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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ferghal Blaney in Leinster House

Simon Harris set to lose job as Minister for Health with big shocks expected in new Cabinet

Simon Harris looks set to lose his position at the Department of Health as Fianna Fail's Stephen Donnelly will become the new Minister, the Irish Mirror can reveal.

Meanwhile Helen McEntee will be handed the role of Minister for Justice, while Darragh O'Brien will replace Eoghan Murphy as Minister for Housing.

First time TD Norma Foley will be given one of the biggest roles as Minister for Education.

Paschal Donohoe and Simon Coveney are also expected to keep their roles in Finance and Foreign Affairs respectively.

Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath will become the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

It comes after Micheál Martin made history by becoming the first ever Taoiseach of a coalition including old enemies Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

Minister for Health Simon Harris TD. (Gareth Chaney/Collins)

In accepting his nomination, he said: “To be elected to serve as Taoiseach of a free republic is one of the greatest honours which anyone can receive.”

The third leg of the new government sees the Green Party back in power.

The Fianna Fáil leader becomes only the 15th leader of our country since independence was won nearly 100 years ago.

Ever since then Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have been at loggerheads after they fought on opposite sides of the War of Independence.

Outgoing Taoiseach, incoming Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader, Leo Varadkar, welcomed the new Government chief.

He said: “This is a historic occasion.

“I believe civil war politics ended a long time ago in this country but today it ends in our parliament.”

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