McEntee keen to retain justice role in Cabinet reshuffle
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee. 'I think I’ve probably made it clear that I’d love to stay where I am.' Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos
Justice Minister Helen McEntee has said she believes she has made it clear that she wants to remain in the justice portfolio after the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle.
Ms McEntee will go on maternity leave on Friday and her brief will temporarily be passed to Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys again.
Speculation has been mounting on whether Fianna Fáil will try and take the justice portfolio on December 17 when the Cabinet reshuffle will take place.
Some within Fianna Fáil have suggested Taoiseach Micheál Martin may want to take on the role.
Speaking to the at the Fine Gael ard fheis, Ms McEntee said she really wants to see through the work she has initiated.
She said: “I think I’ve probably made it clear that I’d love to stay where I am. There’s a lot I’m working on, particularly in the area of domestic violence. I’ve just published the family court bill on strategy this week, I really, really want to see that through.
“We’re starting to get into the new recruitment campaign with the gardaí and we’ve a lot of legislation coming down the road to support them in how they’re going to do their work. I’d love to see it through but I appreciate there’s a lot of moving parts, a lot of decisions have to be taken and whatever decision is made I’ll fully support that.”
Ms McEntee said she hasn’t in great detail spoken to Tanáiste Leo Varadkar about the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle.
She said: “I think he [Leo Varadkar] knows [I want to stay] but there’s not just me here, there’s a lot of people and what works best and how it’ll work after the change around so I trust whatever decision is taken.”
On allegations of abuse at Spiritan-run schools, including Blackrock college, Ms McEntee said what has emerged is “really devastating” and there “should always be justice".”
It’s expected an inquiry will be established and the Government has said it will engage with victims to hear their views on the best approach.
Ms McEntee said from a criminal justice point of view, gardaí are there to help people if that is the route that people want to go “irrespective of how old the perpetrators are, how long it happened or how long ago, there should always be justice so from my point of view".
She added: “I’ll work with the gardaí and I know they’re very open to working with everyone but if it’s an investigation or an inquiry that people want, it’s something we have to consider and the Taoiseach will take that on board.
“We have to listen to what victims and individuals want.”
With a week left before taking maternity leave and preparing for the birth of her second child, Ms McEntee said she doesn’t feel as prepared in comparison to when she first gave birth to her son, Michael almost 19 months ago.
She said she has spoken to women who have said policies have changed in their workplaces following the coverage of the debacle of her maternity leave in 2021.
She added: “Women should never feel that they can’t take on a role or progress a career because they want to have a family, they should never have to choose.
“Men don’t have to choose so women should never have to choose.”
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