FG TD hires wife, and interviews his dog.

Dublin North Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell has hired his wife as his PA on a salary paid for by the taxpayer.

Mr Farrell has hired his wife, Emma Doyle, as his parliamentary assistant in the Dail just two weeks after she was rejected by his Dublin North FG branch as his replacement on Fingal County Council.  Parliamentary assistants earn between €41,092 and €52,200 per year, which is paid for by the State. 

Senior blueshirt sources have said that Deputy Farrell now has a new candidate in mind for his old council job; his dog Garrett.

"He's a beautiful pointer named in honour of former Fine Gael leader Garrett Fitzgerald," the source posted on an internet forum, "He'd be the perfect replacement for Alan.  I'm sure the public wouldn't even know hes gone!"

New Cabinet announced

The cabinet of the new Fine Gael/ Labour government was announced today. Enda Kenny was elected as Taoiseach on a 117 to 27 vote. Sinn Féin, the ULA and some independents opposed Kennys nomination.

The new cabinet is as follows;

Eamon Glimore (Labour) – Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Michael Noonan (Fine Gael) – Minister for Finance

Ruairi Quinn (Labour) – Minister for Education and SkillsBrendan Howlin – Minister for Pubic Expenditure and Reform

Richard Bruton (Fine Gael) - Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation

Joan Burton (Labour) - Minister for Social Protection

Jimmy Deenihan (Fine Gael) - Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Affairs

Pat Rabbitte (Labour) - Minister for Communication Energy and Natural Resources

Frances Fitzgerald (Fine Gael) - Minister for Children

Simon Coveney (Fine Gael) - Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food

Alan Shatter (Fine Gael) - Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence

Phil Hogan (Fine Gael) - Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government

Leo Varadkar (Fine Gael) – Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

James O’Reilly (Fine Gael) – Minister for Health

Paul Kehoe (Fine Gael) – Government Chief Whip

Marie Whelan – Attorney General

One other so-called “super-junior” position has also been created, with Minister for Housing and Planning Willie Penrose, of Labour, asked to attend Cabinet meetings.