Daniel McConnell: Halfway through their term, how have our ministers performed?
Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan: This historic three-way coalition has had to weather Brexit, Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and the cost-of-living crisis. Picture: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
Approaching the halfway stage of this Government’s expected lifespan, this historic three-way coalition has had to weather Brexit, Covid-19 and now a war in Ukraine and cost-of-living crisis.
Increasingly unpopular with the public as a collective, with the summer break now here, it is time to run the rule over the individual performance of Cabinet ministers and separate the wheat from the chaff.
The recent meeting of 29 Fianna Fáil backbench TDs and senators heard plenty of praise for Martin’s role as Taoiseach, but plenty of criticism of him as leader of his party.
Even the people who want him gone concede he has been “a good Taoiseach”. He has been frustrated by the pandemic and now the Ukraine war and cost of living crisis from being able to truly pursue his agenda and legacy.
With time running out, his decision to demand the health and housing briefs looks curious as neither are likely to deliver any electoral succour for Fianna Fáil any time soon. Indeed, both crises have worsened on his watch.
He has been unusually strong in his support of sanctions on Russia and fast-tracking Ukraine’s entry into the EU.
While governments love to claim they create jobs, the truth is they don’t. However, Varadkar has overseen a return to near full employment, having steered the ship along with Martin out of Covid-19. His return to work legislation has been brave, even if employers have concerns about worker efficiency.
But his story is far more than just his performance in his line ministry. The ending of the criminal investigation into the leaking of a document to a friend lifts a considerable shadow from his shoulders. He now heads into the autumn with the Taoiseach’s office in his sight.
While many modern ministers love to outsource actual responsibility for their job to third-party agencies, politically they remain accountable and the ongoing fiasco in Dublin Airport is a major black mark against Ryan. Seeking to leave it to his junior minister Hildegarde Naughton also ill behoves the office he holds.
Too easily dismissed as a dotty, absent-minded professor, has been a lone voice in driving the need to reduce carbon emissions against robust and dogmatic opposition from traditionalists.
With tax revenues running well ahead of target and the government now on course to run a budget surplus this year, Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath can claim some credit for the decision to spend big during Covid-19 restrictions in order to keep many companies afloat.
His handling of the abandonment of the country’s 12.5% corporate tax rate without the sky falling in was a testament to his mettle. He has continued the sell-off of the State’s stake in the bailed-out banks. The downside is the size of the national debt, which has doubled in cash terms since Fine Gael came to office.
Spending ministers often claim they have to say no more than they have to say yes, but Covid has meant McGrath’s tenure in office has largely been defined by record amounts of spending. He has spent more than €30bn of borrowed money in order to fund the response to the pandemic, on top of the normal day-to-day expenditure.
The cost of living has seen his fiscal discipline tested and he has yet to conclude the public service pay deal. The budget will be his make or break moment. Seen as Martin’s natural successor in Fianna Fáil.
A decidedly mixed year for Coveney, who has been at the Cabinet since 2011. His bungling of the Katherine Zappone affair last year did him, his party and the Government real damage.
He appeared not to learn any lessons when over Christmas the ‘Champagne-gate’ affair (picture of his officials gathering for an impromptu celebration in breach of Covid-19 rules) again reared its head. More significantly, the ongoing delays to passport delivery are another blight on his copy book.
Has been strong on Brexit and his trip to Kyiv was a success.
Donnelly recently complained to a Fianna Fáil party meeting that for every bad story in health, there are 20 good ones which never get attention.
The trouble is that Donnelly, like a succession of ministers before him, has yet to make any discernible dent in the ongoing health omnishambles.
Record waiting lists, people being told to stay away from ED departments because of overcrowding, and ongoing delays to disability services at a time of record funding are all marks against the minister. Has achieved some progress in the area of women’s health and safe access zones.
He has sought to inject a new purpose into his dysfunctional department and his Housing For All plan is the plan which he must now live up to. Housing For All has already appeared to buckle under delivery difficulties and with homeless numbers back over 10,000, so far O’Brien is yet to secure a big win. Completions are up, but so too are house prices and rents. His ramming through of major legislation in recent weeks despite it breaching EU law was cynical.
It was not insignificant that the Cabinet’s most conservative minister in charge of the most conservative department introduced a new sex education curriculum in the past few weeks. Foley, a first timer, has made no major errors but has not set the world alight either. Far too quiet at a time when her party needs a win.
The quiet man of Cabinet has been in the firing line this year with the mica issue in Donegal and the carbon emissions row with Eamon Ryan. Given the departure of his two immediate predecessors in a matter of seven weeks in 2020, McConalogue has succeeded in steadying the ship.
Not overly burdened by a taxing portfolio, but has made the most of the platform he has. He has grappled the thorny issue of funding third-level and won the battle to ensure a proper revenue stream. He remains the Government’s best communicator and his future leadership bid continues to gather pace. Disliked by some of his colleagues for his ambition, but unlike others, he is totally upfront about his desire to replace Varadkar as leader.
A young energetic minister who has sought to modernise her department’s very conservative image.
An amnesty for undocumented migrants, advances in family law and was forced to deliver a comprehensive domestic violence agenda in the wake of Ashling Murphy’s murder are among some of her highlights.
She has been subjected to more negative media coverage in recent months, with critics saying she has yet to be “tested” as minister. Supporters will say the absence of such controversies cannot simply be put down to circumstance.
He happens to be the frontline minister in trying to cope with the influx of a large number of Ukrainian refugees and migrants from other countries. The fact that those arriving here are now reliant on tented accommodation has led to criticism, as numbers here are still well below what was first predicted. His recent apology in the Seanad to people who had their births registered illegally was slammed as insufficient. Competent without being stellar.
At Cabinet since 2014, the likeable Humphreys is far wilier an operator than many give her credit for. Beloved of rural Fine Gael members and not averse to mud-slinging, especially when it comes to Sinn Féin, she has played a central role in helping Ukrainian refugees arrive here. She has also been central to developing the policy that the pension age will stay at 66. She had to apologise to a Co Wexford woman after she received a letter seeking the repayment of €208 in disability allowance because it was claimed in the week her severely disabled teenage son died.
Another minister whose role was deeply impacted by Covid. Known to make cogent and politically astute interventions at Cabinet, she also delivered the Future of Media Commission report recently. Her additional funding for the night time economy is welcome but long overdue. 5/10
A surprising success story, so much so that Chambers is now being looked upon as a future Fianna Fáil leader. His handling of the sports capital grants has gone down well with his colleagues and his willingness to appear in constituencies while other ministers do not has also stood to him. His star in on the rise.
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