A Cheann Comhairle, I wish to announce, for the information of the Dáil,
(1) that, having informed the President that Dáil Éireann had approved my nomination of Deputy Brendan Daly to be a member of the Government, the President yesterday appointed him accordingly;
(2) that yesterday I terminated the assignment of the Department of Defence to myself and assigned that Department to Brendan Daly;
(3) that today the Government:
(a) appointed Deputy Vincent Brady as Minister of State at the Department of Finance in addition to his posts at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Defence;
(b) assigned to Deputy Brady special responsibility for Heritage Affairs at the Department of the Taoiseach in addition to his responsibility there as Government Chief Whip;
(c) appointed Deputy Noel Treacy as Minister of State at the Department of Justice;
(d) appointed Deputy Chris Flood as Minister of State at the Department of Health, and
(e) made the necessary changes to merge the Department of Communications with the Department of Tourism and Transport — the new Department to be called the Department of Tourism, Transport and Communications.