'Boxer' Moran to hold junior minister role in new Government
Kevin 'Boxer' Moran is set to be appointed as a Minister of State in the new Government.
The department in which the Athlone TD will be based has not yet been finalised, but there's a strong possibility he may be appointed as Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) - a position he previously held from 2017 to 2020.
Broad agreement was reached today on a draft programme of Government involving Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and members of the Regional Independent Group, which includes the Longford/Westmeath Independent TD.
It's understood that, in return for their support of the incoming coalition, the Regional Independents will secure two so-called 'super junior' ministries, and two junior ministries.
The super junior ministries allow the holders to sit at cabinet, but not to hold full ministerial positions. Sean Canney and Noel Grealish have been tipped to take those positions, with 'Boxer' Moran and Marian Harkin set to be in line for the two junior ministries.
Final confirmation of the new ministerial office holders will come next week, but the expected appointment of 'Boxer' Moran to a junior ministry caps a remarkable political return.
He had been out of electoral politics for the best part of five years, before topping the poll in Westmeath at last June's local elections.
From 2017 to 2020 he was a Junior Minister or Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with special responsibility for the OPW and Flood Relief
He lost his Dáil seat in the 2020 general election, before being re-elected to the Dáil in last November's general election.
The Programme for Government will be put before Fine Gael and Fianna Fail members, and a meeting of the Regional Independents, over the coming days.
If agreed, it is likely that Michéal Martin will be elected Taoiseach in the Dáil on Wednesday next.
Mullingar's Peter Burke, an outgoing senior minister, will hope to be one of the expected seven Fine Gael Ministers, whilst there has also been talk that his fellow Westmeath TD Robert Troy may be in the shake up for Fianna Fáil.