Advisers appointed to serve Ministers

A NUMBER of new Government advisers have been appointed to serve Coalition Ministers over the last number of weeks.

Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald is being advised by Jennifer Carroll, Fine Gael’s former legal adviser. Former chief executive of Greencore USA Fergal Leamy has been appointed to advise Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney. Former Fine Gael policy adviser Áine Kilroy will also advise Mr Coveney.

Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has appointed former broadcast journalist Deirdre Grant as his director of communications, and the long-serving Irish Independenteducation editor, John Walshe, as a special adviser.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is being advised by Andrew McDowell, Fine Gael’s former economic adviser, and Mark Kennelly, former chef de cabinet. Former party policy officers Angela Flanagan and Paul O’Brien are also involved.

Former Fine Gael press officer and events manager Joanne Lonergan is press adviser at the Department of the Taoiseach.

Among those advising Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore are Mark Garrett, who was his chief adviser in opposition, and Colm O’Reardon, Labour’s former policy director and brother of TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan is being advised by his long-serving aide Mary Kenny.

On secondment from the Central Bank to Mr Noonan’s department is John Moran, who has been assigned to oversee the restructuring of the banking sector.

Mr Noonan has retained the services of departmental press officer Eoin Dorgan, while Mr Dorgan’s colleague, Marie Mulvihill has been assigned as press officer to Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin.

Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation Richard Bruton is being advised on policy matters by former Fine Gael communications director Ciarán Conlon and his press adviser is his former assistant Conor Quinn.

Former journalist and director of public affairs with the Arts Council Seán Mac Cárthaigh will work in an advisory role for Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs Jimmy Deenihan.

Mark Costigan, spokesman for former minister for health Mary Harney, has been appointed press adviser to Ms Harney’s successor, Dr James Reilly.

Working for Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Pat Rabbitte are Simon Nugent, former chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents’ Association, and Labour’s former legal adviser, Finbarr O’Malley.