New Minister wants to play role in bailout exit

The new Minister of State for European Affairs Paschal Donohoe (38) has said he hopes to play a role in ensuring Ireland’s successful departure from the troika bailout programme later this year.

The first-time Fine Gael TD, who represents the Dublin Central constituency, was appointed to replace Lucinda Creighton after she voted against the Government during the abortion legislation debate on Thursday night.

“I was and am a good friend of Lucinda. I wish it was happening in any other way but sometimes in life opportunities present themselves in conditions we wish were different,” Mr Donohoe said yesterday.

Asked to outline his priorities in his new position, Mr Donohoe said helping to bring about a smooth exit from the EU-IMF programme would be top of his agenda.

“Ensuring that our country can exit the bailout programme at the end of the year is vital for us achieving what we want to achieve with the economy. Hopefully as a minister I will be able to play a role within that,” he said.

Mr Donohoe’s four-seat constituency will lose a seat at the next General Election following boundary changes and he has previously been identified as one of the Coalition TDs most likely to come under pressure to retain his position as a consequence.

Yesterday he said he was “absolutely” committed to Dublin Central and would be running there in the next General Election. Elected to the Dáil in February 2011, Mr Donohoe was previously a Senator. He was a Dublin City councillor up to 2007.