Simon Coveney will continue as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine with the ministry of Defence added to his portfolio as a result of today's Cabinet reshuffle.

Despite being linked with a move away from his current portfolio, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney will be staying in the role after the Cabinet reshuffle. However, Minister Coveney has had the role of Defence added to his portfolio.

The Irish Farmers Journal reported in this week’s edition that, despite having ambitions of a more senior position within Government, Minister Coveney would stay on in Agriculture House and finish the job he has started. The addition of Defence to his workload was largely unexpected and only came to light in the two or three hours before An Taoiseach Enda Kenny announced the reshuffle.

A senior party source had told the Irish Farmers Journal that Minister Coveney had been “particularly keen” on a move to higher position. Over the course of the past six weeks since a reshuffle had been announced, Minister Coveney had been linked with the Foreign Affairs, Health and Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation positions.

Elsewhere, Alan Kelly has been appointed as Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government. An Taoiseach confirmed that Phil Hogan will be the Government’s appointee for the role of Ireland’s Commissioner to the EU which paved the way for Kelly to take the position.

Kelly, a native of Nenagh, Co Tipperary, will be working closely with the farming community as will the new Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Alex White of Labour.

No exact portfolio has yet been given to Hogan but An Taoiseach is believed to be looking at either Agriculture or the more junior position of Climate Change.

Incidentally, Simon's late father Hugh held the position of Minister for the Marine and Defence during his political career.

Announcing the reshuffle, An Taoiseach singled out praise for the farming and food sector.

"Agri food possesses huge potential for Ireland. The agri-food sector is one the biggest and best domestic industries. With the right supports, we estimate that 25,000 new jobs can be created in this sector in the next seven years," he said.

Both the IFA and the ICSA have reacted to the news. The ICSA said it is "concerned" that the addition of Defence to his brief that Minister Coveney could become distracted while IFA President Eddie Downey said he and his Association "look forward to working closely with the Minister for Agriculture" and he wished Simon Coveney "continued success in the position".

Read Pat O'Keeffe mid term review of Simon Coveney's performance in agriculture