This Thursday, the leading competitors will be stepping forward to show their intentions for the role of Fine Gael party leader and taoiseach, following Leo Varadkar’s departure. Notably, Simon Coveney, the party’s deputy leader, has unsurprisingly opted out of the contest.
First and foremost contender is Simon Harris, who has never been shy about his aims to become the Fine Gael party leader and is widely seen as the most plausible successor to Varadkar. Harris, at 37, was the youngest member of the Dáil when elected in 2011 and is regarded as one of the party’s promising, ambitious individuals and a substantial rival to the Taoiseach.
Harris, a Wicklow TD and Minister for Further and Higher Education, initiated his political campaign working on issues like autism, and won a seat on the Wicklow County Council in 2009 with the highest proportional vote of all councillors. He significantly relied on social media for his campaign. His national political career started when he served as a parliamentary assistance to Frances Fitzgerald during her leadership period of the Seanad.
His political journey has seen him transition through positions as minister of State for finance, minister for health, and minister for justice (in the absence of his colleague Helen McEntee on maternity leave). He is now the man behind third-level and further education. His strength lies in his communication skills which rapidly gained him favour amongst young voters when his Instagram profile gained more than 35,000 followers within a day.
However, his popularity faded amongst the Opposition during his health minister stint which led to a no-confidence motion in December 2019. Yet, Varadkar forestalled a debate by calling for an election. The COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently cast his perceived ministerial missteps into the shadows. Despite the controversy, he was at the helm of the government’s health strategy until a new Government was established in June 2020. He is happily married and father of two children.
Another substantial figure for the position is Paschal Donohoe. Known to be the most authoritative member of the party among his TD and Seanad colleagues, Donohoe has the power to sway the vote, however, his popularity within the party has dipped slightly. His role as the elections’ director during the last general election might be the cause of this decline.
He has constantly affirmed having no aspirations for party leadership. Yet, after unfulfilled speculation about his contention for the prime role at the International Monetary Fund, some within his circle believe he may be the most suitable candidate to guide both the party and the Government in the forthcoming election.
The Dublin Central TD, aged 49, is favoured by his European Union counterparts in his role as the chairman of the Euro group of finance ministers. His esteemed reputation saw him maintain his group position even as the newly-appointed Finance Minister, Michael McGrath, joined as Ireland’s representative.
Since his national political journey began in 2007 with his election to the Seanad, followed by his entry into the Dáil in 2011, he’s shown his mettle. Despite his charming and courteous demeanour towards journalists, whilst revealing minimal information, he has built a reputation of being a meticulous and resilient negotiator, earning him the nickname “altar boy”.
A voracious reader who compiles economic and political book reviews, he initially served as the minister of State for European affairs from 2013 to 2014. Subsequently he held the ministry for transport, tourism and sport before switching to public expenditure and reform from 2016 to 2020. He later served as minister for finance before revisiting his public expenditure assignment in the previous year.
Even though his reputation took a hit in 2023 when he violated electoral conventions by accepting an illegal corporate donation for his 2020 electoral campaign, his dedication remained firm. As a First Class honours graduate in economics and politics from Trinity College Dublin, who also had brief stints with Procter & Gamble and Diageo, his married life is accompanied by two children.
Turning to Heather Humphreys, if she decides to enter the leadership race, Humphreys could offer surprising competition. Well-liked amongst her party colleagues, especially those from rural territories, she has always been accessible—a trait not shared by all senior ministers.
The 61-year-old Cavan-Monaghan TD and current Minister for Social Protection, Rural and Community Development is viewed as competent and pragmatic. Her practical, engaging personality and undeniable confidence make her a strong representative for her party and the Government on any matter at hand.
Originally from Drum, North Monaghan, she now resides in Newbliss, and was educated at St Aidan’s Comprehensive School, Cootehill. After her education, she embarked on a career at Ulster Bank, operating in Cavan town, Ballyconnell, and Swanlinbar and managed the Cootehill branch for over a decade.
In 2003, she stepped into politics as a co-opted member of Monaghan County Council. The following year she successfully ran for office and was re-elected in 2009, even holding the office of mayor for a term.
She made her way to the Dáil in 2011 and soon ascended to the office of Cabinet minister for arts, heritage, and the Gaeltacht in 2014. Her swift learning curve was demonstrated following a controversy regarding the nomination of a party member to the board of the Irish Museum of Modern Art. This experience shaped her for a calm and steady handling of her portfolio and relationships with colleagues.
She experienced her first major setback during her run as the Government’s campaign director for the family and care referendums, which were substantially defeated earlier this month.
However, her leadership during the 2016 Easter Rising centenary celebrations and the commencement of the decade of centenary commemorations received broad acclaim.
In the year 2017, she achieved another milestone as she became the minister for business, enterprise, and innovation. After the 2020 general election, she assumed her current role and took up the justice portfolio during Helen McEntee’s maternity leave in 2021.
Happily married, she is a mother to two grown children and is also a proud grandmother.
Meanwhile, Helen McEntee, previously considered a future party leader, experienced a downturn in her career as Minister for Justice. The Dublin riots, drugs and policing controversies put a strain on her role. Known for its impacts on careers, the justice portfolio has seen her future as the head of the ‘party of law and order’ hang in the balance.
Born into the politics of Meath East, the 37-year-old McEntee has not hidden her political goals, however, none of her predecessors, barring Charlie Haughey, after serving as justice minister, became taoiseach.
The reduction in Garda personnel has added pressure from her colleagues and although she is expected to hold political accountability for street affairs, she has little authority on policing measures.
There was an early controversy on her watch, dealt with deftly, involving the nomination of ex-attorney general Séamus Woulfe to the Supreme Court and his appearance at a dinner hosted by the Oireachtas Golf Society amidst Covid restrictions. This minister also made history as being the first to take maternity leave while holding office, and she remains closely associated with the Taoiseach.
Pressure intensified following a serious assault on a US visitor in Abbey Street, leading to her past public walk in the area with high-ranking gardaí, wherein they had assured citizens of Dublin’s safety. Initially elected to the Dáil in a 2013 byelection, following the 2012 passing of her father Shane McEntee, a minister of State she had previously worked for, she holds varied experiences from both the departmental and constituency perspectives.
A graduate of Dublin City University, she holds an economics, politics and law degree and consequently gained experience at Citibank. Following this, McEntee went on to complete a master’s in journalism and media communications. Before accepting the justice portfolio, she held the position of minister of state for European affairs (2017 – 2020), as well as the ministerial responsibility for mental health and older people (2016 – 2017). McEntee has a family of her own, comprising her spouse and two children.
Another figure of note is Hildegarde Naughton, the Government Chief Whip. Her prominence shot up following Varadkar’s immediate resignation as party leader. When questioned over aspirations for the leadership role, Naughton responded that within politics, ‘nobody in any party, would rule themselves out’.
Despite potential competition from other senior Cabinet members for the role, the Galway West TD’s leadership election is expected to conclude by mid-April. The 46-year-old, trained as a classic soprano and a primary school teacher, moved to national politics in 2013, when she was appointed to the Seanad by then Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Naughton first entered the Dáil in 2016, and has since December 2022 served as Chief Whip and Minister of State for Health, and a super junior from 2020. She also has experience as minister of state with responsibility for transport and justice.
However, Naughton was recently the focus of a serious threat, with a 47-year-old man appearing in court in January, accused of making a threat to kill or cause her grievous harm.