The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht today welcome a new Minister following the cabinet reshuffle made by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar due to the recent resignation of former Tánaiste Francis Fitzgerald.
First-time TD Josepha Madigan will take over the role of Minister for Arts following Minister Heather Humphreys’ new appointment. The Taoiseach yesterday, November 30th, announced the appointment of Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney as his new Tánaiste and former Minister for Arts Heather Humphreys as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
Speaking about his appointments, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said:
“Appointing the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney TD, as Tánaiste will enhance his role in the Brexit negotiations currently underway and will make it easier for him to co-ordinate the work of other departments with respect of Brexit.
“In appointing Minister Humphreys to the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, for the first time in seven years the Minister will be from outside the Dublin region, and also from the Border.
“This is particularly relevant in the context of Brexit and also the Government’s commitment to bring more jobs and good jobs to all regions of  Ireland, especially rural Ireland. Heather’s experience as a minister and also her background in banking and finance makes her very suited to this role.
“Minister Madigan will build on the work of Minister Humphreys in the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and will drive forward the Government’s agenda for arts, culture and heritage, including the Creative Ireland programme, an ambitious ten year capital plan for the arts and multi-annual increases in funding for culture and heritage.”
The new Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht previously sat as chair of the Oireachtas committee on budgetary oversight and is serving her first term as TD.
These developments come after the resignation of former Tánaiste Francis Fitzgerald following recent alligations made against the Tánaiste in relation to her knowledge of the campaign against Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe.