ON ONE of the most momentous days in the history of the Dáil, Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach yesterday by a historic margin of 117 votes to 27.
The scale of the new Taoiseach’s majority reflected the outcome of a dramatic election which transformed Fine Gael into the biggest party in the Dáil for the first time.
Fine Gael supporters thronged Leinster House to celebrate the election of Mr Kenny as Taoiseach on what many of them called “the party’s greatest day”.
Labour also celebrated a record election performance with its highest total of seats; the two coalition parties combined occupied more than two-thirds of the Dáil chamber.
At its first Cabinet meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin last night, the new Government decided to cut the pay of senior politicians. The Taoiseach’s salary is being reduced by €14,000 from €214,000 to €200,000, the Tanaiste’s salary has been cut by €13,000 to €184,000. Ministers salaries have been cut by €12,000 to €169,000 and junior ministers have been cut by €9,000 to €130,000.
The Cabinet meets again this morning.
Earlier, following his election as Taoiseach, Mr Kenny told the Dáil the new Government was a partnership between Fine Gael and Labour which would tell the people the truth, regardless of how unwelcome or difficult that might be.
“I believe that for Ireland this current crisis is the darkest hour before the dawn,” said Mr Kenny. “Together and for our country let us believe in our future. For Ireland and each other, let us lift up our heads, turn our faces to the sun and hang out our brightest colours. This is the first day of a journey to a better future.”
After his election by the Dáil, Mr Kenny travelled to Áras an Uachtaráin to receive his seal of office from President Mary McAleese.
On his return he unveiled a cabinet that contained 10 Fine Gael Ministers and five from Labour. There were some surprises, particularly the identity of the leading Labour Party Ministers.
The biggest shock was that the Labour deputy leader Joan Burton did not get the portfolio with responsibility for public sector reform, for which she had been widely tipped. Instead she was given Social Protection and the position at finance went to the Wexford TD Brendan Howlin who was leas ceann comhairle in the last Dáil.
One Labour colleague of Ms Burton, speaking on the basis of anonymity, questioned her exclusion from a role in finance. “I feel there’s a bit of sexism at play in this Cabinet. The two female members are in roles that would be seen as more ‘womeny’ roles. On top of that, there are fewer women in this Cabinet than in the outgoing government.”
There was also some surprise former minister for finance Ruairí Quinn was appointed as Minister for Education while two leading Labour women TDs, Róisín Shortall and Jan O’Sullivan, did not make the Cabinet.
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore was appointed Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Pat Rabbitte was appointed to Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. Westmeath TD Willie Penrose was appointed to the super junior position at cabinet with responsibility for housing.
On the Fine Gael side, the appointment of Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney, two Ministers in their 30s, helped to counterbalance the age profile of the Cabinet.
As expected, the former party leader Michael Noonan was appointed Minister for Finance while Richard Bruton got the powerful Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation portfolio. The architect of the Fine Gael election victory, Phil Hogan, was appointed Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government while Alan Shatter was given Justice, Equality and Defence.
The sole Fine Gael woman Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, was give the new full Department of Children. Former Kerry football star Jimmy Deenihan was appointed to Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Wexford TD Paul Kehoe was appointed Chief Whip.
The new Attorney General is Labour Party national treasurer Máire Whelan, who is the first women to occupy the crucial post of legal adviser to the government.
The first business of the day was the election of a new Ceann Comhairle and the position went to former Fine Gael minister Seán Barrett, who was elected unopposed.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, leading a hugely depleted team of 20 TDs, said his party would not oppose Mr Kenny’s nomination but he warned that they would hold the new government to account.
Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, said his party could not support a taoiseach who was going to introduce water charges and property taxes.
A number of the 16 Independent TDs, who have come together to form a technical group, opposed Mr Kenny’s nomination. Joe Higgins of the Socialist Party and the other four TDs from the United Left Alliance were the only Dáil members who did not join in the standing ovation for Mr Kenny.
Mr Kenny’s first international engagement as Taoiseach will see him travel to Brussels this afternoon for a meeting with European Commission president José Manuel Barroso, ahead of meetings of the European Council and the euro zone heads of government tomorrow.
THE CABINET: MINISTERS AND THEIR PORTFOLIOS
Taoiseach:Enda Kenny (FG)
Tánaiste; Foreign Affairs & Trade: Eamon Gilmore (Lab)
Finance:Michael Noonan (FG)
Education & Skills: Ruairí Quinn (Lab)
Public Expenditure & Reform:Brendan Howlin (Lab)
Enterprise, Jobs & Innovation: Richard Bruton (FG)
Social Protection:Joan Burton (Lab)
Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs:Jimmy Deenihan (FG)
Communications, Energy & Natural Resources:Pat Rabbitte (Lab)
Environment:Phil Hogan (FG)
Justice & Defence:Alan Shatter (FG)
Agriculture & Marine:Simon Coveney (FG)
ChildrenFrances Fitzgerald (FG)
Health:James Reilly (FG)
Transport, Tourism & Sport:Leo Varadkar (FG)