At a special Cabinet meeting yesterday afternoon, the Government increased the number of Ministers of State from 17 to 20, with five Fianna Fáil backbenchers getting their first promotion, along with acting leader of the Greens, Trevor Sargent. A sixth Fianna Fáil appointee, Micheal Kitt, had previously served as a minister of state.
At the regular Cabinet meeting in the morning, the Government decided to introduce legislation to permit the expansion of junior ministries, but no advance public notice was given that a further Government meeting would name the 20 appointees.
As a result of the increase and the fact that Progressive Democrats TDs Tim O'Malley and Tom Parlon lost their seats, the Taoiseach only had to demote two junior ministers. These were: Noel Treacy, who has been replaced as Minister of State for European Affairs by former minister for the environment Dick Roche and Frank Fahey, who is succeeded as Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform by Seán Power.
Deputies getting their first promotion were: Pat Carey as Minister of State for Drugs Strategy and Community Affairs; Dr Jimmy Devins, Disability Issues and Mental Health; Máire Hoctor, Older People; Billy Kelleher, Labour Affairs; John McGuinness, Trade and Commerce; Trevor Sargent, Food and Horticulture.
Having appointed Tom Kitt as Chief Whip and Dick Roche as Minister of State for European Affairs last week, the Government yesterday decided that, as with his predecessor Brian Lenihan, the new Minister of State with responsibility for Children, Brendan Smith, would attend meetings of the Cabinet.
