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Fine Gael junior ministers vie for promotion as Coveney’s departure frees up second place at Cabinet

Burke, Carroll MacNeill and Richmond seen as in running for incoming taoiseach Simon Harris’s Cabinet

Dublin-Rathdown TD Neale Richmond is seen within Fine Gael - alongside Longford-Westmeath TD Peter Burke and Dún Laoghaire TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill - as among those in contention to take a Cabinet job. Photograph: Gareth Chaney

Cormac McQuinn
Wed Apr 3 2024 - 06:00

Several Fine Gael junior ministers are vying for promotion to Cabinet in advance of incoming taoiseach Simon Harris’s reshuffle next week.

The new Fine Gael leader’s job has been made slightly easier by Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney’s decision to step aside from Cabinet.

While this means Mr Harris now has more leeway in his reshuffle with two senior Cabinet roles to fill – Mr Coveney’s and his own at the Department of Higher Education – there is intense competition among the junior ministerial ranks for elevation to the top table.

Longford-Westmeath TD Peter Burke, Dún Laoghaire TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Dublin-Rathdown TD Neale Richmond are all viewed within Fine Gael as among those in contention to take a Cabinet job.

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Meanwhile, the promotion of Galway West’s Hildegarde Naughton and Limerick County TD Patrick O’Donovan would fill geographic gaps in Connacht – where there are currently no senior ministers – and Munster respectively, where Fine Gael will otherwise have no Cabinet-level minister after Mr Coveney’s departure.

[ Simon Coveney: Cork merchant prince served long spell on political front line, from horse meat to Brexit ]

Mr Burke, currently the Minister of State for European Affairs, a two-term TD with a high-profile role, is seen within Fine Gael as a strong contender for elevation, while Mr Richmond has experience in the brief Mr Coveney is departing having served as a junior minister in the Department of Enterprise since early 2023.

Ms Carroll MacNeill, a Minister of State in the Department of Finance, has previously worked as a solicitor and barrister which could be seen as a good fit for the justice brief should Mr Harris decide to move the current minister Helen McEntee.

There has been speculation that Ms McEntee could change roles given various justice issues that have arisen in recent months though Fine Gael sources expressed a view that she is unlikely to be dropped from Cabinet outright.

In recent days, Ms McEntee said she wants to stay on at justice and defended her record citing measures to tackle domestic violence and legislation to bring in body-worn cameras for gardaí.

Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys – set to be named by Mr Harris as Fine Gael’s deputy leader – and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe are viewed by a number of sources as “safe” to remain in their current roles.

[ Several Independent TDs ‘undecided’ on whether to support election of Simon Harris as taoiseach ]

[ Simon Coveney to stand down from Cabinet ]

The final line-up of Fine Gael Cabinet ministers will not be officially unveiled until, as is expected, Mr Harris is elected taoiseach in the Dáil next Tuesday.

Elevation to Cabinet for junior ministers would free up three spaces in their ranks following last month’s resignation of Minister of State for Education Josepha Madigan.

Cork North Central TD Colm Burke has been tipped to take one of these now that Mr Coveney’s departure leaves Cork without a Fine Gael minister.

Others like Dublin Mid-West TD Emer Higgins and Mayo’s Alan Dillion are also viewed as having a chance of promotion.

Mr Coveney announced he was not putting his name forward for a Cabinet role but did not confirm whether or not he would seek re-election to the Dáil during an interview with RTÉ radio on Tuesday.

He said he knew Mr Harris had been “struggling” with the decision as to who to have in his Cabinet since becoming Fine Gael leader and he felt it was time “to give him space” to create new opportunities within Government.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris continued to build his back-room team.

Joanne Lonergan, previously his adviser in the Department of Health, is set to become joint-chief of staff alongside Sarah Bardon, a former Irish Times journalist.

Irish Examiner journalist Ciara Phelan is to be appointed as deputy government press secretary.

It was reported last week that former Newstalk presenter Chris Donoghue, who has been working as Mr Coveney’s media adviser since 2017, will be the new government press secretary.

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn

Cormac McQuinn is a Political Correspondent at The Irish Times

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