Considering the time that is in it and the fact that I do enjoy making political predictions (which in the main tend to be slightly off kilter with reality) I have decided to put together my best guess at the probable new cabinet.

Bear in mind that a programme for government must first be agreed between Fine Gael and Labour. Then in turn that this will pass muster with the Labour grassroots. I am also working on the basis that sheer statistics and mathematics will lead to five ministries for Labour with the balance of ten going to Fine Gael.

I have used the original list of ministers and minsters of state that is available on www.taoiseach.gov.ie as a basis for the upcoming ministries with minor tweeks.

With regard to Junior Ministries four may be abolished so to start with the bureaucratic cull in this regard. I would imagine that the Junior Minister positions of Livelong Learning and School Transport will be split between the portfolios of Education and Transport respectively. The Junior Ministry of European Affairs could be brought into a more logical department of Foreign and European Affairs. The Junior Ministry of Public Service reform would become a full ministry in line with the New Politics Policy Document that was part of the Fine Gael Election Platform. And finally, the Junior Ministry of Fisheries and Forestry would be subsumed into the Department of Communications and Natural Resources and they seem keen on flogging the forests.  Also, if the pledge on creating a ministry for public service reform would mean that two existing ministries would need to be merged or one of these ministries being demoted to junior ministry level.

Anyway here goes… make of it what you will and feel free to have a rant on the comments section

15 Member Cabinet

Taoiseach Enda Kenny
Foreign & European Affairs Ruairi Quinn
Education Eamon Gilmore
Health & Children James Reilly
Finance Michael Noonan
Social Protection Kathleen Lynch
Defence Andrew Doyle
Environment Phil Hogan
Tourism, Culture & Sport Jimmy Deenihian
Enterprise & Trade Joan Burton
Public Sector Reform Richard Bruton
Agriculture Charlie Flanagan
Justice Alan Shatter
Community Affairs Pat Rabbitte
Transport & Communications Simon Coveney

 

Slimmed Down Junior Ministries

Chief Whip Paul Kehoe
Natural Resources Leo Varadkar
Children & Youth Affairs Dominic Halligan
Science Sean Barrett
Trade & Commerce Alan Kelly
Disability and Mental Health Lucinda Creigton
Housing Aodhan Ó’Riordáin
Overseas Development Joanna Tuffy
OPW Frances Fitzgerald
Older Person Paudie Coffey

 

However with that said I would keep an eye on the following –

Martin Heydon

Terence Flanagan

David Stanton

Noel Coonan

Paschal Donohue

Brian Hayes

Peter Matthews

Willie Penrose

Jack Wall

They may crop up….