Recent promotions and upheavals in Leinster House have created vacancies on committees. A chairmanship, vice chairmanship and a place will shortly be filled and all are Fianna Fail's. Chairmen and some vice chairmen carry salaries and are much sought-after, not alone for the money, but for the prestige, extra facilities and enhanced media profile. Such jobs are traditionally awarded by party leaders to worthy deputies who failed to make ministerial level, senior or junior, but must be kept on side as best possible. Ordinary places are less attractive - being unpaid and onerous - but they can bring media coverage, a forum and travel opportunities.
The taoiseach of the day has the giving of all chairmanships, with the exception of the Public Accounts Committee which investigates official spending and which John Bruton gave to Jim Mitchell. It proved its worth this year. But the vice chairman post belongs to FF and it's vacant since Denis Foley resigned. Current member Sean Ardagh is tipped to replace him.
When Eoin Ryan became a junior minister, he gave up the chairmanship of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality and Women's Rights. The other new junior, Mary Hanafin, also leaves the committee. The FG vice chairwoman, Monica Barnes, is unlikely to be promoted to chairwoman, since it's not in the nature of our politicians to reward the other crowd, despite the fact she is not running next time. Anyway, the Taoiseach can find someone easily enough. The chairmanship carries a salary of £10,586. Less attractive is Hanafin's place, for while vice chairs of joint committees get £5,414, ordinary members are unpaid.
Both Tony Killeen and Batt O'Keeffe already hold committee chairmanships, Members Interests and Health and Children respectively, but their names, as well as Ardagh's, are being mentioned for the top vacancies. As the Taoiseach doesn't believe in double jobbing, a reshuffle is being considered.