Jobs slot is key Labour demand in reshuffle

As Enda’s Options and the Game of Joan’s reach critical focus, who will go where?

Jobs slot is key Labour demand in reshuffle

Richard Bruton:

His department is key to the balance of power in Coalition.

Labour want to take the Jobs slot as a ready-made engine of good news announcements in the run-up to the next election.

Mr Bruton has other ideas, but his bungled heave against Enda Kenny is still not forgotten, and is being tipped for the poison chalice of health if he is tossed out of his current role, or, if he’s lucky, foreign affairs.

Leo Varadkar

Has made a success of transport and tourism and his medical qualifications would make him a good fit for health.

However, for a doctor, his bedside manner leaves something to be desired, as he is known for his bluntness which saw him get into a public spat with then justice minister Alan Shatter over the way garda whistleblowers were treated.

Mr Kenny had been toying with sending him to Environment where his no nonsense style could do much to calm the waters after the turbulent tenure of Phil Hogan.

But, being kept in his box at transport is being urged by some around Mr Kenny in revenge for Shattergate.

James Reilly

A tsunami of anger will sweep the Fine Gael backbenches should Mr Kenny dare leave the disaster prone Dr Reilly in this most sensitive of political hot spots.

Many want him thrown off the top table for the chaotic way he has allowed the health overspend to escalate, and the damage done at the ballot box by the sheer cruelty of the medical card cull.

However, dumping the FG deputy leader from the Cabinet entirely might not look good, so a switch to Transport — a department largely stripped of its budget and importance by the spending cuts — would seem to offer a portfolio in which even this most accident prone of ministers could do little damage.

But, his track record of calamity has made the backwater of the arts department his most likely destination.

Jimmy Deenihan

The arts minister’s style has been so low key it is positively subterranean and as such he is the Cabinet minister most often put in the cross-hairs for being fired.

If he loses this role it is unlikely he would gain another at the top table, but might see the blow soften with a junior rung of the ladder.

Simon Coveney

A safe pair of hands at agriculture, he weathered the horse meat crisis largely unscathed.

Seen as the most likely successor to Mr Kenny as party leader along with Leo Varadkar, Mr Coveney showed a deft political hand during the X-Case legislation debate which caused much turmoil in Fine Gael.

Environment would make a neat fit for his skills.

Charlie Flanagan

Unlikely to be moved from the Children’s role he was given in May during the panic over Alan Shatter’s removal from office.

Frances Fitzgerald

Expected to stay in justice after taking over from Alan Shatter, but the sprawling department may see some of its powers handed away ahead of an internal review.

Michael Noonan

Despite a recent cancer scar, Mr Noonan would only leave the key economic role if he chose to.

Expected to remain in the post until the next election, at which time, despite his coyness, he is not expected to stand again.

Phil Hogan

Has had the air of a demob happy minister for several months with the man who mishandled the launch of the hated property tax and water metering seeking a one-way ticket to Brussels.

Pascal Donohue

The Europe Minister may be headed for the top table as he is seen as a strong communicator and one of Fine Gael’s strongest Dublin voices now that Brian Hayes has taken the Brussels schilling.

Regina Doherty

A no-nonsense approach to defending the Government has won her many admirers, and Fine Gael need to try harder than having just one woman in ten cabinet ministers.

Joan Burton

Has made it clear she wants to stay in Social Protection to see through her own reforms, and reap the benefits of an upturn in the welfare budget after three years of austerity.

Eamon Gilmore

Heading to Brussels or the back benches. Most likely the back benches, and oblivion.

Pat Rabbitte

Not one of Joan Burton’s buddies, the ex-Labour leader is set to get the boot despite a public plea to remain at the top table.

Brendan Howlin

Ms Burton has made it clear she wants him to stay in the Public Expenditure Reform role.

Kathleen Lynch

Hardly best of buddies with new TĂĄnaiste Joan, the capable junior health minister is likely to get a Cabinet slot as both gender and geography work in her favour, along with her reputation to be able to cut through the jargon and talk to people on a human level.

Alan Kelly

If Labour secure the prize of the Jobs and Enterprise Department it would fall to Mr Kelly. The junior transport minister is set for Cabinet elevation after his landslide win in the Labour deputy leadership contest, but the thin line between confidence and arrogance makes him one to watch.

Alex White

The jury is still out on whether he deserves a cabinet post after just 22% of the vote in the Labour leadership contest. Badly bruised by his central role in the medical card cull.

Jan O’Sullivan

The “super junior” housing minister with one foot in Cabinet has hardly made a huge impact, but again geography and gender hold much sway.

Paul Kehoe

The de-facto defence minister is likely to remain as chief whip.

Sean Sherlock

The Cork TD just scraped second place in the Labour deputy leadership stakes and is seen as a good media performer.

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