Enda Kenny and Lisa Chambers

BUSINESS AT LEINSTER House has been getting back to normal after a prolonged period of limbo while talks on forming a new government continued for 70 days.

During the week we found out who our new junior ministers will be.

We were also introduced to Fianna Fáil’s front bench, having previously seen who Sinn Féin’s spokespeople in the 32nd Dáil will be.

There were some interesting moves, new faces and snubs.

So, who in the two biggest opposition parties will face off against our new Fine Gael and Independent Alliance ministers?

There are plenty of familiar faces, but a good mix of new ones too.

We’ve taken a look at which ministers and spokespeople have responsibilities for some of the key portfolios.

Finance

• Fine Gael: Minister Michael Noonan
• Fianna Fáil: Michael McGrath
• Sinn Féin: Pearse Doherty

Pearse Doherty Sam Boal Sam Boal

Public expenditure and reform

• Fine Gael: Minister Paschal Donohoe
• Fianna Fáil: Dara Calleary
• Sinn Féin: David Cullinane

Housing, planning and local government (including water charges)

• Fine Gael: Minister Simon Coveney
• Fianna Fáil: Barry Cowen
• Sinn Féin: Eoin Ó Broin

Health

• Fine Gael: Simon Harris
• Fianna Fáil: Billy Kelleher
• Sinn Féin: Louise O’Reilly

Mental Health

• Fine Gael: Junior minister Helen McEntee
• Fianna Fáil: James Browne
• Sinn Féin: Mary Lou McDonald

Niall Collins Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation

• Fine Gael: Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor
• Fianna Fáil: Niall Collins
• Sinn Féin: Maurice Quinlivan

Education and Skills

• Fine Gael: Richard Bruton
• Fianna Fáil: Thomas Byrne
• Sinn Féin: Carol Nolan

Defence

• Fine Gael: Taoiseach Enda Kenny
• Fianna Fáil: Lisa Chambers
• Sinn Féin: Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Social Protection

• Fine Gael: Minister Leo Varadkar
• Fianna Fáil: Willie O’Dea
• Sinn Féin: John Brady

Frances Fitzgerald Sam Boal Sam Boal

Justice and Equality 

• Fine Gael: Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald
• Fianna Fáil: Jim O’Callaghan
• Sinn Féin: Jonathan O’Brien

Transport

• Independent Alliance: Minister Shane Ross
• Fianna Fáil: Robert Troy
• Sinn Féin: Imelda Munster

Talking points

Many of the ministries are still in the hands of familiar Fine Gael faces, but there are some new people in the mix.

Simon Harris, who was elected in the Wicklow constituency just five year ago, has made arguably the biggest leap – from junior minister at the department of finance to health minister.

He replaces Leo Varadkar, who moved to social protection – the role vacated by former Tánaiste and Labour leader Joan Burton. The Dublin West TD denied his new position was a demotion, rather a “sideways move”.

Leo Varadkar and Simon Harris Merrion Street Merrion Street

It’ll be interesting to see what some of the new ministers do while in office, perhaps most notably Shane Ross in transport and Mary Mitchell O’Connor, who was a surprise choice for the jobs portfolio.

Ross has previously publicly criticised groups and people he will now need to work with, including transport provider CIE and Siptu’s Jack O’Connor.

Last week, he told the Marian Finucane show that, while he stands by his previous comments, he wants to “throw out an olive branch” to people such as O’Connor, adding: “We’re going to have to both put the past behind us.”

More female TDs 

Fianna Fáil had a serious woman problem in the last Dáil.

After prominent senator Averil Power left the party in acrimonious circumstances – she criticised how its marriage referendum campaign was handled and called Micheál Martin “a leader without any followers” – the party had just one female member of the Oireachtas: Senator Mary White, who decided not to seek re-election.

This time around, Fianna Fáil had six female TDs to chose from for front bench positions. The following women got the nod:

• Anne Rabbitte (children and youth affairs);
• Lisa Chambers (defence);
• Niamh Smyth (arts and heritage);
• Margaret Murphy O’Mahoney (disability).

Meanwhile, Senator Catherine Ardagh was named as the party’s Seanad leader.

Chambers will go head-to-head with the Taoiseach in her role as defence spokesperson.

Despite being new to the fold, she was a natural choice for this portfolio – having served for 13 years in the Reserve Defence Forces. The role could also pave the way for her to take over the justice brief at some stage.

A notable omission from the Fianna Fáil front bench is Carlow Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, the party’s former spokesman on small business and chair of the Public Accounts Committee. He publicly criticised the party’s direction more than once.

Speaking at the front bench launch during the week, Martin said he will consider re-appointing McGuinness as a committee chair. However, it looks unlikely this will be with the PAC.

Sinn Féin shuffle

Sinn Féin’s new justice spokesperson Jonathan O’Brien had a pop at Fianna Fáil’s front bench when it was announced, calling it the “Fine Gael B Team”, referring to the party backing the Fine Gael-led minority government.

Sinn Féin added nine more TDs, with 23 representing the party in the new Dáil. This was a good result for the party, but many people expected it to do better based on opinion polls.

Sinn Féin Leah Farrell Leah Farrell

Several new faces have been given front bench roles as the party looks to make more gains during another term in opposition.

First-time TDs now at the top table include:

• Carol Nolan (Offaly): education and skills;
• Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick city): jobs;
• Louise O’Reilly (Dublin Fingal): health spokesperson;
• Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West): housing, planning and local government;
• Imelda Munster (Louth): transport, tourism and sport and urban renewal;
• Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central): children and youth affairs;
• John Brady (Wicklow): social protection;
• David Cullinane (Waterford): public expenditure and reform and all-Ireland spokesperson on workers’ rights;
• Martin Kenny (Sligo/Leitrim): agriculture, food and the marine.

It’s also notable that the party is putting a particular emphasis on mental health and suicide prevention, giving this portfolio to deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Her previous brief of public expenditure and reform is now under Cullinane, a former senator.

Read: Who’s in? Who’s out? These are your new ministers

Read: Meet the new Fianna Fáil front bench