Wallace"s job as Minister could be on the line

Twenty into 15 won"t go, and Ratoath TD Mary Wallace will be among the 20 Dail deputies whose jobs are on the line at the end of the month. On Monday, the Taoiseach Brian Cowen gathered the 20 junior ministers together and asked them to step down pending reappointment of 15 of them. A Government statement issued afterwards said that it was agreed that there is a need to restructure the way that Government does its business to ensure it is more effective and delivers best value to the taxpayer. 'Mindful of the pressures on public expenditure at this time, the Taoiseach will re-examine the roles and functions of ministers of state so as to ensure the most effective implementation of Government policies across all Departments,' the statement continues. 'In that context, ministers of state agreed to submit their resignations to the Taoiseach, effective from the 21st April next. The Taoiseach expressed the appreciation of the Government for the contribution all outgoing ministers of state have made to the implementation of Government policy.' When the Dáil reconvenes on the 22nd April next, the Taoiseach will announce the allocation of new areas of responsibility, roles and functions of ministers of state, which will be reduced to 15, similar to the numbers of senior ministers. Deputy Wallace is on her third junior ministry, having served as a junior minister for justice in a previous Dail, when she had responsibility for equality. She was not reappointed by Bertie Ahern and spent a sojourn on the backbenches before Mr Ahern did later reinstate her as a minister of state, in the Department of Agriculture, with responsibility for forestry. She was then made junior minister for health in the present administration .