Dublin South Central TD Catherine Ardagh has been appointed as a Minister of State at the Department of Justice.
Ardagh, who became the first government party TD to win a seat in Dublin South Central since Catherine Byrne in the 2024 general election, will now serve as a junior minister to Jim O’Callaghan.
Ardagh began her political career as a Senator in 2016, and served on the Industrial and Commercial Panel until her election to the Dáil in 2024.
Ardagh’s appointment comes amid a slight reshuffle of the government benches following Michael Healy-Rae’s departure from the government in April.
In April, the Kerry TD, who held a Minister of State role at the Department of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, quit the government following the government’s handling of the fuel protests.
Limerick TD Niall Collins has been appointed to replace Healy-Rae in the role, and has vacated his role at the Department of Justice.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin welcomed the appointment of Ardagh, saying “I want to wish Minister of State Catherine Ardagh every success in her new role in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, to which she brings considerable experience.”
The Taoiseach cited Ardagh’s experience in legal affairs, and from her campaigning on health and social issues.
“She takes over from Minister of State Niall Collins, who brought great energy and commitment to the role, in particular through his work on youth diversion projects.
More recently, Ardagh was the only Fianna Fáil TD to vote in favour of a Social Democrats motion to abolish the mandatory three-day waiting period for an abortion, joining fellow government TDs Barry Ward and Grace Boland (Fine Gael) in being the only government party TDs who voted in favour of it.
Ardagh said, “I am delighted to be appointed to this role, and it will be a privilege to serve in this portfolio.”
“I look forward to applying both my legal expertise and the understanding I have gained from working closely with people across my constituency,” she said.
“I am also looking forward to working alongside my colleague Minister Jim O’Callaghan as we progress some of the important work underway in this area.”
“Over the coming weeks, I will be taking time to immerse myself fully in the portfolio, engage with stakeholders and set out the priorities that I will share then.”
Ardagh is a number of Southsiders who are in ministerial positions in the current government; Dún Laoghaire TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill serves as Minister for Health, and the aforementioned Jim O’Callaghan serves as Minister for Justice.
Dublin Mid-West TD Emer Higgins serves as Minister of State with responsibility for disability issues, and Dublin South-West TD Colm Brophy will work alongside Ardagh as a junior minister at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.