Newly appointed Ministers of State include two former Fingal councillors

Fingal County Council welcomes the news that two former councillors of Fingal County Council were appointed as Ministers of State to the new government as announced yesterday.

The appointments were confirmed yesterday when Joe O’Brien, Dublin Fingal TD, and Jack Chambers, Dublin West TD, were given their portfolios.

Joe O’Brien was appointed as a Minister of State to the Department of Rural and Community Development with responsibility for Community Development and Charities. Mr. O’Brien served on Fingal County Council after his election 2019 until his election to the Dáil later that year in a by-election.

Jack Chambers, who served as a councillor on Fingal County Council from 2014 until 2016 when he was elected to the Dáil, was appointed as Minister of State to the Department of Finance with responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance.

Mayor of Fingal, Cllr. David Healy said about the appointments: “It is great to see a further two former Fingal councillors appointed as Ministers of State this week. As we face the combined challenges of protecting ourselves from the pandemic and achieving a just transition from recession to a sustainable economy, I wish them all the best in their new roles.”

AnnMarie Farrelly, Chief Executive of Fingal County Council, said: “I wish the two Ministers of State from Fingal all the best on the appointments to their Departments, I look forward to working with them and their Departments in the coming years. It is important that we work together at all levels of government to rebuild Fingal and Ireland after the Covid-19 pandemic.”

This announcement follows the appointments made by An Taoiseach Michéal Martin of his cabinet and to the Seanad on Saturday which saw former Taoiseach and Dublin West TD Leo Varadkar named as Tanaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, fellow Dublin West TD Roderic O’Gorman was appointed as Minister for Children, Disabilities, Equality and Integration, and Dublin Fingal TD Darragh O’Brien appointed as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Former councillor Emer Currie and former senator Lorraine Clifford Lee were also appointed to the Seanad.