Promotion for Jennifer Carroll MacNeill as new junior ministers revealed 

Her portfolio is moving from the Department of Health to the Department of Children and Equality next year.

Fianna Fáil’s Minister of State for Older People and Mental Health Mary Butler has been reappointed to the same role and Fine Gael Kildare North TD Martin Heydon will remain on as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture.

The Irish Examiner has confirmed that Fianna Fáil's Niall Collins has been reappointed junior minister at the Department of Further and Higher Education while Thomas Byrne will take up the coveted role as Minister for Sport, which is responsible for allocating sports capital grants every year.

Green Minister Joe O’Brien is to be named as Minister of State for Integration who will carry out the role in addition to his current role. This new role will involve coordinating the Government’s response to the refugee crisis brought about by the war in Ukraine.

Josepha Madigan has been reappointed as Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion and as a result, her constituency colleague Neale Richmond has lost out. Mr Richmond was informed by Taoisaech Leo Varadkar that he lost out because he could not drop Ms Madigan, sources have said.

New Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton is the new Minister of State for Public Health, Well Being and the National Drugs Strategy.

The Government previously appointed Jack Chambers as Minister for International & Road Transport & Logistics at the Department of Transport, as well as Minister for Postal Policy at the Department of the Environment.

The other appointments comprise of:

• Peter Burke - Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs (EU Affairs) and the Department of Defence
• Patrick O'Donovan - Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (OPW) and Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Gaeltacht)
• Ossian Smyth - Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (Public Procurement and eGovernment) and Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (Communications and Circular Economy) 
• Josepha Madigan - Department of Education (Special Education and Inclusion)
• Martin Heydon - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development) 
• Anne Rabbitte - Department of Health and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Disability) 
• Sean Fleming - Department of Foreign Affairs (International Development and Diaspora) 
• Joe O'Brien - Department of Rural and Community Development and Department of Social Protection (Community Development and Charities) and Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (Integration) 
• Kieran O’Donnell - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Local Government and Planning) 
• Malcolm Noonan - Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Heritage and Electoral Reform) 
• Damien English - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Employment Affairs and Retail Business) and Department of Social Protection 
• Mary Butler - Department of Health (Mental Health and Older People) 
• Thomas Byrne - Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (Sport and Physical Education) 
• Niall Collins - Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science (Skills and Further Education)
• Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill  - Department of Finance (Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance)
• James Browne - Department of Justice (Law Reform and Youth Justice) 
• Dara Calleary - Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Trade Promotion and Digital Transformation)

Earlier, it was revealed that junior Fine Gael ministers Colm Brophy and Frank Feighan have been told they are being dropped to the backbenches by their party leader, Mr Varadkar.

Mr Brophy, a TD for Dublin South West, was reportedly told on Tuesday night that he was not being re-appointed as Junior Trade Minister and he in turn informed supporters of the news.

Mr Feighin confirmed he has not secured a Junior Minister position, as the Minister of State portfolios are being announced today after the Cabinet meeting at 1pm.

In a statement to local radio station Midwest News, Mr Feighan confirmed that he was grateful for his appointment in 2020 but it is the end of the road for him as minister.

Mr Feighan has been Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for Public Health, Wellbeing and National Drug Strategy.

He thanked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin for affording him the opportunity to serve in the position.

He said it was a privilege and an honour for him to serve the people of Ireland during one of the most challenging public health emergencies in our history and to be part of the political team that was tasked with formulating the nation’s response to the pandemic.

The statement concluded by saying Mr Feighan is looking forward to refocusing his full attention on the Sligo, Leitrim South Donegal and North Roscommon Constituency and wishes his successor all the best for the future.

Griffin ruled out

Kerry TD Brendan Griffin ruled himself out of contention citing family reasons.

Mr Griffin had been the deputy whip in the last government and had been tipped as a potential for promotion to the Chief Whip's role, eventually given to Hildegarde Naughton. 

“It is with regret that I am unable to take on a ministerial position at this particular time due to family reasons. I will continue to carry out my duties as a TD for Kerry with commitment and dedication,” he said.

“I wish my friend and colleague, An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, every success in his important work for our country and I thank him for considering me. 

"I send my heartiest congratulations to my colleagues who have been appointed to ministerial roles and wish them well."