Marine and Natural Resources: His native east Galway has a midlands mindset, and Galway West TD Frank Fahey certainly demonstrated that when he was promoted to the Marine and Natural Resources brief in the Taoiseach's minor Cabinet reshuffle just over two years ago. He may have served as deputy for Galway West, after the shock of losing his seat in 1992, but the activities of his constituents a few miles off the Connemara coastline seem to have been something of a mystery to him until his elevation.

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources,

Frank Fahey

Track record

Marine and Natural Resources was Fahey's first full ministry, after several junior postings in Education (youth and sport), Tourism, Transport and Communications, and in Health. He hasn't quite adjusted to the full responsibility, and some would say he spends more time and effort in his constituency, where he ensures that his name is associated with issues of interest to thirtysomething, first-time house-buyers. He is known as a man who doesn't suffer disloyalty, has little time for his civil servants, and relies heavily on his two full-time press minders, one in Galway and one in his department. He needs them; recent interviews on local radio, on the Jeannie Johnston Famine ship and the abortion issue, attracted controversy he could do without.

His performance in Brussels at last December's fisheries council was regarded as impressive, and he paid public tribute to his minders then.

Main achievement

He has tackled the largely unregulated inshore fisheries sector with vigour - making tough decisions that his predecessor, Michael Woods, had wavered on, while also introducing measures aimed at stock conservation, regeneration and regulation that could generate incomes in peripheral areas.

Biggest failure

He has associated himself too closely with bigger players in an industry which has suffered from years of political neglect and manipulation. His warm welcome for the supertrawler, Atlantic Dawn, which was subsequently queried by the European Commission, and two trips to South America last year with two individual businessmen, attracted criticism.

His own declaration of financial interests, including several properties in Galway, and one in the US, failed to include involvement in an apartment in Florida which he subsequently declared.

Prospects

Such is his stamina that he is bound to be re-elected, but whether he delivers a third seat for Fianna Fáil in Galway West, and improves the party fortunes in Mayo, remains to be seen.

He has his eye on other portfolios, and has admitted to having a keen interest in tackling Health.

Lorna Siggins, Marine Correspondent

OPPOSITION PERFORMANCE

Fine Gael Alan Dukes

He handles the portfolio well, as part of his agriculture brief. He has brought his European experience to bear in marking the Minister on fisheries policy.

Labour

Michael Bell

He is something of a political loner, as well as an enigmatic and mercurial politician. He has failed to make a significant impression in the Dáil, even allowing that Marine is a difficult area in which to achieve a high profile.

M. O'R.