‘Choir boys’ eyeing top jobs in Varadkar-led government
THE gloves came off in the Fine Gael leadership battle on Friday night when Dublin Bay South TD Kate O’Connell described some of Leo Varadkar’s supporters as “choir boys”.
Ms O’Connell did not hold back in her address to a Fine Gael party meeting in Co Clare. She criticised those people in the Leo Varadkar campaign who she said were “singing for their supper”.
The remarks have caused disquiet in the party, but who exactly are the “choir boys” Ms O’Connell was referring to?
EOGHAN MURPHY: Mr Murphy is the minister of State at the Department of Finance and the bitter constituency rival of Ms O’Connell.
He is Mr Varadkar’s campaign manager and has been highly involved in the strategy that has seen the Social Protection Minister streak into the lead.
Mr Murphy has told colleagues he anticipates he will be promoted to Cabinet if Mr Varadkar wins – and he is now being linked with the position of Jobs Minister.
He was tasked with distancing Mr Varadkar from Dublin North West TD Noel Rock after the latter publicly called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to step down.
Tensions between him and Ms O’Connell date back to last year’s General Election campaign.
Some of Mr Murphy’s supporters claimed that his rival’s campaign was being funded heavily by party headquarters – claims that have never been substantiated.
In her broadside in Ennis, Ms O’Connell directly referenced Mr Murphy, saying she was not surprised “at the form” of the campaign manager.
JOHN PAUL PHELAN: The Carlow/Kilkenny TD is one of Mr Varadkar’s closest confidantes.
Despite being in the Oireachtas as a TD and senator for 15 years, Mr Phelan has never held a ministerial post.
Like Mr Varadkar, he is a close friend of former minister Lucinda Creighton and her husband, ex-senator Paul Bradford.
While a low-key contributor to Dáil debates, Mr Phelan’s profile grew as a member of the Banking Inquiry.
He is widely expected to be handed a ministry in a Varadkar-led government.
MICHAEL D’ARCY: The Wexford TD has been working behind the scenes on Mr Varadkar’s leadership bid for many months.
Like Mr Murphy, Mr D’Arcy is known to have a cold relationship with his own constituency rival Paul Kehoe.
He became the first Government politician to call on Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan to step down pending the outcome of the commission of inquiry into the alleged smear campaign against Sgt Maurice McCabe.
His father, also Michael, served as a junior minister in the 1980s. Mr D’Arcy is underrated and will be vying for a ministerial position if Mr Varadkar is successful.