Ireland

Republic's new minority government: New faces and power play defines Taoiseach Enda Kenny's choices

Irish President Michael D Higgins, left, with the new Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and Taoiseach Enda Kenny, at Aras an Uachtarain, Dublin. Picture by Brian Lawless, Press Association<br />&nbsp;
Irish President Michael D Higgins, left, with the new Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and Taoiseach Enda Kenny, at Aras an Uachtarain, Dublin. Picture by Brian Lawless, Press Association
 
Irish President Michael D Higgins, left, with the new Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald and Taoiseach Enda Kenny, at Aras an Uachtarain, Dublin. Picture by Brian Lawless, Press Association
 

CHANGES to the Republic's team of government, as Taoiseach Enda Kenny attempts to make a minority administration work, have seen first time backbenchers, independents and the promotion of a 29-year-old to health ministry.

The new cabinet looks like this:

:: Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality: Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael): The 65-year-old Dublin Mid–West TD is a former social worker and former senator and returns to the same post she gained after succeeding Alan Shatter in 2014. She is likely to be a candidate to succeed Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader.

:: Minister for Finance: Michael Noonan (Fine Gael): The 72-year-old Limerick City TD and former health minister and party leader has been the Minister for Finance since March 2011.

The former secondary school teacher has already signalled that his next budget could see a tax break for new house buyers and rejected calls for a VAT reduction on the construction sector from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent.

:: Minister for Health: Simon Harris (Fine Gael): The 29-year-old Wicklow TD was the youngest deputy in the last Dáil and has been talked about as a possible future party leader.

He burst onto the scene in 2009 when he was elected to Wicklow County Council with the highest percentage vote of any councillor in the country.

:: Minister for Social Protection: Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael): The former health minister has welcomed his "sideways move" - despite being described in some quarters as having been "shafted" by his leader - insisting the Social Protection portfolio has the largest budget of any department.

A qualified medical doctor, the 37-year-old became the first openly gay Irish government minister during his time at the Department of Health.

:: Minister for Education and Skills: Richard Bruton (Fine Gael): The 63-year-old has been TD for Dublin North–Central since 1982, serving as Minister for Enterprise and Employment from 1994 to 1997 and Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation during the last administration.

He has survived unsuccessfully challenging the leadership of Enda Kenny.

:: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Simon Coveney (Fine Gael): The 43-year-old was elected to Cork South–Central in a by-election caused by the death of his father in 1998.

He was an MEP between 2004-7 and has since been Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and, until the disolution of the last Dail, Minister for Defence.

He is considered a leading candidate to replace Enda Kenny

:: Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform: Paschal Donohoe (Fine Gael): The 41-year-old Dublin Central TD was appointed as Minister of State for European Affairs in July 2013 following the resignation of Lucinda Creighton.

As part of a Cabinet reshuffle, the Politics and Economics graduate was appointed Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport in July 2014.

:: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Charlie Flanagan (Fine Gael): First elected to Laois–Offaly constituency in 1987, succeeding his father Oliver J. Flanagan, he was party spokesperson on Justice, Equality and Law Reform and later on Children.

He said his immediate priorities are focusing on the forthcoming UK referendum on EU membership and "making progress on establishing the institutions to deal with the legacy of the past and enhancing cross-border cooperation".

:: Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts & the Gaeltacht: Heather Humphreys (Fine Gael): Elected at the 2011 general election as a TD for Cavan–Monaghan, she is the only Presbyterian member of the Oireachtas and led the organisation of the 1916 commemorations.

:: Minister for Agriculture: Michael Creed (Fine Gael): The Cork North-West TD was Fine Gael agriculture spokesperson until 2010, when his support of Richard Bruton's leadership attempt saw him fall out of favour.

The 52-year-old qualified teacher succeeded his father, former minister of state Donal Creed, as TD in 1989.

:: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: Katherine Zappone (Independent): The US-born 62-year-old won a seat in Dublin South-West, having been was nominated to the Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2011 - the first openly lesbian members of the Oireachtas.

She and her wife, Anne Louise Gilligan, were campaigned vigorously in last year's marriage equality referendum following a series of unsuccessful legal actions to have their marriage recognised in the Republic.

:: Minister for Transport: Shane Ross (Independent): The Dublin Rathdown TD was a senator for 30 years before being elected to the Dáil in 2011.

The 66-year-old figurehead of the `Independent Alliance' group led talks between non-aligned TDs and Fine Gael.

A member of the Dáil Public Accounts Committee, he was business editor of the Sunday Independent and an Irish Times stock exchange correspondent.

:: Minister for Jobs and Enterprise: Mary Mitchell-O'Connor (Fine Gael): The former school principal was initally a member of the Progressive Democrats before joining Fine Gael in 2007.

After a long stint on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council she entered the Dáil in 2011, accidentally driving her car over the Leinster House plinth on her first day.

:: Minister for Communications: Denis Naughten (Independent): The former Fine Gael Roscommon-Galway TD, the 42-year-old scientist left Fine Gael in 2011 over cuts to emergency services at his local hospital.

Another dynastic politician, he filled his father Liam Naughten's Seanad seat at the age of 24.

:: Super Junior Minister with Responsibility for Disabilities: Finian McGrath (Independent): The 63-year-old former school principal is a Dublin Bay North TD and prominent campaigner on equality and disability issues.