Bradley Bytes – A sort of political column by Dara Bradley

There was a small rump in Fine Gael in Galway last week secretly celebrating the new Cabinet announced by Taoiseach Simon Harris, which omitted the promotion of Hildegarde Naughton to a senior ministry.

Not everyone within the local organisation is a fan of the party’s only elected TD in Galway West. And her detractors – from within and outside the party – could hardly contain their delight at Simon’s snub.

Naughton’s supporters pointed out that she was not demoted. She remains Government Chief Whip with a voice, but no vote, at Cabinet. And she has a new, arguably, more suitable portfolio as junior minister for special education and inclusion.

Still, the wait for a senior minister position goes on. And it’s not just a personal disappointment for one politician and her supporters.

Internal politics aside, the fact that a Fine Gael Taoiseach has once again overlooked Galway West for a senior ministry, in a constituency where Fine Gael has never had a senior minister, was bad news all round for Galway. If not now, when?

Pictured: Taoiseach Simon Harris with Hildegarde Naughton TD, Cllr Clodagh Higgins, and Andrea Kilkenny, the manager of Barnacles, Salthill, as he pulled a pint there before the FG Ard Fheis. His ignoring of Hildegarde when it came to appointing new senior ministers was a snub to Galway West.  Photo: Andrew Downes.