Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has said he intends to remain as the leader of Fine Gael and resume the role of taoiseach in two years after speculation that he could be in line to replace former EU trade commissioner Phil Hogan.
Mr Hogan resigned from his position on Wednesday following controversy over his attendance at a golf society dinner and questions around his movements throughout Ireland before and afterwards.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has asked that the Government nominate both a male and female candidate for his replacement.
Mr Varadkar indicated yesterday in Limerick that he would not be in the mix for the role.
“My intention is to continue to lead my party, to work hard in my job as Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and to become taoiseach again in 2022.”
There was speculation in Government circles yesterday that the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys could be the female candidate but sources have said this is very unlikely.
Byelection
The most likely female candidate at this point is sitting MEP Mairead McGuinness or fellow MEP Frances Fitzgerald.
Sources believe the most likely male candidate is Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. If he takes the role it will trigger a byelection and potentially a minor Cabinet reshuffle.
There is also speculation surrounding David O’Sullivan, formerly the highest-ranking official in the commission and Andrew McDowell, a director of the European Investment Bank and former Fine Gael economic adviser.
Mr Varadkar, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan are due to hold discussions on the potential candidates for the role and sources expect that they will move quickly to announce their preferences.
Mr Martin was asked by reporters if Mr Varadkar was a good candidate for nomination to the role and said: “Obviously he is a person of considerable calibre but we haven’t discussed that. The bottom line here is the three leaders are going to meet to discuss this entire situation, nothing has been discussed in terms of any particular individual, up to now, and we will have a meeting to discuss that.”
Regrets
Mr Varadkar was also asked if he had “regrets” over the circumstances that led to Mr Hogan’s resignation and said “of course I do, Phil’s a good colleague, a very good friend and somebody who I reappointed as commissioner because he did such a god job in his previous role”.
“The situation developed as it did, he was given an opportunity to explain his whereabouts and his movements within Ireland and to confirm that he had been following the public health guidelines, and unfortunately over a period of days it transpired that he had not.
“But, ultimately, this was a decision that was made by president von der Leyen, not by the Irish Government, but I think it was the right decision in the end. Of course, lots of regrets.”
Mr Varadkar did not call for others involved in “golfgate”, which led to Mr Hogan’s downfall, to resign, adding: “I think there’s a distinction between private citizens and public representatives but I do hope that the events of the last couple of days do in some way demonstrate that Ireland is a country where the rules and the laws and standards and guidelines do apply to everyone equally.”
