Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has today announced his new line-up of junior ministers. The  positions with most relevance to the hospitality sector – Tourism and Sport at the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport along with Drugs Strategy and Health Promotion at the Department of Health – have been filled respectively by Brendan Griffith from Kerry and Catherine Byrne from Dublin South Central.

Catherine Byrne will face a particular challenge delivering the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill but it must be taken into account that a new appointee will bring a fresh perspective on the Bill. The fact the Bill was introduced by Leo Varadkar during his time as Minister for Health will also add impetus to a piece of legislation that has remained stalled for most of 2017.

VFI member Ciarán Cannon is appointed Minister for the Diaspora and International Development (Foreign Affairs).

Last week the Taoiseach appointed Charlie Flanagan as Minister for Justice and Equality while Shane Ross remains as Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.