Bookmakers slash odds on McGrath becoming next Fianna Fáil leader 

CORK TD Michael McGrath has been heavily backed by punters to take over from Micheál Martin as leader of Fianna Fáil according to BoyleSports, who now make the Minister for Finance the 7/4 favourite for the top job.

Speculation continues to mount over the next party leader and the current incumbent Mr Martin was said to be angry at party members who recently passed a motion calling for a deputy leader to be appointed.

The Tániaste has consistently stated that he plans to lead Fianna Fáil into the next general election.

The Tánaiste is however one of the figures being tipped as Ireland’s EU Commissioner in 2024 and with Fianna Fáil languishing 12 points behind Sinn Féin in a new Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks opinion poll, money is now going down on candidates who may be biding their time on a leadership bid.

A spokesperson for BoyleSports said that punters are now ‘siding’ with Minister McGrath succeeding his fellow Cork TD with whom he shares the same Cork South Central constituency. 

“Fianna Fáil have some catching up to do if the opinion polls are anything to go by and of the potential big hitters jockeying for position, more and more punters are now siding with Michael McGrath.” 

Jim O’Callaghan had been the frontrunner, but the Dublin Bay South TD has now been eased to 9/4 from 6/4. Micheál Martin has said minister for state Jack Chambers will lead the party’s campaign for the local elections next June but Chambers himself is also being touted as a future leader and is down to 9/1 from 14/1.

A sensational return to the top position for Bertie Ahern looks out of the question at 100/1 after he re-joined party ranks earlier this year, but the former Taoiseach has not ruled out a run for Áras an Uachtaráin. He is now the 8/1 third favourite to succeed Michael D. Higgins as President.

Irish MEP Mairead McGuinness remains the 4/1 favourite, while Ryan Tubridy is currently an outsider for the Áras at 33/1.