Praise for Simon Coveney’s 'skill and determination' but opposition politicians say 'wheels are coming off'

SIMON Coveney has been described by party colleagues in Cork as an “outstanding minister” who “represented Cork and Ireland with distinction” following his shock announcement to step down from Cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week.

In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said he informed Fine Gael leader Simon Harris of his decision on Monday night.

The veteran politician said he will “continue to work as a proud TD for Cork South Central” and will “actively support the Government in the Dáil” however, he refused to confirm whether he will run again in the next general election.

Commenting following the announcement, Fine Gael TD for Cork North Central, Colm Burke, said Mr Coveney’s contribution to public life at Cabinet level “cannot be underestimated and will not be forgotten”.

“Whether tackling domestic issues or dealing with complex international challenges such as Brexit, he brought skill and determination to the task,” said Mr Burke. “He represented Cork and Ireland with distinction.”

Speaking to The Echo, Mr Burke said he was surprised by the announcement; however, he said it has not changed his view that the Coalition should see out its full term.

“The Government has an overall majority. We still have a job to do. Let’s get on with the work that we have to do.”

Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann, Fine Gael senator Jerry Buttimer, also said he was surprised by Mr Coveney’s announcement.

“I am surprised because I thought he was doing a great job,” said Mr Buttimer.

“I want to just thank him for his service to the people of Cork and of Ireland. He has been an outstanding minister.

“His legacy will be seen both in terms of policy and in the physical infrastructure around Cork and, on a personal level, I will always remember his support to me during the marriage equality referendum. He was the Fine Gael director of elections in making sure that we created a new Ireland.”

Long-serving Fine Gael councillor Des Cahill said it came as a “big surprise” to learn of Mr Coveney’s decision.

“I’ve been a long-time supporter of Simon since the by-election following his father’s death, so on a personal level I’m disappointed and it’ll be a shock to people in South Central certainly, but it’s a decision he’s come to himself, so I trust his decision for his own sake,” said Mr Cahill.

He said he remains confident in the future of the Fine Gael party.

“The membership is certainly very buoyant in Cork.”

During his 13 years in Cabinet, Mr Coveney has served in several ministerial roles, including in the enterprise, foreign affairs, defence, housing, and agriculture departments.

The outgoing Fine Gael deputy leader was also tánaiste from November 2017 to June 2020.

Mr Coveney was first elected to the Dáil in 1998 as one of Fine Gael’s youngest TDs and held shadow ministries in the areas of drugs and youth affairs, communications, marine and natural resources, and transport.

Speaking today, he said that the time was right to step aside as a Fine Gael minister.

He said Simon 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.

“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.”

Despite just under two weeks ago saying he would run again as a candidate in the next general election, Mr Coveney today declined to confirm whether it remains his plan. He said his plans ahead of the next general election are “not for this week”.

“It’s not a yes or it’s not a no,” he told RTÉ.

“I have to decide now what the future is for me and how I can contribute, and that’s something I’m not going to rush.”

Praising the outgoing Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy said Mr Coveney’s openness to hearing the views of the chamber’s members and to holding “constructive discussion” is “demonstrative of his commitment to the business community, as well as to our national and regional economic growth”.

“He has made a positive impact across all of his portfolios and as minister for foreign affairs he navigated the complex challenges of Brexit with great success and he is leaving a lasting political legacy in that regard,” said Mr Healy.

“We wish him the very best in his future career, be that within or outside of political life.”

'Wheels coming off'

SIMON Coveney’s decision to step down from Cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week is “yet another sign that the wheels are coming off the Fine Gael bandwagon”, a Cork opposition TD has said.

People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Mick Barry made the comment today in the wake of the shock announcement from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

Mr Barry said the announcement, which comes on the heels of the resignation of Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach and leader of the Fine Gael Party, underscores the need for an early general election.

“The Fine Gael parliamentary party is clearly exhausted and demoralised and instead of desperately clinging to power for another year they should all step back and allow a general election now,” he said. 

This was echoed by Sinn Féin TD for Cork North Central, Thomas Gould.

“There are 11 [Fine Gael] TDs not running.

“Leo [Varadkar], the former Taoiseach, and Simon [Coveney] haven’t announced whether they’re going to run yet so that’s potentially 13 sitting TDs of their 33 not running. To me that shows Fine Gael don’t even have confidence in Fine Gael or this Government,” he told The Echo. 

Mr Gould said he believes there are “serious questions to be asked about the validity of this Government going forward”, adding: “I think if Simon Harris really believes that he has a mandate and that his new Cabinet will have a mandate, he should put it to the people.” 

Mr Coveney today said his future plans ahead of the next general election were “not for this week”.

“It’s something to be honest I hadn’t even thought about really because I’ve been so focused and busy on the various different jobs that I’ve been so lucky to have,” he told RTÉ.

“Now I’m going to have a little bit more time to focus on my constituency and our candidates that are running for local elections and for the European elections too and I’ll put a bit of thought into that over the next few months, but I’m not going to rush it.”

He also admitted he got an “adrenaline rush” when former party leader Leo Varadkar told him he was stepping down as he contemplated whether to contest the leadership. But Mr Coveney, who was defeated by Mr Varadkar when he ran for the leadership in 2017, quickly ruled himself out.