January 29, 2025: Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris (front, center) lead new Junior Ministers to the Courtyard in Government Buildings.RollingNews.ie

The Irish Government formally appointed Ministers of State and assigned their responsibilities on Wednesday, January 29.

While a Minister is a member of the Government who manages a Department, a Minister of State, sometimes known as a 'Junior Minister,' assists a Minister of a Government Department.

The new Ministers of State were announced on Wednesday, less than a week after Micheál Martin became Taoiseach and appointed his Cabinet members. Ireland's newest Government is a coalition between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and several Independents.

Among last week's Cabinet appointments were four 'Super Junior Ministers,' Ministers of State who are allowed to sit at Cabinet, but not allowed to speak at it. They are Fine Gael’s Hildegarde Naughton and Regional Independent Group members Seán Canney and Noel Grealish, as well as Government chief whip Mary Butler of Fianna Fáil.

Of the 23 new Ministers of State, the nominations of Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fáil), Colm Brophy (Fine Gael), and Marian Harkin (Independent) will require amendments to the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977.

The 23 new Ministers of State is an increase of three from the previous Irish Government.

10 of the new Ministers of State are from Fianna Fáil, eight are from Fine Gael, and five are Independents.

Six of the 23 new Ministers of State are women.

“I want to wish all the Ministers of State every success in their new roles in helping Government deliver on our commitments, responding to challenges, and moving Ireland forward in the years ahead," Taoiseach Micheál Martin said on Wednesday.

“This will be a Government determined to deliver on the economy, housing, disability, infrastructure, and public services, as well as maintaining Ireland’s strong voice on the world stage.

“We are very conscious of the work ahead and I have every confidence in our team of Ministers from across the two government parties and independents.''

Tánaiste Simon Harris added: “I am delighted that we have today announced the new Ministers of State, who will play a key part across all government departments in delivering on the agenda set out in the Programme for Government and responding to the challenges we face.

“I wish them every success in their new roles, and I am looking forward to working with them and the rest of government to deliver for the country, whilst addressing the issues affecting people in their everyday lives.

“In the period ahead we will be ambitious and work to make significant progress in addressing the critical social, economic, political, demographic and environmental challenges of our time."

January 29, 2025: Tánaiste Simon Harris and Taoiseach Micheál Martin. (RollingNews.ie)

Read more

Sinn Féin, however, announced on Tuesday that its TD Pa Daly is launching a legal challenge regarding "the attendance of so-called ‘Super Junior Ministers’ at government meetings."

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald said on Tuesday: “It is apparent that government is using the role of 'Super Junior Ministers' as a work around the Constitution, which is very clear that government can consist of a maximum of 15 members.

“Government manoeuvres allow individuals to sit at the cabinet table and be treated as though they are government ministers enjoying all of the rights of a Minister, save the ability to cast a vote. We believe that this is in contravention of the Constitution."

Later on Tuesday, a court granted Daly leave for his case to proceed; it is due back in court next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Mairéad Farrell TD, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on Public Expenditure and Reform, has slammed the remuneration provided to Junior Ministers and Super Junior Ministers as "an outrageous slap in the face to the public."

Citing a report in the Irish Times, Farrell said on Wednesday: "Those 23 Junior Ministers will get their TD salary of €113,679, they will also get their salary top-up as a Minister for State of €45,846, in addition to an extension of an allowance for travel and accommodation, ranging from €6,000 up to €32,000.

“So, a Junior Minister will get a maximum of €191,525. If you happen to be one of the four Super Junior Ministers, you will also get another €13,145 on top of this. That would bring your total package to €204,670.

“Packages of roughly €192,000 and €205,000 for people who didn’t think it was necessary to cut their mid-term break short to deal with one of the worst storms we’ve ever had.

“‘Fiddling while Rome burns’ comes to mind."

Read more

Ireland's Junior Minister appointments:

Thomas Byrne TD (Fianna Fáil, Meath East)

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs and at the Department of Defence

Michael Moynihan TD (Fianna Fáil, Cork North-West)

Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion

Charlie McConalogue TD (Fianna Fáil, Donegal)

Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with Special Responsibility for Sport and Postal Policy

Kevin Boxer Moran TD (Independent, Longford-Westmeath)

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with responsibility for the Office of Public Works

Emer Higgins TD (Fine Gael, Dublin Mid-West)

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with special responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment

Jennifer Murnane O’Connor TD (Fianna Fáil, Carlow-Kilkenny)

Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy

Michael Healy-Rae TD (Independent, Kerry)

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture

Neale Richmond TD (Fine Gael, Dublin-Rathdown)

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora

Jerry Buttimer TD - (Fine Gael, Cork South-Central)

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, with special responsibility for Community Development, Charities, Gaeltacht and the Islands and the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport

John Cummins TD (Fine Gael, Waterford)

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning

Christopher O’Sullivan TD (Fianna Fáil, Cork South-West)

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity

Kieran O’Donnell TD (Fine Gael, Limerick City)

Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Older People and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Housing

Robert Troy TD (Fianna Fáil, Longford-Westmeath)

Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance

Niall Collins TD (Fianna Fáil, Limerick County)

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice

Niamh Smyth TD (Fianna Fáil, Cavan-Monaghan)

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation

Alan Dillon TD (Fine Gael, Mayo)

Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Small Businesses and Retail and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for Circular Economy

Ireland's Junior Minister appointments, subject to amendments:

The Government noted the intention, subject to the necessary amendments being made to the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977 to nominate the following persons to be appointed as Ministers of State:

Timmy Dooley TD (Fianna Fáil, Clare)

Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Fisheries and at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications with special responsibility for the Marine

Colm Brophy TD (Fine Gael, Dublin South-West)

Minister of State at the Department of Justice with special responsibility for Migration

Marian Harkin TD (Independent, Sligo-Leitrim)

Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science with special responsibility for Further Education, Apprenticeship, Construction and Climate Skills