THE CONTENDERS
LEO VARADKAR once said he regretted making a pledge that he would see himself retiring from politics by the age of 50.
But now, aged 45, having announced his decision to step down as Taoiseach and as party leader of Fine Gael, attention turns to the likely contenders to replace him.
As Mr Varadkar’s decision to step down as head of the threeparty coalition will not lead to an automatic general election, the next leader of Fine Gael is set to become the next taoiseach.
In his resignation speech, Mr Varadkar said he has asked for a new leader to be elected ahead of the party’s annual conference (Ard Fheis) on Saturday, April 6.
There are a number of potential candidates...
1. SIMON HARRIS
THE Minister for Further and Higher Education is seen to be the frontrunner in the race, and is the bookies’ favourite.
The Wicklow TD was elected to the Dáil for the first time in 2011, when he was the youngest deputy at the age of 24.
Minister Harris has been at Cabinet since 2016 when he was appointed Minister for Health by Enda Kenny.
Aged 37, if he was to take over from Mr Varadkar he would become the country’s youngest ever Taoiseach – and he has not been shy about his ambitions to lead the party and the country.
The father of two has a good relationship with the media and is seen as a good communicator, as well as being popular with party grassroots.
2. PASCHAL DONOHOE
KNOWN as ‘prudent Paschal’, the Minister for Public Expenditure is viewed by many as being steady and reliable.
He was first elected to the Dáil in 2011, and since July 2020 has been the president of the Eurogroup. There was speculation last year that he would become head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but Kristalina Georgieva is staying in the role for a second term.
Mr Donohoe ruled himself out of that role last week, giving him a clear run at the Fine Gael leadership contest.
3. HELEN McENTEE
THE Minister for Justice has faced a difficult six months after criticism of her handling of the violence and rioting in Dublin last November. She survived a Sinn Féin motion of no confidence late last year following the knife attack on schoolchildren in Dublin city.
She is the third favourite to win, and is often seen as the biggest rival to Mr Harris to take over the leadership. However, her turbulent time in the justice brief may have scuppered her chances. At the age of 37, if she succeeded Mr Varadkar, she would become not only the youngest Taoiseach but the first woman to hold the office.
4. HEATHER HUMPHREYS
FROM the humble beginnings of the credit union to high office, the Monaghan minister would be a potential pick having high regard among party members and the public – particularly the rural voters where the party needs to strengthen.
The Social Protection Minister was elected to the Dáil in 2011 and is a Protestant and Ulsterwoman as well as a ‘proud Irish Republican’.
She was appointed to Cabinet in 2014 as Culture Minister.
Her grandfather signed the Ulster Covenant in 1912, as a member of the Presbyterian church in Drum, Co. Monaghan.
If there is a suggestion that Mr Varadkar is leaving due to the walloping in the referendum, then Ms Humphreys is not without blame: she was the director of elections for the recent vote.
5. HILDEGARDE NAUGHTON
THE Government chief whip from Galway east, she currently sits at Cabinet and is Junior Minister at the Department of Health.
The primary school teacher was elected to the Dáil in 2016. She did not count herself out of the race when asked on RTÉ radio yesterday.
6. MARTIN HEYDON
A DÁIL deputy since 2011 and chairman of the party from 2016 to 2020, he is seen as a candidate who could shore up the rural and farming vote as a working farmer in politics.
The father of four was appointed in 2020 as Junior Minister at the Department of Agriculture.
7. NEALE RICHMOND
THE Junior Minister at the Department of Enterprise took over the job in 2023 when Damien English resigned following the revelation he gave incorrect information to a local authority when making a planning application to build a house in a rural area.
The Protestant TD from South Dublin is a first-time TD after winning his seat in 2020, but is no stranger to the halls of power as he was a senator for four years before that.
8. JENNIFER CARROLL MacNEILL
THE first-time TD is a Junior Minister at the Department of Finance but previously worked as a government special adviser in the Enda Kenny years.
She advised two ministers for Justice – a brief important to Fine Gael as the ‘law and order’ party.
At the time the justice role was convulsed by the false allegations against former garda sergeant and whistleblower Maurice McCabe. Having watched two ministers – Frances Fitzgerald and Alan Shatter – resign under the complexities of that scandal, she has developed a tough political skin.
She refused to rule herself out of a leadership race on RTÉ radio yesterday.
She said she would like to see a ‘Fine Gael female Taoiseach’ and said there were plenty of females in the party to choose from.
9. PETER BURKE
HE was one of three junior ministers, along with Jennifer Carroll MacNeill and Martin Heydon to write an opinion piece ahead of Budget 2024 advocating for tax cuts.
The Longford Westmeath TD has been in the Dáil since 2016.
While he is now back to full health he suffered a complex migraine event which was suspected to be a mild stroke in 2022.