Harkin likely to secure Higher Education Junior Minister role

The leadership of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will spend the coming days selling the latest programme for government to their party membership.

Fianna Fail will hold a special Ard Fheis on Sunday to ratify the deal, while Fine Gael members will vote at a series of regional meetings which get underway tomorrow.

Locally members will meet in Sligo on Saturday.

The Irish independent are reporting that Sligo Leitrim Deputy Marian Harkin will be a junior minister at the Department of Higher Education.'

A Donegal TD says the new programme for Government is 'vague' and contains no 'big ideas' or new departures.

Sinn Fein Deputy Pearse Doherty is especially critical of plans to increase carbon taxes for every year of the next government.