyth has landed the position of Junior Minister in the new government.

She will be Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment. She will have special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation.

It's expected that all 23 Junior Ministers will be confirmed shortly following the conclusion of a cabinet meeting this afternoon (Wednesday).

When Taoiseach Micheál Martin named his Cabinet on Thursday last, it appeared there with no place for any TDs from Ulster or the Border region.

Bailieborough native Deputy Smyth previously headed up the Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht, and had been tipped for one of the junior ministry positions.

The number of junior ministry positions available is set to increase from 20 to 23.

The nearest Cavan or Monaghan comes to a representatives in Government is Meath East Fine Gael TD and outgoing Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, who has been moved to the Department of Education, with Fianna Fáil's Jim O'Callaghan taking over the Justice Department.

Three Super Junior Ministries went to Fine Gael's Hildegarde Naughton, and Regional Independent TDs Sean Canney and Noel Grealish.

The only minister to be demoted to be back-benches is Donegal Fianna Fail TD, Charlie McConalogue.

Of the 15 new Cabinet ministers, only three are women. The female representation increases to four when Chief Whip Mary Butler is included.

Under the agreement between the two parties Fianna Fáil will have 10 Junior Ministers and Fine Gael will have eight.

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