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Fine Gael Front Bench

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fine Gael is the third largest political party in the Oireachtas. The Fine Gael leader appoints a team of TDs and Senators to speak for the party on different issues. When Fine Gael was in opposition, the front bench areas of responsibility broadly corresponded to those of Government ministers. Fine Gael has been in Government since March 2011 and accordingly their front bench consists of the ministerial officeholders. In 2020 a number of non-ministerial office holders were appointed as spokespeople for policy areas where Fine Gael does not have a minister.

Fine Gael ministers

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On 9 April 2024, six Fine Gael TDs were appointed to the 34th government of Ireland and the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed Fine Gael TD Hildegarde Naughton as a minister of state in attendance at cabinet. On 10 April 2024, the government on the nomination of the Taoiseach appointed 7 further Fine Gael ministers of state.[1]

Name Elected office Portfolio Term
Simon Harris TD for Wicklow 2024–
Helen McEntee TD for Meath East
  • 2024–
  • 2020–
Heather Humphreys TD for Cavan–Monaghan
  • 2020–
  • 2020–
Paschal Donohoe TD for Dublin Central Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform 2022–
Peter Burke TD for Longford–Westmeath Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment 2024–
Patrick O'Donovan TD for Limerick County Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 2024–
Hildegarde Naughton TD for Galway West Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip; and the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion 2022–
2024–
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD for Dún Laoghaire Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for EU Affairs; and the Department of Defence 2024–
Kieran O'Donnell TD for Limerick City Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform with special responsibility for the Office of Public Works 2024–
Colm Burke TD for Cork North-Central Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and the National Drugs 2024–
Martin Heydon TD for Kildare South Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with special responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development 2020–
Alan Dillon TD for Mayo Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage with special responsibility for Local Government and Planning 2024–
Neale Richmond TD for Dublin Rathdown Minister of State at the Department of Finance with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance 2024–
Emer Higgins TD for Dublin Mid-West Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment with special responsibility for Business, Employment and Retail; and the Department of Social Protection 2024–

Fine Gael party spokespeople

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Seanad spokespeople[2]

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Name Elected office Portfolio Term
Seán Kyne Senator nominated by the Taoiseach Deputy Leader of the Seanad
Spokesperson on Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the Gaeltacht
2024–
2020–
Joe O'Reilly Senator for the Labour Panel Deputy Government Whip
Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs & Defence
2023–
2020–
Garret Ahearn Senator for the Administrative Panel Spokesperson on Enterprise, Trade and Employment 2020–
Paddy Burke Senator for the Agricultural Panel Spokesperson on Social Protection, Rural & Community Development & The Islands 2023–
Maria Byrne Senator for the Agricultural Panel Spokesperson on Finance 2023–
Micheál Carrigy Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel Spokesperson on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport, and Media 2020–
Martin Conway Senator for the Administrative Panel Spokesperson on Health 2020–
John Cummins Senator for the Labour Panel Spokesperson on Housing, Local Government, and Heritage 2020–
Emer Currie Senator nominated by the Taoiseach Spokesperson on Special Education and Inclusion & Northern Ireland 2023–
Aisling Dolan Senator nominated by the Taoiseach Spokesperson on Education and Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science 2020–
Mary Seery Kearney Senator nominated by the Taoiseach Spokesperson on Children, Disability, Equality, Integration & Youth 2020–
Tim Lombard Senator for the Agricultural Panel Spokesperson on Agriculture, Food, Forestry and Marine 2020–
John McGahon Senator for the Cultural and Educational Panel Spokesperson on Environment, Climate and Communications 2020–
Barry Ward Senator for the Industrial and Commercial Panel Spokesperson on Justice 2020–

References

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  1. ^ "Appointment of Ministers and Ministers of State – Dáil Éireann (33rd Dáil)". Houses of the Oireachtas. 16 April 2024. Archived from the original on 16 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  2. ^ "An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announces Seanad Spokespersons".