Bailey bomber in line for senior cabinet post

FORMER Old Bailey bomber and prison escapee Gerry Kelly could be in line for a senior cabinet post in the Northern Ireland power sharing government, it emerged last night.

The Sinn Féin Assembly member was among four MLAs named by party leader Gerry Adams as his ministerial choices once power-sharing returns to Stormont on May 8.

But with Conor Murphy tipped to be the next education minister and Michelle Gildernew expected to take over at agriculture, the question was whether Mr Kelly or South Down

Assembly member Caitriona Ruane will be the party’s nominee to take over the helm at the Department of Regional Development.

Speculation about Mr Kelly’s future ministerial role came after the Democratic Unionists, Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionists and the nationalist SDLP indicated what ministries they would take when power is devolved on May 8.

If Mr Kelly is not made Regional Development Minister, he will be in line for the junior minister’s role in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister.

A party source said: “The question is who do we put in the Office of First and Deputy First Minister to mirror the DUP’s most likely choice, Ian Paisley Junior? In some respects, Gerry might be the ideal candidate for that role, given that he has mirrored Ian Paisley Junior as policing and justice spokesperson for years. However, ultimately it is Gerry Adams’s call.”

The DUP, which is expected to announce its nominees, later this week will be expected to appoint Peter Robinson in the finance role and former devolved minister Nigel Dodds as the enterprise minister.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is meeting Mr Paisley tomorrow at Farmleigh to discuss devolution plans.