Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

B'áil liom cead a chur in iúl, mar eolas don Dáil, gur chuir mé m'ainmniú mar Thaoiseach in iúl don Uachtarán agus gur cheap sé mé dá réir.

I beg leave to announce, for the information of the Dáil, that I have informed the President that the Dáil has nominated me to be the Taoiseach and that he has appointed me accordingly.

Tairigim:

Go gcomhaontóidh Dáil Éireann leis an Taoiseach d'ainmniú na dTeachtaí seo a leanas chun a gceaptha ag an Uachtarán mar chomhaltaí den Rialtas:

I move:

That Dáil Éireann approve the nomination by the Taoiseach of the following Deputies for appointment by the President to be members of the Government:

Proinséas Mhic GearailtFrances Fitzgerald

I also propose to nominate her as Tánaiste

Pascal Ó DonnchúPaschal Donohoe

Risteárd de BriotúnRichard Bruton

Síomón Ó CómhanaighSimon Coveney

Cathal Ó FlannagáinCharles Flanagan

Heather Mhic UnfraidhHeather Humphreys

Síomón Ó hEarchaíSimon Harris

Micheál Ó CríodMichael Creed

Donnacha Ó NeachtainDenis Naughten

Seán de RossaShane Ross

Caitríona ZapponeKatherine Zappone

Micheál Ó RinnMichael Ring

Ríona Uí DhochartaighRegina Doherty

agus

and

Eoghan Ó MurchúEoghan Murphy

I intend to assign Departments of State as follows:

Department of Enterprise and Innovation to: Frances Fitzgerald

Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to: Paschal Donohoe

Department of Education and Skills to: Richard Bruton

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with special responsibility for Brexit, to: Simon Coveney

Department of Justice and Equality to: Charles Flanagan

Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to: Heather Humphreys

Department of Health to: Simon Harris

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to: Michael Creed

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment to: Denis Naughten

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport to: Shane Ross

Department of Children and Youth Affairs to: Katherine Zappone [who cannot be with us today and our thoughts are prayers are with her at this time]

A new Department of Community and Rural Affairs to: Michael Ring

Department of Employment and Social Protection to: Regina Doherty

Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government to: Eoghan Murphy

I propose to nominate Seamus Woulfe SC for appointment by the President to be the Attorney General.

I also propose to nominate the following as Ministers of State who will attend Cabinet:

Deputy Joe McHugh as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht with responsibility for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands

Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor as Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills with responsibility for higher education

Deputy Paul Kehoe as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Defence with special responsibility for defence

Deputy Finian McGrath as Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Justice and Equality, and the Department of Health with special responsibility for disability issues.

I have tasked my new Government to build an Ireland, a republic of opportunity as I have spoken about, as one in which every person has an opportunity to succeed and in which all parts of the country have an equal chance to share in our prosperity. I have also tasked them with ensuring Ireland remains at the heart of Europe and becomes an island at the centre of the world. To help create this republic of opportunity, we need to be a Government of purpose, a Government that gets things done.

We are fortunate to be in government with some hugely talented Independent Deputies. These are men and women who have brought with them their own vision for the country, their own determination to do what is right, and their own ideas about what is needed to help all our citizens, and we are stronger because of them. They showed courage in entering government a year ago and they are making a real difference on issues, from medical cards for people in receipt of domiciliary care allowance to child care, judicial reform and broadband. I look forward to a long and enduing partnership with them.

I want this to be a genuine partnership Government that mobilises the talents of all those involved, those in Fine Gael and the Independent Alliance Ministers and Deputies, as well as independent Ministers and Deputies. It will be a partnership built on mutual trust and respect, underpinned by a shared desire to help all our citizens, whatever the challenges or problems that are thrown at us. We will work together in the public interest for the common good.

Today marks the end of one chapter in Irish history and the beginning of another. To those countries around the world that are looking at Ireland tonight, I have a simple message. This country will be at the heart of Europe, the common European home we helped to build, playing our part in the great debates and meeting the great challenges of our time. We will strengthen the bonds with those countries with which we share historical and cultural links, such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America. We also reaffirm our connection with all the countries where we have developed strong links in recent years. This Government is committed to multilateralism and we will face the great international causes of our time, with climate change and international development being two of the most pressing. We will continue to play a role in the United Nations, building on our great history of international co-operation and responsibility. We will work to protect our citizens and we will work to pay our part in combating the growing threat of radical terrorism. I have a special message of support for our diaspora around the world, wherever they are to be found. We pledge that we will provide a voice for your interests and strengthen links to this country.

I shall now set out some of our priorities. I have asked the Minister, Deputy Coveney, to take on the role of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with special responsibility for co-ordinating the whole-of-Government response to Brexit. We face enormous challenges in foreign policy as relationships on this island, between these islands and across Europe change. I have given Deputy Coveney the task to work towards re-establishing devolved government in Northern Ireland, to secure the best possible deal for Ireland on Brexit, to win seats for Ireland on the UN Security Council and to expand our diplomatic and trade footprints overseas.

I have asked the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, to serve as the head of two Departments: the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. I have asked him to keep our public finances sound, to drive the implementation of a new, ambitious capital infrastructure plan for Ireland, to ensure our public services continue to be reformed and to prepare for the challenges and opportunities of Brexit. In 2011, given the scale of the crisis this country was facing, it was the right decision to create two Departments to deal with the questions of finance, public expenditure and reform. Having restored our economic sovereignty, we are now working to ensure the recovery is shared across the State, and there is now a real logic in having the same Minister in charge of these two areas to ensure integration and co-ordination.

Deputy Frances Fitzgerald will continue to serve as Tánaiste, a role in which she has excelled in recent years. She will also serve as the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation. The Minister is tasked with driving employment growth and investment in Ireland, especially outside the greater Dublin area, with expanding our agency presence abroad and with ensuring Ireland is business ready for Brexit. I also intend to enhance the office of Tánaiste, including attending some State occasions and trade missions and chairing some Cabinet committees.

The Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan, will serve in the Department of Justice and Equality where his key tasks will be to continue to reduce crime, to pilot the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill through the Dáil and to drive reform and culture change in An Garda Síochána.

The Minister, Deputy Creed remains as the Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food and he will prioritise preparations for the next round of Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, reforms, expand Ireland's overseas markets for food, drive the implementation of Food Wise 2025 and look to harness our ocean wealth.

The Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, will stay as the Minister for Education and Skills and will be responsible for the enactment of the Technological Universities Bill 2015, securing a broad consensus on a new model of funding for third level education, and implementing the action plans for education and educational disadvantage. Education is the most effective tool to break cycles of disadvantage and to provide opportunity.

It is also the foundation of a successful and modern economy. Given the importance of education in a society where there is genuine equality of opportunity, I am appointing Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor as Minister of State with responsibility for higher education, attending Cabinet. We need to drive this sector forward, give it autonomy and resource it adequately.

Deputy Regina Doherty will take my place at the Department of Social Protection which, in line with other countries, will gain the labour affairs and labour law responsibilities of the former Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, thus becoming the Department of Employment and Social Protection. Her key responsibilities will include ensuring budget packages are progressive and reduce income inequality, advancing the social insurance reforms now under way, the new deal for the self-employed and providing access to an occupational pension for all employees.

No country has a perfect health service. However, Ireland is an outlier among wealthy countries when it comes to patient charges and patient access. Surely a country and political system that managed to weather the worst recession in a generation, rescue the banking system and bring an end to a conflict that lasted centuries should be able to get this matter right. I am determined that we should do so. The all-party Sláinte Care report provides good guidance. I task the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, with preparing a detailed response to that report, including proposed measures and timelines. I am also asking him to complete passage of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill through the Houses as soon as possible. He will also be responsible for bringing forward legislation to allow for a referendum on the eighth amendment in 2018.

The Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, remains at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. He will drive the implementation of the transport improvements provided for in the new capital plan, protect our tourism from the risks of Brexit, and work to secure the Rugby World Cup for Ireland in 2023.

Deputy Eoghan Murphy will join the Cabinet as Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government. Rebuilding Ireland is working but it may not be enough and so I am tasking him to review it within three months and to consider what additional measures may be required, including consideration of a greater quantum of social housing build, a vacant home tax and measures to encourage landlords to remain in or enter the rental market. He will also take on responsibility for Ireland 2040 and further reform of local government and electoral reform.

The Minister, Deputy Katherine Zappone, remains at the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. Her principal responsibility will be the successful introduction and implementation of the affordable child care scheme and the associated legislation, and also leading the Government's response to reducing child poverty.

I am appointing Deputy Michael Ring to head up a newly reformed Department of Community and Rural Affairs. His role will be to support local communities in all parts of Ireland, urban and rural, and to ensure economic recovery and investment is accelerated in rural areas, market towns and villages which have not experienced economic recovery to the same extent as our cities.

I have long believed that Ireland should have a dedicated Department of Culture, as other countries do. I have been enormously impressed with the Decades of Commemorations so far and with Creative Ireland. I want the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, to continue her excellent work in this area. I want there to be new emphasis and importance attached to the promotion of arts, culture and heritage in Ireland, matched with an appropriate budget. It is our creativity that makes Irish men and Irish women different and we need to foster it. I am assigning responsibility for the Department of Culture and responsibility for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Islands to the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh, in addition to his duties as Chief Whip. I am tasking him with the role of promoting the learning and use of Irish in all parts of Ireland and to be a voice at the Cabinet table for our first national language.

The Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, will remain at the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. I am determined that the Government should show new ambition when it comes to tackling climate change by setting out a roadmap to a low-carbon economy. Climate will be the first item to be discussed at our first full-day strategic Cabinet meeting in a few weeks. The Minister, Deputy Naughten, will also drive the implementation of the national broadband plan until every premises has access to high-speed broadband.

The Minister of State, Deputy Paul Kehoe, remains in his post as a Minister at my Department and as Minister for Defence. I will delegate all functions relating to defence to him, including the Office for Emergency Planning.

The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, remains Minister with responsibility for disabilities across several Departments. As a Government, we are renewing our commitment to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this year and to improving services available to people with disabilities, especially respite care and emergency residential places.

This will be a Government of purpose. It will be a genuine partnership Government that works to improve the lives of all our citizens and all parts of our country.

I commend the Government to the House.

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