FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin has appointed one of his former key advisers as the programme manager or chef de cabinet in his leader’s office.
Deirdre Gillane was a special adviser for Mr Martin in health, enterprise and trade and foreign affairs between 2000 and 2010 before becoming a special adviser to then taoiseach Brian Cowen for his last 11 months in office.
Ms Gillane, who is from Glaslough in Cork city, is a former nurse and a former official with the Irish Nurses Organisation. She was appointed a special adviser to Mr Martin when he was minister for health in 2000.
Ms Gillane is known as having shrewd political instincts and is viewed by colleagues as a “straight talker”.
As programme manager, she will take on the role of being Mr Martin’s main political and policy adviser.
