Burke – ‘I will work hard and do my best every day’

He may have been described as a “shoo-in” by political pundits, but Minister Burke only found out about his cabinet promotion just minutes before the rest of the world, he says.

The Mullingar native, who made history last Tuesday when he became the first person from the town to be appointed to the cabinet, admits that he had an anxious few days as he waited to find out whether his widely expected promotion was to become a reality.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner, Minister Burke said that it’s routine for would-be ministers to be left sweating about whether they have been promoted.

“I think that’s one of the greatest misunderstandings. People think you’re told three weeks beforehand that you’re going to be a member of the cabinet and what job you’re going into. It absolutely doesn’t work that way.

“Two of the people that were speculated about [in discussions about cabinet promotions] didn’t get in. It just comes down to the wire. I was genuinely thinking when my phone hadn’t rung by half four that the following day was going to be difficult or that it was going to be a tough drive home. It’s great when it does come off.

“I also felt the weight of expectation for my town. I was getting so many texts on the preceding day and during that day saying ‘well done, we have a minister in Mullingar’ and I hadn’t even heard the news. That brings its own pressure.

“For my wife Olivia, the week leading up to it was tough. It’s a big change for our family life. Everything comes with a price tag. Obviously, my first loyalty is to my wife and family. It’s going to be difficult in the next weeks and months ahead because I have two very young children (Leo, 8, and Ted,5). I want to be there for them as much as I can.

“Already, I have got the question [from his sons]: ‘Why weren’t you there to read the story last night?’ It’s tough that way. My eight-year-old was asking me if I was getting a new job and was I leaving the Dáil (laughs). I explained to him that I wasn’t.

“Families bear the biggest brunt of a political career. The critical thing is they don’t choose it and they look at social media and see that shocking things that are put up. That makes it even more hard. I will have to give them as much support as I can. It will be finding the balance between your family, which is most important, your country in terms of service in cabinet, and then your constituency. My clinics are so important to me, and I absolutely will be keeping those going.

“It’s going to be challenging balancing everything. It’s not just going to be physically possible that I’ll be able to be on the phone with everyone every day. So you have to try to manage everything, but the clinics will be critical in keeping that local connection together and ensure that, you know, my nose is on the ground when issues start to emerge.”

Minister Burke says that his late father Peter senior, who passed away two years ago next month, was firmly in his thoughts when he received the call confirming his promotion to the cabinet and when he made the trip to the Áras to receive his Seal of Office from President Michael D Higgins.

“I wouldn’t have been in the local council but for the help that he gave me. Even though he never ran for elected office and I had come in very organically through getting involved in Young Fine Gael in college, he was so supportive. He had the contacts and he knew so many people around Mullingar.

“It was great to get his help and advice. When I got into the Dáil in 2016, my parents were proud and, subsequent to that whenever I’d be on radio or television, he’d often give me a call after.

“You miss that. That’s a huge change. I think with grief, when you have someone’s number on your phone, it’s difficult to take it out. I still have his number on speed dial. My mam is great too. She is has a very strong mind and knows exactly what’s happening in the world. She is happy and proud, I’m sure too.”

Looking ahead to his new role, Minister Burke says he is eager to get started. The current cabinet has, at most, 11 months work ahead of it before a general election is called and he is eager to make his mark.

“Everything about my work now will be done with urgency. We will do our very best in the time ahead to do as much as we can for the regions, which is going to be a big part of my input into the department. There’s so many opportunities now in the regions and the midlands will obviously be a key one for me.

“There are around a 1,000 plus employees into the department. We have a huge amount of state agencies that we’re responsible for now, from the IDA to Enterprise Ireland, to local LEOs all around the country. And it’s my job now to really ensure they are all delivering for our communities.”

When it comes to his home patch in Mullingar, Minister Burke says that while attracting new foreign direct investment will always be a priority, we should also acknowledge the companies that are already providing “high value, high quality” jobs and flying the flag for the town at home and abroad.

“Just taking a quick snapshot around the town, there’s Quality Tractor Parts and how much they’re expanding; there’s Robotics and Drives; there’s TEG, at the cutting edge of aircraft manufacturing.

“There’s so many high quality businesses there that we can’t take for granted either. They need to be supported as well. I think we have to really acknowledge what we have.

“We also absolutely have to do more. We’re a growing town, we’ve a population of over 20,000 now. We need high value, high quality jobs to support that population.

“We also need the infrastructure to keep delivering. We have a fantastic IDA park now and it is so important that it is marketed well. We also have an exciting opportunity with our film studio, that is a game changer. It is one that requires a lot of attention, as you will know from media reports and a statement by the group.

“We will work hard on all these issues for the town. There will be disappointments, I think we have to be honest about that. I know, as I start off in this office, there are going to be some very hard days, some days that will test me like I was never tested before. And I really want to step up to that challenge. And all I can offer is hard work. And I will do my best every day.”