Niall Collins has today (Thursday, May 28) been appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

The Fianna Fáil Limerick TD will fill the vacancy created by the shock resignation of Michael Healy-Rae last month.

The independent Kerry TD resigned from his ministerial position and returned to the opposition benches over the government's handling of the fuel protests.

DAFM

Niall Collins was first elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2007 General Election for Limerick West, having previously served on Limerick County Council.

He was re-elected to Dáil Éireann at the 2011, 2016, 2020 and 2024 general elections.

Collins originally trained as an accountant having worked with Ernst & Young, along with being a former lecturer at the Limerick Institute of Technology.

Prior to his election to Dáil Éireann, he was also deputy chief executive of the Shannon Regional Fisheries Board.

In January 2025, Collins was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration with special responsibility for International Law, Law Reform and Youth Justice.

Collins also previously held a junior ministry at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Today, Taoiseach Micheál Martin appointed Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin South Central, Catherine Ardagh as Minister of State at the Department of Justice.

He assigned Niall Collins as Minister of State with special responsibility for Forestry, Farm Safety and Horticulture.

“As Ireland prepares to take on the EU Presidency this summer, this government is determined to continue to deliver on our Programme for Government commitments, on the economy,housing, infrastructure, disability and public services.

“I have every confidence that Ministers Ardagh and Collins will help us achieve those goals in their new roles," the Taoiseach said.

Minister of State

Minister Collins said he was "delighted" to be appointed by the Taoiseach as Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture.

"I want to recognise my ministerial colleagues, officials and stakeholders I worked with in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for their excellent work since my appointment in this government, and in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science in the previous government.

"As a public representative for a rural constituency in the heart of the Golden Vale with over 5,000 farm families, I look forward to building on the work done already in the department of agriculture and to getting stuck into my new brief, which covers areas of significant importance that go right to the heart of rural Ireland," he said.