Ryan ‘may lose Energy portfolio in reshuff le’
Green Party would not be happy with Cabinet change, says source
GREEN Party leader Eamon Ryan could lose the Energy portfolio in the forthcoming Cabinet reshuffle, Government sources have said.
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael want to move the portfolio to a new Department of Enterprise and Energy as part of the December switch up that will see Leo Varadkar resume the position of Taoiseach.
Though Mr Ryan’s Green Party are expected to resist such a move, there is an acceptance that the energy sector needs to have the significant focus of one minister. Mr Ryan is Minister for Transport and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, and this is seen as a very substantial portfolio.
It has been accepted in Fine Gael that Taoiseach Micheál Martin, upon assuming the role of Tánaiste, could choose to move to Foreign Affairs, currently held by Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney. It would then be expected that Mr Coveney would move to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which will be vacated by Mr Varadkar.
The Energy portfolio move would likely provoke a strong reaction from Green TDs who have opposing positions to Fine Gael on issues such as the development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) gas terminals.
A Fine Gael minister said that since Mr Varadkar had shared the role of an enhanced Tánaiste’s office, which had many official responsibilities, along with being the Minister of Enterprise there is scope for that department to expand when he vacates the office. ‘Simon [Coveney] couldn’t be too downcast if he was moved to Enterprise, it is traditionally seen as one of the most prestigious positions in Government,’ said a Fine Gael minister.
The minister added: ‘And he is an able guy, Coveney, so it would make sense to take [his] Energy into that business and trade-oriented department.
‘And let’s face it, it’s going to be a department announcing job losses rather than job gains, so there would be less to do.’
Fine Gael sources have also indicated that there is an acceptance that if Mr Coveney was to stay at Foreign Affairs until the election, he will have been at the department for eight years. ‘This is a long time to be directing Irish foreign policy for one person,’ said a source.
There is separate speculation that Mr Martin may want to move into the Department of Further and Higher Education, which is relatively light on policy and would allow Mr Martin to focus on party political matters and his formal role as Tánaiste. The Fianna Fáil leader also pushed for the creation of the department in Programme for Government negotiations.
Such a move would likely be seen within the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party as an indication that Mr Martin is serious about leading the party into the next general election.
By comparison a move to Foreign Affairs would be interpreted by many as Mr Martin implicitly
It’s decided who will look after Justice
acknowledging that he will instead focus on solving the Northern Ireland Protocol and potentially set himself up to be nominated as Ireland’s next EU Commissioner.
Mr Varadkar yesterday dismissed reports that he would take on the Justice portfolio when Ms McEntee goes on maternity leave next month. He said he had made his decision on who would look after Ms McEntee’s portfolio but would not disclose who it would be as he had not yet told Mr Martin or Mr Ryan.