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LAST UPDATE | 13 Sep 2022
TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said it is his expectation that Michael McGrath will take over the role of finance minister in December’s Cabinet reshuffle.
A rift has been formed between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael over the finance ministry in recent days after Tánaiste Leo Varadkar publicly raised concerns about Ireland losing the chair position of the influential Eurogroup of eurozone finance ministers, which Donohoe currently holds, if McGrath becomes minister.
The role of Taoiseach and Tánaiste will rotate on 15 December, and although not part of the published rotation deal, it is understood that Fianna Fáil expected the finance ministry to move between the parties as well.
This would mean that McGrath and Paschal Donohoe would rotate their roles in Public Expenditure and Finance, respectively.
When asked about the matter this morning, Martin said on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland that the “fundamental principle of the government” laid out at the formation of the Government two years ago was “parity of esteem between parties”.
In terms of the different portfolios, Martin said that if one party held the role of Taoiseach, it was expected the other party would hold the finance ministry.
“That was clear and that was understood at the time,” he said.
“The bottom line is the cohesion of the government really does depend on parity of esteem between all of the parties and respect across the board,” added the Taoiseach.
However, speaking to reporters at UCD today, Varadkar said that the details of this handover hadn’t been decided yet.
“To be very frank, we’ve had no discussions among the three coalition leaders about the shape of the new government. I imagine we’ll get around to that probably sometime around November. Our focus at the moment is on the budget, getting that right,” he said.
When pressed further on the matter Varadkar said:
“Our focus now is on the things that matter to people most. And I guarantee it’s not which ministers are in which position, it’s what are we going to do about the cost of living crisis? How are we going to help business to save jobs?”
Martin said Fianna Fáil had been “very clear” on the finance minister issue stating that it was an “unfair representation” to say that if Donohoe vacates the finance ministry that Ireland would automatically lose the chairmanship of the Eurogroup.
The Taoiseach said he had “great time” for Donohoe, stating that he has been an excellent finance minister.
McGrath told reporters in Mullingar today that all matters to do with Cabinet reshuffle will be dealt with by the party leaders in December.
When asked if he does become finance minister would be take up the role in the Eurogroup, he said:
“It is always the case that the finance minister of the country attends the Eurogroup and we would expect that to continue,” he said.
Michael McGrath says it is the finance minister of the country that attends Eurogroup meetings. pic.twitter.com/2WMlRBU7Ug
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) September 13, 2022
The Government is focusing on the budget and the cost-of-living package first, said the Taoiseach, adding that the public have little time or concern about who gets what job come December.
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Nice that they are putting their own egos ahead of the country.. Just proves how egocentric they all are
@a politicians promise is as good as a lie: Did the same during the pandemic. MM couldnt wait to be Taoiseach. It should have stayed with LV and Harris as minister of health for continuity during the height if the crisis but he couldnt wait to get in at all costs. Harris 100 times better than Donnelly during the pandemic too….. It was like subbing in the B squad in extra time of a final
@Paul Hedderman: to add, Harris is a dire MoH but agree he’d be better than Trampoline boy.
@Marcus Suridius: oh i know, thats why i specifically said during the pandemic
Should be general election we the people should vote for who’s is the taoiseach
@noel c: why? We’ve never done that.
@noel c: we did and the combined seats for FF, FG and Greens was enough to form a government and as the 2 largest parties in that FF and FG decided to rotate the Taoiseach position. Simple enough really.
@noel c: I’m genuinely interested in how you think a general election decides who becomes Taoiseach
@noel c: Leave the “we the people” nonsense to the yanks
@OnlyHereForTheComments: Dangerous road, that. However cringey it might be when certain Yanks overuse it, it’s still an important political concept. We, the people, employ our politicians to represent all of us as a whole. Whether or not we voted for the government we got, we are still the taxpayers.
@DK: 2nd and 3rd largest parties.
“The public have little time or concern who takes what job”. What the actual fook is this Sap on about.
The lack of regard for the intelligence of the ordinary person is mind blowing
Condescending mother trucker…..!!!!
Amazing how often fine gael use the tactic of “if you don’t listen to us, the world will end!!!” Incredible arrogance ….
It’ll be Pearse Doherty’s position next after the Dec changeover causes the government to collapse
@Vlad Eire: Hopefully.
@Vlad Eire: God help us!!
I hate this circus of a government
Ego over Country. Pascal Donaghue should stay in the position as should Michael Martin as a compromise.
@Ollie O’Cleirigh: even though I can’t stand Pascal, I agree. Just let the man do the job.
@Ollie O’Cleirigh: agree. Pascal is like marmite- don’t know what to make of him. I think he’s ok though for the most part. Changing roles now is just a bad idea and a set back – and I definitely wouldn’t have any confidence in Matty McGrath – he’s useless
@Luke Ronan: *Michael McGrath
@Luke Ronan: woops!!
Ah sure everyone should just rotate jobs. Any surgeons fancy switching with me. Recon I could do a bang up job as one of those.
@HarveyLemonade: i’m no gynecologist but i’ll have a look
@Derek Lyster: Hahahaha
Leo thinks the chair of the Eurozone Finance ministers is the most important role held by any Irishman around the world. Surely he is willing to give up his rotation to Taoiseach to allow Pascal stay in this role if this is the case. Compromise is needed from both sides and this is the only one that will work for both parties, and in the country’s best interests at the minute.
Egos getting in the way of helping the public…..let the fools fight among themselves over which muppet gets what job…the best thing that can happen is the Government collapses…..a win win for the public
We haven’t heard of McGrath since he became a minister. It’s not the job that makes the man.
@trebloc01: Perhaps your deaf then.
Just can’t seem to get rid of this lot . Cringe worthy to see them shuffling chairs on the titanic…
It’s funny to hear people say Paschal is “doing a good job” when the single most critical thing he could do to ease demand on housing is to introduce a vacant property tax and he continues to refuse to implement one, kicking it down the road over and over again.
57,206 vacant properties in the country, some of them entire housing estates and Paschal wants to do nothing about it.
Can’t write a comment, the settings are far too sensitive. The Journal is a rag
McGrath is like all the FF r’s a bluffer
The well being of the Country is at steak.. politics needs to come second.. Pascal doing a good job in the circumstances to be fair…
What’s the word? Purely academic at this stage.
DAFT move. I expected a little more common sense here!
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