Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan is to retain special adviser Sarah Kavanagh whom he appointed when he was first promoted to the Cabinet as minister for children two months ago.

He has also appointed as his communications director, Susie O’Connor.

A Galway native, she joined the minister as press adviser in the Department of Health Children on the day, two weeks ago, that he was promoted to Foreign Affairs.

A former chief executive of Young Fine Gael she became a full-time Fine Gael employee, working on the 2011 general election campaign on the Dublin constituencies. A history and politics graduate from UCD with diplomas in PR and management, she studied for an MBA in international business in San Francisco, California.

Ms Kavanagh, from Kilkenny, is a barrister with a Masters degree in politics and political communication and a BA in history and politics. A Fine Gael activist she worked as a parliamentary assistant for Minister of State Tom Hayes, when he was a backbencher and then for Mr Flanagan when he was appointed to Fine Gael's front bench as justice spokesman.

She was appointed head of the Fine Gael research unit in 2007. Her mother Mary Hilda Kavanagh, is a long-serving Fine Gael councillor, currently vice-chairwoman of the council.

Deborah Sweeney was appointed as the press adviser to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe, his office announced last night.

Prior to her appointment, Ms Sweeney worked as a special adviser to Mr Donohoe in his role as Minister for European Affairs and as the Deputy Director of Media and Research for Fine Gael.