Promotion of Alan Dillon to junior ministry ‘a done deal’

MAYO TD Alan Dillon is to be appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Housing with responsibility for local government and planning by newly-appointed Taoiseach Simon Harris.

One Fine Gael source described the promotion of the Fine Gael TD as ‘a done deal’ as appointments of new junior ministers are set to be announced this afternoon (Wednesday). 

The first-time TD takes over the role from party colleague Kieran O’Donnell, who is a TD for Limerick City and has now been appointed as Minister for The Office of Public Works. 

First elected to the former four-seat Mayo constituency in 2020, the former Mayo footballer was promoted to secretary of the Fine Gael parliamentary party before being elected its chair in June 2023. 

Deputy Dillon rose to greater public prominence when he spoke out against the screening of high-profile GAA games on GAAGO.

He also gained publicity as a member of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee during the fallout of the RTÉ payments scandal last summer.

Deputy Dillon had previously been tipped for the junior ministry with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and the Gaeltacht. He is currently his party’s spokesperson on tourism and sport.

Ballyglass-based county councillor Cyril Burke welcomed the appointment of Deputy Dillon to to his new role, adding that he would like to see the delivery of more affordable housing to ‘the squeezed middle’#.

The only other representative from Connacht in Simon Harris’ new cabinet is Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton, who has been installed as Minister of State for Special Education but retains her post as Government chief whip