New team ‘will drive country forward’

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern laid down a blueprint yesterday for the final two years of the Government, promoting three new faces to the Cabinet and shuffling his remaining pack.

Thu, 30 Sep, 2004 - 01:00

Victoria Ward and Kieran McDaid

Mr Ahern led his colleagues into the Dáil claiming it would be the force that would drive the country forward, maintaining economic growth and high employment rates.

His new team will be expected to deliver a much-improved performance after disastrous local and European election results saw Fianna Fáil lose 7% of its vote.

Mr Ahern had played his cards close to his chest, prompting widespread speculation right up until his new-look team took its place on the Government bench.

Although three new names have been brought into the spotlight, the changes were dismissed by the opposition as a simple rearrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic.

But a defiant Mr Ahern claimed this was a team to instigate real change, to fulfil economic and social goals. “This government has the proven capacity to meet the key opportunities and challenges facing this country,” he said.

“Our people understand that we must firstly ensure our economic success in order to ensure that we succeed in implementing our social objectives.”

Mr Ahern dismissed speculation that the Government’s purse strings would be loosened. “We know that the tax policies that maximise revenue for spending on important public and social services are those we have been pursuing since 1997,” he said. “They are the policies that we will continue to pursue.”

Priorities for the coming two years included almost every sector, as the Taoiseach vowed to continue investment in roads, rail, housing, social services and health.

He said his new team would work closely with social partners to protect jobs, living standards and the consensus-based approach to managing change. “We intend to continue to provide incomes so that the elderly and others can live life with dignity,” he said.

“Through additional targeted spending and improved management, we will continue the development of the health services, especially the provision for accident and emergency and long-stay patients.

“We will also address the needs of those with disabilities, both through a new legal and service framework and through targeted investments.”

Mr Ahern did not let the continuing stalemate on the peace process go without mention.

He acknowledged the tremendous pride Irish people take in their role in negotiating the Good Friday Agreement, and said his government would continue to work with its British counterparts, in bringing about its implementation.

“After the recent talks at Leeds Castle, both governments believe that what is on offer now is reasonable in its substance and historic in its meaning,” he said.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that we maintain the momentum in the process in order to allow for the return of devolved government as soon as possible.”

The full Cabinet

THIS is a full list of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s new cabinet.

Minister for Foreign Affairs: Dermot Ahern.

Minister for Finance: Brian Cowen.

Minister for Justice: Michael McDowell.

Minister for Health and Children: Mary Harney.

Minister for Education and Science: Mary Hanafin.

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Micheál Martin

Minister for Arts, Sports and Tourism: John O’Donoghue.

Minister for Transport: Martin Cullen.

Minister for Defence: Willie O’Dea.

Minister for the Environment: Dick Roche.