Varadkar appoints three allies to chair Oireachtas committees

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has appointed three TDs who missed out on ministries to chair Oireachtas committees.

The three TDs backed Mr Varadkar in the Fine Gael leadership race against Simon Coveney.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Rathdown Josepha Madigan has been appointed as Chair of the Committee on Budgetary Oversight and Fine Gael TD for Louth, Fergus O’Dowd, as Chair of the Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal, Alan Farrell, has been appointed Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs.

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The committee chairpersons jobs are allocated using the proportional D’Hondt system, meaning the vacancies must be filled by Fine Gael TDs.

The committee roles come with a yearly allowance of €9,120 on top of a TD’s salary of €89,965.

Ms Madigan who has previously served on the Public Accounts Committee said Fine Gael in Government is overseeing a fragile economic recovery.

“We have come a great way since the recession in terms of economic growth and increasing employment. It is important that future budgets continue this good work, securing the recovery and ensuring that it serves to benefit all the people of Ireland,” she said.

“I look forward to hitting the ground running and playing my role in ensuring that Irish budgets continue to be responsible and effective responses to the challenges faced by the Irish economy,” she said.

TD for Louth Fergus O’Dowd, who will chair of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport said he will meet with and support the groups and individuals and other professional and voluntary bodies who wish to bring important policy initiatives before the committee for debate and consideration.

TD for Dublin Fingal Alan Farrell who will chair the Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs said the Committee’s work will focus on childcare, child welfare and adoption rights.