HEATHER APPOINTED FINE GAEL DEPUTY LEADER

Cavan/Monaghan TD Heather Humphreys has been confirmed as the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. The appointment was formally announced by Fine Gael leader Simon Harris at the party’s Ard Fheis at the weekend. In a landmark week in her political career, Deputy Humphreys made the formal nomination of Deputy Harris as Taoiseach in the Dáil on Tuesday (see speech below). Following the new Taoiseach’s appointment, it was learned that, as expected, the Cavan/Monaghan TD would continue in Cabinet in her existing portfolios of Social Protection and Rural and Community Development.

Deputy Humphreys had been linked with the Justice Ministry in anticipation of a more extensive reshuffle by the new Taoiseach of the Fine Gael Cabinet posts. However, the only changes to the Cabinet places made were the appointment of Peter Burke TD as the new Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in place of the departing Simon Coveney TD, and the appointment of Patrick…