New roles for Farrell and Kerrane in reshuffle of Sinn Fein front bench

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has reshuffled her front bench.

She’s said it’s time for a general election and this is the team which will lead the party into it.

The big hitters of the front bench stay where they are – with Pearse Doherty, Eoin O’Broin, David Cullinane and Louise O’Reilly keeping Finance, Housing, Health and Enterprise.

Former MEP Matt Carthy takes up the Foreign Affairs and Defence role with Pa Daly moved onto Justice.

Sideways for two of the young stars of the party – Mairead Farrell moving out of Public Expenditure into higher education and Claire Kerrane moved from Social Protection to Agriculture.

Rose Conway Walsh takes over public expenditure with Donnchadh Ó Laoghire into Social Protection

Darren O’Rourke stays in the environment brief but loses the transport and communications elements to Martin Kenny, as part of team Mary Lou McDonald says is election ready