I wish to announce for the information of the Dáil that having informed the President that Dáil Éireann had approved my nomination of Deputies to be members of the Government on 9 March, she appointed them accordingly. On the same day I nominated Deputy Eamon Gilmore to be Tánaiste and assigned the Department of Foreign Affairs to him. On the same date I assigned the Departments of State to the other members of Government as follows:
Department of Finance to Deputy Michael Noonan.
Department of Education and Skills to Deputy Ruairí Quinn.
Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation to Deputy Richard Bruton.
Department of Social Protection to Deputy Joan Burton.
Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport to Deputy Jimmy Deenihan.
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to Deputy Pat Rabbitte.
Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to Deputy Phil Hogan.
Department of Justice and Law Reform and Department of Defence to Deputy Alan Shatter.
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to Deputy Simon Coveney.
Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to Deputy Frances Fitzgerald.
Department of Health and Children to Deputy James Reilly.
Department of Transport to Deputy Leo Varadkar.
These assignments have been made pending completion of the necessary processes for the establishment of the new Departments, and for transfers of the functions that I announced in the House last week; Deputy Brendan Howlin is a member of the Government without portfolio pending completion of these processes; on 9 March 2011 the President approved Máire Whelan SC as Attorney General; on the same date the Government appointed Deputy Paul Kehoe to be Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, with special responsibility as Government Chief Whip, and at the Department of Defence; and Deputy Willie Penrose to be Minister of State at the Department of the Environment Heritage and Local Government, with special responsibility for housing and planning; and that on 10 March 2011, on my nomination, the Government appointed:
Deputy Dinny McGinley to be Minister of State with special responsibility for Gaeltacht affairs, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Deputy Róisín Shortall to be Minister of State with special responsibility for primary care, Department of Health and Children.
Deputy John Perry to be Minister of State with special responsibility for small business, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation.
Deputy Michael Ring to be Minister of State with special responsibility for tourism and sport, Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport.
Deputy Jan O'Sullivan to be Minister of State with special responsibility for trade and development, Department of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy Kathleen Lynch to be Minister of State with special responsibility for disability, equality and mental health, Department of Health and Children and Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Deputy Fergus O'Dowd to be Minister of State with special responsibility for the NewERA project, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Deputy Brian Hayes to be Minister of State with special responsibility for public service reform and the Office of Public Works, Department of Finance.
Deputy Shane McEntee to be Minister of State with special responsibility for food, horticulture and food safety, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
Deputy Lucinda Creighton to be Minister of State with special responsibility for European affairs, Department of the Taoiseach and Department of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy Seán Sherlock to be Minister of State with special responsibility for research and innovation, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation and Department of Education and Skills.
Deputy Ciarán Cannon to be Minister of State with special responsibility for training and skills, Department of Education and Skills.
Deputy Alan Kelly to be Minister of State with special responsibility for public and commuter transport, Department of Transport.