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February 22, 2025
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New minister for finance to be ‘immediately’ announced – The Irish Times


The expected nominee to be Ireland’s European Commissioner, Michael McGrath, will be “immediately” replaced as Minister for Finance, Taoiseach Simon Harris has said.

The Cabinet is set to sign off on Mr McGrath’s name being put forward to be a European Commissioner at its meeting this morning.

Potential successors to Mr McGrath could be Minister of State in the Department of Enterprise Dara Calleary, Minister of State in the Department of Transport Jack Chambers or Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien.

Speaking to reporters at Government Buildings ahead of that Mr Harris was cautious in his remarks ahead of Mr McGrath’s nomination being officially approved.

He said he expected any vacancy in Cabinet to be filled “immediately” adding: “without speculating on who the Commissioner might be – I think it is important that we have absolute clarity in relation to all our roles in Government.

“We’re entering a very busy period of time… in terms of preparing a Budget, in terms of the Summer Economic Statement, the final Budget within this Government’s mandate.

“I’m conscious that when somebody becomes nominated as a European Commissioner there’s a lot of work… to go through in terms of parliament hearings and the like so in my view it would be prudent to fill that vacancy immediately and I expect any vacancy that may or may not arise today at Cabinet to be filled today.”

Earlier Mr Harris said he had a “good engagement” with the other Coalition party leaders on the name to be put forward as Commissioner.

“Obviously under the Coalition agreement with the Fianna Fáil party have brought forward a name.

“But I want to be very clear that from today when the Government makes its decision this is not a party political issue.

“This person becomes the nominee of Ireland to the European Commission and Ireland’s place at the heart of Europe is so fundamentally important that I look forward to supporting that person in any way that I can as Taoiseach as they set about putting their best foot forward.”

Asked if Ireland is hoping for an economic portfolio in the next Commission he said: “I’m very satisfied that the name that the Government will nominate today is somebody of very high calibre, of high standing, of huge ability.

“As I travel to the European Council on Thursday and Friday of this week I will obviously do so armed with the name of the person that Ireland wishes to be our next Commissioner and that will I suppose enable Ireland to begin to engage on what portfolios might be appropriate.

“It’s important we take this step-by-step but I do think that a portfolio in the economic space is often an area that Ireland would seek.”



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