Michael Healy-Rae confirms junior minister role as draft programme for government due

Simon Harris, the incoming tánaiste, will take on a beefed-up role as foreign affairs minister, with international trade also being added on.

Paschal Donohoe is expected to take on the role of Finance Minister in a swap which is anticipated to give Jack Chambers the Public Expenditure role.

Darragh O’Brien, Norma Foley and Helen McEntee will all remain at Cabinet, with Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Hildegarde Naughton and Martin Heydon all in contention for promotion.

Michael Healy-Rae will receive a junior ministry, while two TDs from the Regional Independent Group are also tipped to hold junior portfolios. 

Elsewhere, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will swap the justice and health portfolios in a rejig of departments.

Fianna Fáil will have eight senior posts in the Cabinet and Fine Gael will have seven positions. A draft list has Fianna Fáil getting the taoiseach role, as well as Public Expenditure, Housing, Justice, Social Protection,…