Charlie McConalogue to stay as agriculture Minister

Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue will retain his portfolio as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Only minimal Cabinet changes will be made by Leo Varadkar, who has taken over from Micheál Martin as Taoiseach.

Fine Gael leader Varadkar received 87 votes as he rotates the office with Fianna Fáil leader Martin.

Martin is to be appointed as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs with Simon Coveney moving to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

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Michael McGrath will become Minister for Finance and Paschal Donohoe will take over the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.

McConalogue is among a host of TDs to retain their existing portfolios as Stephen Donnelly (Health), Eamon Ryan (Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport), Norma Foley (Education), Catherine Martin (Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media), Darragh O'Brien (Housing), Heather Humphreys (Social Protection, Rural and Community Development), Stephen Donnelly and Roderic O'Gorman (Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth) all keep their existing roles.

Martin will be appointed as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs under the reshuffle.

McConalogue, a native of Gleneely, was appointed as Minister for Agriculture in September 2020 after the short-lived terms of Barry Cowan and Dara Calleary.

Previously, McConalogue was Minister for State for Law Reform.