BY ADRIAN MULLAN

WHILE the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency looks likely to get two ministers in the form of Sinn Féin's Michelle Gildernew and the DUP's Arlene Foster, West Tyrone will have to make do with a senior committee position when the work of the Assembly gets underway on May 8.

With Fermanagh and South Tyrone still considered to be a tactical battleground for both parties in terms of its Wwestminister seat, ministerial appointments are seen as preparation for the election in two years time.

Michelle Gildernew has been earmarked as Sinn Féin's new Agriculture Minister, while the DUP's Arlene Foster is thought to be in line for the Environment portfolio.

Arlene Foster defected to the DUP in 2004 and, in so doing, dealt the UUP a body blow at a critical time. Political pundits believe that she has garnered support for the DUP throughout the constituency and is seen by many as a rising star in the party and a certain contender in the next Westministeer election.

With a virtual clean sweep for Sinn Féin's Assembly slate, West Tyrone's future seems to have been settled for the foreseeable future, and therefore there were few tactical advantages for any of the parties to select ministers from here.

Sinn Féin's chief negotiator, Mid-Ulster MP, Martin McGuinness, will be deputy First Minister. That makes three ministers with connections to Tyrone, but none within the Western constituency.

However, Sinn Fein's education spokesman Barry McElduff looks likely to become the chairman of the of the influential committee for Culture, Arts, and Leisure. It is thought that he will use that as a pivotal position to influence policies on issue such as the protection and promotion of the Irish language, of the sporting and culotural affairs of the GAA and of community based cultural events such as West Tyrone's amateur drama festivals.

Irrespective of the fact that no ministries have fallen to any of the six West Tyrone MLAs the devolved administration does hold out renewed hope for those campaigning for a hospital in Omagh. Dr Kieran Deeny declared intention of securing a seat on the Health committee will probably be aided by his membership of the Assembly group made up of Alliance MLAs and the Gren party's sole standard-bearer.

West Tyrone Cllr Pat McDonnell said, "The local implications of this new situation are clear. Not a sod has been turned on the proposed site for the new hospital in Fermanagh.

"The difficulties of funding this project by a private finance procurement are causing its promoters more and more difficulties - the previous devolved administration opted for a Fermanagh site but put up no money to build this new, so-called acute hospital."

It remains to be seen if two ministerial portfolios will influence that decision.