O Cuív plays down reshuffle threat
Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Éamon O Cuív said there had been “constant change” during his time in Cabinet and he expected that to continue.
But asked if he personally was looking towards the exit door, Mr O Cuív replied: “Not particularly.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics programme, he added: “I’ve done the job I was given in Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the best of my ability.
“I will leave it to others to judge whether I have run the department I was given. The Taoiseach knows how I have performed as a Government minister. And in the wider context, he will run the rule over all of us, I have no doubt about that.”
Mr O Cuív said he would treat this reshuffle the same way as he had treated all Cabinet formations.
“I will just wait until I get called one way or the other and that’s always been my attitude towards appointments to Cabinet.”
His comments came amid reports that Arts Minister Martin Cullen had already agreed to step down as part of the reshuffle because of his ongoing back ailment.
A spokesperson for Mr Cullen could not be reached yesterday, however, while a spokesperson for the Taoiseach refused to comment.
The reshuffle is expected to take place before the Taoiseach departs for the annual St Patrick’s Day visit to the White House.
While speculation continues as to who may be promoted or dropped, one vacancy that will definitely have to be filled is that of Defence Minister, following Willie O’Dea’s resignation.
In an interview yesterday, Green TD Paul Gogarty said it had been necessary for Mr O’Dea to be “shot in the head” – a reference to the Greens telling coalition partners Fianna Fáil that his position was no longer tenable.
“It was a political execution,” Mr Gogarty said.
“I would be quite blunt about that. He was given a good trial, a fair hearing. He was tottering around wounded – he needed to be shot in the head.”
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