Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said that Ireland may need to consider expanding the number of Cabinet positions beyond the current constitutional limit of 15, a change that would require a referendum, reports Breaking News.
He made the remarks while speaking at the opening of the Fair Seas conference in Cork City Hall, where he briefly departed from his prepared address to back comments made by Minister of State Timmy Dooley calling for a dedicated full ministry for the marine, reports Breaking News.
Martin said he would personally “love” to see a full Cabinet minister responsible for marine affairs, but noted that the Constitution currently restricts the Government to a maximum of 15 Cabinet ministers, reports Breaking News.
He suggested that as Ireland’s population grows and the complexity of governance increases, there may be a need for additional capacity at Cabinet level.
However, he acknowledged that achieving this would require a constitutional referendum, which he admitted would likely be politically difficult, reports Breaking News.
The Taoiseach said it was important to openly debate the issue, even if it may be unpopular, as it relates to how Ireland structures government in response to a changing society, reports Breaking News.
He argued that Ireland’s status as an island nation makes a stronger and more independent marine portfolio necessary, saying the current structure—where responsibility is split across multiple departments—limits effectiveness, reports Breaking News.
Martin also said the creation of a Minister of State for the Marine was intended as a step toward potentially developing a full department in the future, depending on political priorities, reports Breaking News.
He added that similar considerations could apply to other areas, such as defence, higher education, and research, suggesting that government structures may need to evolve further as national needs change, reports Breaking News.
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