He is the second Kildare TD to hold a Minister of State position.
Kildare North TD James Lawless has been appointed as a Minister of State at the Department of Transport and Environment, taking over the role vacated by Jack Chambers after his appointment to Minister for Finance.
Deputy Lawless is chair of the Oireachtas Justice committee.
"Transport is at the heart of the Kildare North commuter belt and all that I’ve worked towards as a public representative,” Deputy Lawless said.
"I look forward to building on the work done by Minister Jack Chambers and getting stuck into my brief.”
He is the second Kildare TD to hold a Minister of State position.
Kildare South TD Martin Heydon is Minister of State with special responsibility for Research and Development, Farm Safety and New Market Development at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.