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The Taoiseach has insisted he will lead a \u201cgovernment for the entire country\u201d amid criticism about the geographic make-up of the cabinet.<\/p>\nThe Taoiseach has insisted he will lead a \u201cgovernment for the entire country\u201d amid criticism about the geographic make-up of the cabinet.<\/p>\n
Miche\u00e1l Martin defended the process of appointing ministers after his party\u2019s deputy leader, Dara Calleary, expressed anger and disappointment at being overlooked for a senior cabinet position.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a government for the entire country and that\u2019s a very important point,\u201d Fianna F\u00e1il leader Mr Martin told a post cabinet news conference.<\/p>\n
Mayo TD Mr Calleary was appointed government chief whip by Mr Martin following the formation of the historic Fianna F\u00e1il\/Fine Gael\/Green Party coalition administration on Saturday.<\/p>\n
He will sit at cabinet but does not have a vote.<\/p>\n
Some voters and political activists in the west of Ireland have portrayed it as a snub and claim it is evidence of the west of Ireland being overlooked when it came to cabinet positions.<\/p>\n
While Galway West TD Hildegarde Naughton has been appointed as a super junior minister in the coalition, none of the senior jobs went to anyone from the west of the country.<\/p>\n
The new government has also faced criticism over the gender make-up of the cabinet, with only four full ministerial roles occupied by women.<\/p>\n
The three parties are set to face further scrutiny on gender and geography later in the week when they appoint several non-cabinet ministers of state.<\/p>\n
Mr Martin was pressed on the issues after the first full meeting of cabinet on Monday.<\/p>\n
On Mr Calleary, he insisted chief whip was a \u201cvery important position\u201d, particularly as there were three parties to manage in the new government.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very difficult and I think there will be quite a number of people who will be very, very disappointed that they didn\u2019t make the cabinet table,\u201d said Mr Martin.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I know quite a number of people in the party who will be upset by that but we have a limited choice, each party leader has a limited number to appoint and calls have to be made.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cUnfortunately every time a cabinet is appointed there will be disappointment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fine Gael has also faced claims of ignoring the west after former minister Michael Ring, a TD for Mayo, was not reappointed to a cabinet post.<\/p>\n
T\u00e1naiste Leo Varadkar said all ministers must have a nationwide focus.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll ministers have a national remit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny minister whose major focus is their own constituency or their own region is actually neglecting most of the country, so ministers must have a national emit and that\u2019s the way I would certainly expect all ministers to think.\u201d<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, Mr Calleary said Saturday\u2019s conversation with Mr Martin was \u201cincredibly difficult\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t the weekend I expected,\u201d he told Midwest Radio.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere weren\u2019t any other jobs on the table offered to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a very difficult conversation and I told him I was disappointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had hoped to lead a department, that has always been my ambition and it is still my ambition today, and it will happen, it will absolutely happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Fianna F\u00e1il stalwart said he plans to make the most of the job he has been given and be a \u201cloud voice\u201d for the west of Ireland at cabinet.<\/p>\n
Mr Calleary said he had been \u201cblown away\u201d by the messages of support from constituents since Saturday.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged there is a lot of anger in the west.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hear that anger, I understand that anger, I am going to take that anger on and turn it into action,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am going to take that anger on and let it drive me on around the Cabinet table to turn that into action.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was that angry person yesterday and I am going to dust it down and make the most of this.\u201d<\/p>\n