Mattie McGrath

“It’s horrific” – Tipperary TD Mattie McGrath’s reaction to this week’s selection of senior Ministers by Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

“We in the Rural Independent Group made a submission for government and were told it would be respected – but it wasn’t.

“There’s no senior minister in Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Carlow or Wexford. There’s two in Greystones, six in Dublin,” said McGrath.

“It seems the plan of this Government is to denude the countryside of people and herd them into two cities, Dublin and Cork,” he claimed.

Michael Fitzmaurice

Michael Fitzmaurice TD for Roscommon/Galway, feeds his cattle before heading off for the Dáil. \ Brian Farrell

New Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen now has a huge opportunity to make the lives of small farmers better, said Michael Fitzmaurice, Independent TD for Roscommon-Galway.

“I hope he does it,” he said.

“He needs to watch the land use brief of Pippa Hackett. He also needs to be prepared to stand up to excess bureaucracy from unelected people in Brussels.

“It is regrettable that we don’t have a senior minister in one or other county in the west of Ireland.”

He was surprised that Dara Calleary was overlooked for a ministerial role.

“If you’re good enough to be deputy leader of a party, you’re good enough to be a senior minister.”

Marian Harkin

Marian Harkin, former MEP and TD for Sligo/Leitrim.

The perception was really bad, said Marian Harkin, TD for Sligo-Leitrim, about the senior ministerial appointments.

“What I want is a Government that will pursue policy that will give balanced regional development, giving a fair share to each region. I’m not asking for a minister who hands out goodies in his or her own constituency – that’s not policy,” she said.

She gave an example: “Per capita spend on health in the north and west regional assembly areas is just 42% of spend in the east and midlands area. While I’m not looking for specialist hospitals everywhere, that is not balanced. Not to have a voice or several voices from the west and northwest regions at the Cwabinet table is at best poor judgement, or at worst complete disregard.”