The long awaited cabinet reshuffle has finally been announced.
The one we're obviously most interested in is the new Minister for Tourism, Transport and Sport, which is Paschal Donohoe. This is a considerable promotion for the former junior minster for Europe. The former Minister for Tourism, Transport and Sport Leo Varadkar has moved to the Health portfolio, which should suit the former GP.
Meanwhile the former Minister for Health James Reilly takes over as Minister for Children, which may be seen as a bit of a demotion. The former Minister for Children Charlie Flanagan is moving to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is now Heather Humphreys and the outgoing Minister Jimmy Deenihan is now out of the cabinet.
Alan Kelly, the new Labour Party deputy leader, is to be the new Minister for the Environment with Phil Hogan leaving to become a European commissioner.
The post of Minister for Education and Skills recently vacated by Ruairi Quinn will now be filled by Jan O'Sullivan, who was the junior minister for housing.
The appointment of the two new female ministers goes some way towards decreasing the gender imbalance in the cabinet.
Richard Bruton will remain as The Minster for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and Simon Coveney will remain as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and will take responsibility for the department for defence.
Alex White will be the new Minister for Communications, while somewhat surprisingly, the outgoing Minister Pat Rabbitte will not be in the new cabinet.
Labour has succeeded in gaining major ground with this cabinet reshuffle, which is likely to be a relief after their recent poor showing in the local elections.
There has also been a number of appointments of super junior ministers in a move to keep everyone happy, such as Gerald Nash being appointed the super junior minister for jobs.
