New Dáil, New Day

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny was elected Taoiseach yesterday by a historic margin of 117 votes to 27.

The scale of the new Taoiseach's majority reflected the outcome of a dramatic election, which transformed Fine Gael into the biggest party in the Dáil for the first time.

Labour also celebrated a record election performance with its highest total of seats; the two coalition parties combined occupied more than two-thirds of the Dáil chamber.

At its first Cabinet meeting at Áras an Uachtaráin last night, the new Government decided to cut the pay of senior politicians.

The Taoiseach's salary is being reduced by €14,000 from €214,000 to €200,000, the Tanaiste's has been cut by €13,000 to €184,000.

Ministers salaries have been cut by €12,000 to €169,000 and junior ministers have been cut by €9,000 to €130,000.

The Cabinet meets again this morning after the newly appointed Taoiseach told the Dáil on Wednesday that the new Government was a partnership between Fine Gael and Labour, which would tell the people the truth, regardless of how unwelcome or difficult that might be.

Kenny commented: "I believe that for Ireland this current crisis is the darkest hour before the dawn.

"Together and for our country let us believe in our future. For Ireland and each other, let us lift up our heads, turn our faces to the sun and hang out our brightest colours. This is the first day of a journey to a better future."

The unveiling of the new cabinet yesterday revealed that it contained 10 Fine Gael Ministers and five from Labour.

However, the fact that Labour deputy leader Joan Burton did not get the portfolio with responsibility for public sector reform, for which she had been widely tipped, has raised concerns that the new Dáil is too uneven in terms of male-female ratio.

One Labour colleague of Ms Burton, speaking anonymously, questioned her exclusion from a role in finance. "I feel there's a bit of sexism at play in this Cabinet. The two female members are in roles that would be seen as more 'womeny' roles. On top of that, there are fewer women in this Cabinet than in the outgoing government."

There was also some surprise former minister for finance Ruairí Quinn was appointed as Minister for Education while two leading Labour women TDs, Róisín Shortall and Jan O'Sullivan, did not make the Cabinet.

The sole Fine Gael woman Minister, Frances Fitzgerald, was given the new full Department of Children.

The new Attorney General is Labour Party national treasurer, Máire Whelan, who is the first women to occupy the crucial post of legal adviser to the government.

Kenny's first international engagement as Taoiseach will see him travel to Brussels this afternoon for a meeting with European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, ahead of meetings of the European Council and the euro zone heads of government tomorrow.

(JG/GK)