Calleary gets new responsibilities in reshuffle

JUNIOR MINISTERS:MINISTER OF State Dara Calleary was given new responsibilities in addition to his labour affairs role by Taoiseach Brian Cowen yesterday.

Mr Calleary, who served as a junior minister to Mary Coughlan in her old department of enterprise, trade and employment, will now be attached to the Departments of Finance and the Taoiseach.

“I propose to appoint Dara Calleary to be Minister of State at my own Department and at the Department of Finance, in addition to his responsibility for labour affairs,” Mr Cowen told the Dáil.

The Taoiseach said this would “strengthen the political leadership” of “change in the public service”.

The responsibilities of Minister of State John Moloney, which focus on mental health and disability issues, will remain the same, despite the fact that some of the departments to which he is attached have been restructured.

New Minister of State Seán Connick was the only Fianna Fáil representative to be promoted from the backbenches yesterday.

He was given special responsibility for fisheries and forestry at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The Green Party’s Ciarán Cuffe’s responsibilities will cover three departments: Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Transport; and Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The first-time Minister of State will have special responsibility for horticulture, sustainable travel and planning, and heritage.

Mr Cowen confirmed that he would transfer responsibility for the horse and greyhound racing industries to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The Greens’ other new junior minister, Mary White, will have special responsibility for equality, human rights and integration. She will also be attached to three departments: Justice; Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs; and Education and Skills.

Responsibility for skills and training policy is being transferred to the Department of Education and Skills, which is a restructured version of the department of education and science.

The new Government Chief Whip, John Curran, was yesterday named as Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence, the role previously held by Pat Carey, who is now Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.