FINE GAEL must be seen to utilise its best talent, regardless of which side members of the parliamentary party took in the recent leadership contest, unsuccessful candidate Richard Bruton said.
Commenting in advance of today’s announcement of the new Fine Gael front bench, the former finance spokesman and deputy leader said the leadership contest had created a “significant opportunity” for the party to shape a much stronger public image.
“To exploit this, the party must be seen to utilise all its talent to best advantage regardless of which side they took,” the Dublin North Central TD wrote in his blog on richardbruton.ie.
Mr Bruton was recently dismissed as finance spokesman by party leader Enda Kenny but is expected to return in another capacity when the new front bench is revealed this afternoon.
The new finance spokesman is expected to be former party leader Michael Noonan but Mr Bruton is predicted to become spokesman on either enterprise or education.
Senior party sources said former social protection spokeswoman Olwyn Enright had notified the party leader that, if invited to join the new front bench, she would have to decline for personal reasons, unrelated to the recent leadership issue. This is seen as creating a possible opening for another “dissident”, outgoing justice spokesman Charlie Flanagan.
Outgoing transport spokesman Fergus O’Dowd is also expected to survive the cull, again in a different capacity. The prospects of arts spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell were widely written off, but may have improved as a result of Ms Enright’s unavailability.
Another Kenny opponent widely tipped to be part of the Fine Gael first team is former enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar, who will most likely be moved to another area, possibly social protection.
Former communications spokesman Simon Coveney was expected to be left out in the cold this time but there were indications last night that he could yet be part of Mr Kenny’s new team.
Outgoing members seen as least likely to be appointed include Brian Hayes (formerly education), Denis Naughten (formerly immigration), Billy Timmins (formerly foreign affairs), Michael Creed (formerly agriculture) and Kieran O’Donnell (formerly acting finance spokesman).
The deputy leadership of the party is the subject of intense speculation, mainly focusing on environment spokesman Phil Hogan, who was Mr Kenny’s chief lieutenant during the heave; health spokesman Dr James Reilly, whose political base in Dublin is seen as giving him an advantage; and long-serving Dún Laoghaire TD Seán Barrett.
Former spokesman on children Alan Shatter is strongly tipped to take the justice brief; Kerry TD Jimmy Deenihan is forecast to move from defence to agriculture; and Mayo TD Michael Ring is likely to move from community and Gaeltacht affairs.
Possible contenders for promotion include Clare TD Joe Carey, Roscommon TD Frank Feighan, Sligo deputy John Perry and Cork East TD David Stanton.