New faces expected on frontbench in show of dynamism

FINE GAEL TDs David Stanton from Cork East and Paul Kehoe from Wexford are expected to be among the new faces on the party frontbench when Enda Kenny confirms his general election lineup tomorrow.

Conscious of the indifferent reception to the limited personnel changes in the Taoiseach’s reshuffle, party figures said the Fine Gael leader is anxious to inject dynamism into his ranks through his changes.

Former party leader Michael Noonan is understood to be ready for a return to frontline action and the foreign affairs and justice portfolios are likely to be divided up between the Limerick East TD and Cork South-West TD Jim O’Keeffe.

The party’s new TD, Dr Liam Twomey from Wexford, is also in the running for a surprise immediate promotion to the frontbench.

While party sources say there would be a definite public relations benefit from having a doctor as the party’s health spokesman, question marks have been raised elsewhere about his lack of political experience and Fine Gael not wanting to be seen to ally itself too closely to the medical professions.

Aside from Dr Twomey, the thorough approach and research skills of FG’s transport spokesman Denis Naughten gets the thumbs up from a number of his party colleagues for this crucial portfolio.

Although he will be absent from the announcement of the new lineup - he is getting married at the weekend to Mary Tierney, a Dublin-based nurse from his home county of Roscommon - Deputy Naughten is being tipped for a possible direct swap with the party’s present health spokesperson Olivia Mitchell.

Along with Deputy Naughten, Louth TD Fergus O’Dowd, the Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs spokesman, is also being talked about as being in line for a significant policy position.

The election of Simon Coveney and Gay Mitchell as MEPs and the departure of John Bruton to Washington as EU Ambassador means there are at least three vacancies to be filled by Mr Kenny and frontbench members are still in the dark about the changes.

“He doesn’t need to sack anyone but, at the same time, you don’t want the frontbench to be bigger than the parliamentary party,” a Fine Gael TD said yesterday.

With his expertise in the education sector, David Stanton is being hotly tipped to fill a specially created Disability Affairs, Equality and Law Reform frontbench portfolio.

After his prominent role in converting Dr Twomey from the Independents to Fine Gael, Paul Kehoe is expected to be rewarded with a promotion, possibly to Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.