Split views over whether to move ‘hugely important’ Energy brief to Dept of Enterprise

The Morning Lead

Meanwhile Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael look likely to swap the Health and Justice ministries.

THERE ARE SPLIT views among the government formation negotiating teams on whether to punt the energy brief over to the Department of Enterprise. 

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael discussed housing and energy yesterday, with significant time spent on the question of whether energy should be moved to a different government department. 

Currently, the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for this sector. 

However the brief is viewed as being of paramount importance in the next government given concerns about clouds on the horizon for the Irish economy with the new Trump administration. 

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin said Trump, along with previous US presidents, have taken protectionist approaches. 

“Ireland will have to, as a member of the European Union, navigate these new challenges.

“And I think we have to be skillful, we have to hold our nerve, and we have to be firm, but clear in terms of how we deal with the new challenges that will undoubtedly arise,” he said.

Sources said that tacking energy onto the Department of Enterprise would “make sense” but said it could cause problems in other areas. 

Energy is seen as “hugely important” in terms of attracting investment into the country; a number of multinational companies have told the government that energy supply is one of their main concerns about Ireland, aside from the cost of labour, sources said.

In the recent past, when there was an energy crunch due to the war in Ukraine, criticisms were levelled at Eirgrid and the government’s preparedness for an energy shortfall. It is believed by some in the soon-to-be government parties that a special focus is now required on the sector to ensure stability in a number of areas. 

The Journal understands the situation was not resolved and question mark still hangs over where to place energy.

Department carve-ups

The structure of a number of departments, particularly the portfolios held by Green ministers in the last government, are in line for a carve-up. While there is no limit to the number of departments there can be, there is a limit to the number of ministers that can sit at Cabinet. 

The behemoth Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth looks likely to be broken up, with the Children and Disability briefs likely to be merged to become one department, while Immigration will be separated out and either put under the Justice umbrella or in the proposed new Home Affairs department, which could be a point of contention between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael.

One senior government source said “there is some nervousness” about separating the Department of Justice into two, with operational questions raised as to which minister the Garda Commissioner would answer to. 

In terms of what ministries parties might hold, it is understood that Fianna Fáil wants to take on the justice ministry, with sources saying the Department of Health could be swapped to Fine Gael as a result. Health was discussed during meetings yesterday, with HSE boss Bernard Gloster and Department of Health Secretary-General Robert Watt both briefing the negotiating teams. 

It is believed that Housing could remain in the remit of Micheál Martin’s party, with the disability brief being led by a Fine Gael minister given that it was a key talking point for Simon Harris in the election.

While it is all but expected that the third pillar of the next government will be made up of Independent TDs, there is a strong view in both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael that an Independent TD will not get a senior ministry. 

Sources were adamant in their position that Verona Murphy getting the Ceann Comhairle position put that matter to bed. 

The expectation now is that the Independents that enter into government will get a couple of junior ministry positions and perhaps a super junior ministry which would allow that person to take a seat at the Cabinet table.