Breaking: Simon Coveney announces decision to step down from Cabinet

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney has announced that he will step down from Cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the Cork South Central TD said he informed the newly appointed Fine Gael leader Simon Harris of his decision last night.

“Last night I spoke to Simon Harris TD to inform him that I would not be making myself available to serve in cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week,” he said.

“I’ll continue to work as a proud TD for Cork South Central and will of course actively support the Government in the Dáil.”

He said Mr Harris has made it clear he wants to create a “new-look Fine Gael” and to promote new talent in the party.

“I know he was struggling with the decision in relation to who would be in and who’d be out (of Cabinet),” Mr Coveney told RTÉ’s Today With Claire Byrne show.

“I think that for me having been in the Cabinet, which has been an amazing experience for 13 years, which is a lot more than most politicians have the privilege of having in Cabinet, I felt that the time was right both from his point of view and from mine to give them, him, space to create a new opportunity in the party in government.

“He thanked me and respected that.

“I think one of the most difficult things actually as an incoming party leader and incoming taoiseach is to form a team that can slot into government well, particularly in an election year. I totally respect that that is a really difficult decision for Simon.” 

Mr Coveney added: 

“He’s going to be the youngest taoiseach ever. He’s a really talented person. 

“I think he would want to bring forward new ideas and new energy in the party.

“I think he’ll want to bring a team with him to do that. 

“I think for me, I don’t know whether he was going to ask me to be in Cabinet as part of that team or not.

“I know he was weighing that up and we spoke about that both last week and again this week. 

“But I think it makes life easier for him and I think it’s also a recognition by me too that Fine Gael needs renewal.

“We’re going to go into the next general election hoping to be in government for a fourth term, and I think a party needs to find a way of renewing itself, refreshing itself, bringing forward new faces, new voices, new ideas.

“In many ways, when Leo Varadkar decided to step down a couple of weeks ago, he started that process and obviously, my initial reaction to that was to steady the ship, to work within the party to make sure that we could manage to transition to a new leader quickly and efficiently and professionally because the country needs that right now.

“But I’ve had a chance really to think about it from a personal point of view over Easter with my family, and for me as I say, I’ve had an amazing 13 years at the centre of government.

“I think we’ve got lots of ambitious talent in the party and I’m going to now make it a bit easier. It may have happened anyway. I don’t know. 

“But I make it a bit easier for Simon to promote that talent now.”