It seems we are blessed with 3 Ministers for Equality this evening – our cup truly runneth over!

Brian Cowen emailed supporters this evening inviting them to see his ‘New Cabinet Team’. The Fianna Fáil website is full of smiling faces and mini biographies along with brief explanations of the new remits for the changed departments.

It seems according to this announcement  that Dermot Ahern and Pat Carey are both Ministers for Equality – I thought the idea was to remove Equality from Ahern to keep the Green Party happy? Junior Minister Mary White is now to be Minister of State at the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Education and Skills, with special responsibility for Equality and Human Rights, and Integration

So is this a typo or will we have three ministers to blame for inequalities in our society?

The Taoiseach himself in the Dáil this afternoon announced that Pat Carey’s Department was the new gaff for Equality, Disability and Human Rights.

It is important, while addressing the priority issues in responding to unemployment and driving economic recovery, that we do not lose sight of the importance of social development, the targeting of the most vulnerable and support for those working to make a difference right across our communities. I have therefore decided that the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will become the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and will incorporate responsibility for social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social and Family Affairs and for equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

All will become clear shortly…maybe.

Update: – Fianna Fáil corrected their website this morning – We’re back to one senior and one junior – Carey and White.  No more equality for Dermot Ahern