Decision on number of Junior Ministers must be revisited
Labour Party Leader, Alan Kelly TD, has said the decision to have 20 ministers of State should be revisited in this economic climate.
Deputy Kelly said:
“As we face into more uncertain times post-Covid, I would question the need to have twenty junior ministers.
“There are huge costs associated with junior ministries and we have seen a precedent in the 32nd Dáil with many of them being sanctioned to hire special advisers.
“In 2011, in the middle of a financial crisis, the then Government made the decision to reduce the amount of Ministers of State from 20 to 15.
“There is no evidence that increasing the number of Ministers of State actually leads to better governance in Ireland.
“Rather than take stock of the financial dire straights we find ourselves in, the incoming Government seem to be more focused on ensuring that their respective parliamentary parties are soothed by the idea of ministerial office.
“There is no need for an excessive amount of 20 ministers of State in the current climate. This decision should be reconsidered.”