Martin: An honour to serve in any role

Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has not ruled out a return to an economic post in a reshuffled Cabinet.

However, Mr Martin insisted the Taoiseach is holding his cards close to his chest, trotting out the well-worn mantra that it would be an honour to serve in any Ministerial role.

The Minister was speaking at the launch of a new Masters in Diplomacy at University College Cork yesterday.

He acknowledged that his previous experience in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will benefit him in the future.

He also said the worst economic crisis since the late 1920s will be uppermost in the Taoiseach’s mind when deciding the makeup of the new Cabinet.

Minister Martin said: “I think what will motivate the Taoiseach when making the reshuffle will obviously be the economic challenges we are facing, particularly the need for employment creation, and within that, helping young people coming out of our schools and our colleges.

“I certainly had four very good years in Enterprise, Trade and Employment and worked very well with State agencies. That experience has been very helpful. There are other people around the table who have that expertise as well.”

Widely regarded as a success in the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mr Martin is perhaps best placed to return to Enterprise, Trade and Employment if the Taoiseach decides to move Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.

However, Ms Coughlan said yesterday that she wants to stay within that role.

Minister Martin added: “It is a matter for the Taoiseach and that’s the bottom line. It’s an honour to work in the Cabinet and it’s been a great privilege to be Minister for Foreign Affairs. It’s been very engaging and a very invigorating position and it’s one I enjoy.”

“From my own conversations with the Taoiseach in recent weeks, he is very focused on the challenge of execution of policy within Government. He is focused on the need for a joined-up Government between departments, stronger synergy between agencies, and the need for quicker responses from the system to the unprecedented challenges that we face.

“I don’t think we have experienced anything like this since the late 1920s.”

Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.