The potential political upheaval of a snap general election has been averted, as Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has officially announced her resignation.
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, has called Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, to confirm that Frances Fitzgerald has offered her resignation and he has accepted it.
After days of heated debate and negotiations in an effort to avoid a Christmas election, Fitzgerald’s decision means the current Government will likely remain intact – for now.
Paddy Power odds, obtained by AgriLand this morning, suggest that Fianna Fail spokesman for agriculture, Charlie McConalogue, would have mustered significant support to take over from the current Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed.
However, it would have been a very tight race, with Cork-based Creed positioned just marginally behind the Donegal TD.
Other interesting names that appear on the ‘Paddy Power’ list of 13 potential candidates include: Barry Cowen, Fianna Fail’s spokesperson on housing, planning and local government; Fianna Fail’s Bobby Alyward, junior spokesperson on farming and skills; Fine Gael Donegal TD Joe McHugh and current Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys.
Eamon O Cuiv, the former Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture (1997-2002), was also tipped to make a possible return to ‘senior hurling’ – to use a phrase coined by the late Seamus Brennan.
The full list of Paddy Power odds is detailed below:
