All but one of the 17 Labour Party deputies returned to the Dail in the general election have been named by the party leader, Mr Dick
Spring, as members of his frontbench. Mr Seamus Pattison does not have a role in the line-up, announced yesterday, because of his appointment last month as Ceann Comhairle of the Dail.
Despite the depletion of his parliamentary party, Mr Spring said
Labour would ensure that the new Government meets all its pre-election commitments.
He said he had assigned responsibilities to each Labour Party TD.
This would ensure that every deputy had a role in "the refocusing and regeneration of the party as we prepare for the resumption of the
Dail".
Mr Spring has retained the Foreign Affairs and Northern Ireland portfolio, while Mr Ruairi Quinn keeps the Finance brief.
Mr Brendan Howlin will continue to speak on the Environment, while
Mr Michael D. Higgins becomes spokesman for Education, Gaeltacht and
Islands.
Ms Breeda Moynihan-Cronin is the new spokeswoman on Equality and
Law Reform; Mr Willie Penrose takes up the Agriculture brief.
Mr Michael Ferris will be spokesman on Natural Resources. Mr Derek
McDowell takes over Health and Children; Mr Pat Upton has been given
Science and Technology/Consumer Affairs.
Mr Emmet Stagg is to be spokesman on Public Enterprise; Mr Tommy
Broughan gets Enterprise and Employment.
Mr Jim Kemmy gets Arts and Heritage; Mr Brian O'Shea is to be
Defence spokesman.
The only new Labour TD, Mr Jack Wall, will be spokesman for
Tourism/Sport and Recreation; Ms Roisin Shortall is to be Justice spokeswoman, while Mr Michael Bell will look after the Social Welfare portfolio.
"It is vital, for the health of our democracy, that the new Dail is given vigorous, dynamic and robust Opposition," said Mr Spring.
Labour would also ensure that all matters of public importance would be pursued in the House "with the utmost determination and conviction".