BREAKING: James Lawless & Martin Heydon Both Appointed Senior Ministers

Thursday, 23 January 2025 18:03

It's the first time Kildare has had two senior Ministers since 1957

Taoiseach Micheal Martin has this evening announced that Kildare will have not one, but two Senior Government Ministers at the cabinet table.

Fianna Fail TD for Kildare North James Lawless has been announced as the new Minister for Higher Education, while Fine Gael TD for Kildare South Martin Heydon will serve as Minister for Agriculture.

Kildare has not had a Senior Minister since Charlie McCreevy in 2004 and the last time the county had two Senior Ministers was 1957 when William Norton and Gerard Sweetman held the positions.

The full cabinet is as follows:

Taoiseach - Micheál Martin

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence - Simon Harris

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Services, Reform and Digitalisation - Jack Chambers

Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration - Jim O'Callaghan

Minister for Social Protection and Minister for Rural, Community Development and the Gaeltacht - Dara Calleary

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage - James Browne

Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy and Minister for Transport - Darragh O'Brien

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - James Lawless

Minister for Children, Disability and Equality - Norma Foley

Minister for Finance - Paschal Donohoe

Minister for Health - Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Minister for Education and Youth - Helen McEntee

Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine - Martin Heydon

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment - Peter Burke

Minister for Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport - Patrick O'Donovan

Fianna Fáil TD Mary Butler has also been appointed to the Government Chief Whip role as well as responsibility for mental health.

Senior counsel Rossa Fanning has been re-appointed as Attorney General.

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