Former Cabinet member Michael Ring says he declined junior ministry offers

Former Cabinet minister Michael Ring has said he declined offers of a junior minister roles as part of Taoiseach Simon Harris’s reshuffle.

His remarks came as Mr Harris unveiled his new team of Fine Gael Ministers of State on Wednesday including three Fine Gael backbenchers who have been promoted – Alan Dillon, Emer Higgins and Colm Burke.

Mayo TD Mr Ring said that in being offered a junior ministry he had been asked to give a commitment he would run in the next general election and he has yet to make up his mind.

He also said he did not thing he could “deliver on anything” as a junior minister in the remaining lifetime of the Government which he put at nine months and that he was offered two roles but “none of them that had any spending power”.

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He made the remarks during an interview with Midwest Radio where he said he was “at a crossroads” and will make a decision on whether or not he will contest the next election “in the next few weeks”.

The Cabinet confirmed Mr Harris’s appointment of Mr Ring’s constituency colleague, Mr Dillion, as Minister of State for Housing with responsibility for local Government and planning on Wednesday.

Speaking before that announcement, Mr Ring said he hoped Mr Dillion would be selected adding: “when the Taoiseach offered me the job I suggested that Alan Dillion should be the one that would get it.”

At a photocall unveiling the ranks of junior minister the Taoiseach indicated he would take questions on the reshuffle at a later time.

Asked about Mr Ring’s comments that he had turned down a junior ministry Mr Harris replied: “Michael’s a great colleague”.

Mr Ring later declined to say which roles he was offered telling The Irish Times he did not want to cause the Taoiseach any embarrassment, while standing over this remarks that he was offered two jobs.

Asked about Mr Ring’s comments and which jobs he may have been offered a Government spokesman said: “I’m not privy to the conversations the Taoiseach had with members of his parliamentary party.”

He also said: “The Taoiseach has spoken to every member of his PP. I do not know the content of those conversations” and added: “I do know that he’s extremely happy with the team that he appointed.”

As part of Mr Harris’s shake up of junior ministers Dublin Rathdown TD Neale Richmond is set to become the new Minister of State at the Department of Finance.

He replaces Jennifer Carroll MacNeill who has been appointed as Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence.

Dublin Midwest TD Emer Higgins will be appointed as Minister of State for Enterprise, replacing Mr Richmond in the role.

Limerick City TD Kieran O’Donnell – who had been Minister of State for Housing – is being moved to become the new Minister for the Office of Public Works (OPW).

He replaces Limerick County TD Patrick O’Donovan in that role after his promotion to become Minister for Higher Education on Tuesday.

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Cork North Central TD Colm Burke has been appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy.

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That vacancy arises now that Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton, previously also the junior health minister, has a new role as Minister of State for Special Education.

Unlike Cabinet Ministers, who are appointed by the Taoiseach, junior ministers are formally appointed by the Government, even though the decision itself is made by the respective parties.

Among Fine Gael backbenchers overlooked for a junior minister role are Dublin Fingal TD Alan Farrell and Sligo-Leitrim TD Frank Feighan.

Mr Farrell, a three-term TD who is yet to hold ministerial office, declined to comment.

Mr Feighan, previously a Minister of State at the Department of Health said he is focusing on his bid for re-election.

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