OPPOSITION PARTIES congratulated new appointees as Ministers of State but said Taoiseach Brian Cowen should have done much more. Mr Cowen introduced the 15 appointees, including two new Ministers of State, and said he had “accepted the resignations of all outgoing ministers”. He thanked them “for their work in respect of their various responsibilities and for their commitment and support”.

Fine Gael deputy leader Richard Bruton said “the Taoiseach should have gone further, both in reducing the numbers and in the remuneration of the offices”. But he congratulated the Ministers, particularly the two new appointees Áine Brady and Dara Calleary. “The Cabinet still will be ‘Kitted’ out as although one Deputy Kitt has departed, another Deputy Kitt has entered as a replacement, which I suppose is a fair exchange,” he said in reference to former minister Micheal Kitt. Mr Bruton recalled being made a minister of State: “When the late John Boland described me as being appointed third mate on the Titanic. In this case there are 15 mates, which is enough to fill an entire lifeboat.”

Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said “the country needs somewhat more profound political change than simply making some changes in the office of Ministers of State”.

He congratulated the new Ministers and “all the Ministers of State who survived and commiserate with those who were not reappointed”. Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghin Ó Caolain wished the new Ministers “the very best in their new positions” but said “the cutting of the number of Ministers of State and the shuffling of personnel is not an answer” to the economic crisis.