Simon Harris brings new faces into Cabinet as Cork's Colm Burke set for promotion

Sources close to Harris said he brought forward the announcement of the junior ministers  to 'avoid a week of playing guess who'

Simon Harris announced his cabinet following his election as Taoiseach, promoting two junior ministers to replace the outgoing Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney. Picture: Government Information Service

Cork North-Central's Colm Burke is set to be appointed junior health minister on Wednesday as Simon Harris fills his ministerial ranks.

Mr Burke is set to take on responsibility for drug policy, taking the position vacated by Government chief whip Hildegarde Naughton, who is being moved to the special education brief. 

On Tuesday, Mr Harris announced his cabinet following his election as Taoiseach, promoting two junior ministers to replace the outgoing Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney. 

Peter Burke, who had been European affairs minister, will take on the role at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, while Patrick O'Donovan, the Limerick County TD who had been minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, will become minister for further and higher education.

President Michael D Higgins and newly elected Taoiseach Simon Harris with the new Minister for Further Education, Patrick O'Donovan, at Áras an Uachtaráin this evening. Picture: Damien Storan/PA Wire

At junior level, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill will move to Mr Burke's previous role in the Department of Foreign Affairs, as well as a junior role in defence, with her previous portfolio as junior finance minister set to be filled by Neale Richmond. 

Mr Richmond's role as junior business, employment and retail minister is expected to be filled by Dublin Mid-West TD Emer Higgins. 

That would see Alan Dillon, the Mayo TD, appointed as OPW minister.

Sources close to Mr Harris said he had brought forward the announcement of the junior ministers from next week in a bid to "avoid a week of playing guess who".

However, sources also said that Mr Harris could completely reshuffle his junior ministers, with "nobody ending the day in the same place". 

That could mean that junior ministers Martin Heydon and Kieran O'Donnell move from their spots in Agriculture and Housing, respectively.

Simon Harris leaving Leinster House. Picture: Maxwells

At cabinet level, Justice Minister Helen McEntee, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe, and Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys will remain in place. 

Sources said that moving Ms McEntee was not something Mr Harris had considered.

Outlining his priorities while announcing his cabinet, Mr Harris said his Government will "help with the cost and availability of childcare, and fast track legislation to include child minders in the National Childcare Scheme". 

He said he wants Ms Humphreys to "extend hot school meals to more schools, make thousands more carers eligible to receive the carer’s allowance, and to report back before the budget on means-tested payments for family carers". 

He said he had asked Ms Humphreys to prioritise the auto-enrolment pension legislation along with a package to change the thresholds of employers' PRSI to offset the impact of the increased minimum wage.

Mr Harris said that in his role in higher and further education, he "worked tirelessly over three years to cut college fees because nothing should stop a person from reaching their full potential" and was now tasking Mr O’Donovan with "continuing that work and in particular to focus on developing new pathways for young people into further and higher education".

He said he has asked Mr O’Donovan to "prioritise labour force planning and the strategic development of the skills needed both to deliver housing in the here and now and for our future economic success".

Simon Harris at Aras an Uachtarain as he received his seal of office and seal of Goverment from President Michael D Higgins. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Mr Harris also said that he will also convene a Dublin City Centre taskforce to "chart a path towards a safer and vibrant Dublin".

"It is time to have pride again in our capital city," he said.

"Tonight, as we hold our first Cabinet meeting, this Government will establish the cabinet committee on children and education and disability. This is about breaking down silos across Government and making change happen more quickly," he added.

"We are determined to bring new coherence and faster progress on solving the issues that matter most to people with disabilities."

The Taoiseach said that the Government intends to elevate its "level of ambition and urgency on housing".

"We are going to build more homes and drive home ownership," he said.

"We know the waiver of development levies is working and I am working with my colleagues to extend this so that it remains cheaper to build and cheaper to buy a home."

On health, Mr Harris said the Government will open more beds and theatres, alongside recruiting more staff into the health service.

He also spoke about how businesses are "hurting" and he wants new Enterprise Minister Mr Burke to "bring his passion and drive" to his new department.

"I have asked him to work with the Local Enterprise Offices to ensure they are maximising their capacity to provide grants, mentoring and training to small businesses in each county," Mr Harris said.