Galway gets lion’s share from Leo

Galway is set for increased Ministerial representation when Leo Varadkar announces details of his new Government next week.

Both Galway West’s Sean Kyne, the current Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs, and Galway East TD Ciaran Cannon are primed for high profile positions in the new set-up.

Senior Fine Gael sources predicted that Kyne will retain his portfolio for Gaeltacht Affairs with Cannon hotly tipped to get the junior post of Minister for Science and Technology.

This will be reward for the unprecedented support that Varadkar received from parliamentary party members across the western seaboard, with Mayo’s Michael Ring almost certain to become a full Minister.

The new Fine Gael leader received the support of twenty of the 25 Oireachtas members from Cork to Donegal in last week’s contest.

From the outset both Deputy Kyne and Deputy Cannon set out their stalls in support of Leo Varadkar and they are expected to be rewarded for garnering support for the new leader in their respective constituencies.

Over the past few days, there has been much talk of Deputy Kyne getting a senior ministry but senior party sources say that the current Minister for the Gaeltacht, Joe McHugh, could well hold onto that post.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.