Michael McGrath is set to be nominated as Ireland’s new European Commissioner.
Cabinet will be asked to approve the current Finance Minister for the role in Brussels when it meets this morning.
It’s understood Michael McGrath was named by the Tánaiste as his nominee to be the new European Commissioner at a meeting of coalition leaders last night.
If his nominated is approved, it means he would have to vacate his role as Finance Minister before the new Commission takes office in October, however he could resign long before then.
This would mean a mini-Cabinet reshuffle, with new Fianna Fail Deputy leader Jack Chambers and his predecessor Dara Calleary being tipped to be promoted to the role of Finance Minister.
Current Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien had also been mentioned as being in the mix, however government sources say that is now ‘highly unlikely’.
Whoever the new Finance Minister is, they’ll be responsible for delivering the final Budget of this government, with a general election being called by March 2025 at the latest.
