Government in last minute Cabinet shake-up talks as Martin steps down before Varadkar takes over

MICHEAL Martin will step down as leader of the country on Saturday before Tanaiste Leo Varadkar is promoted back to the top job.

It’s the first time in history the Taoiseach’s position rotates between coalition parties. 

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The pair and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan are holding talks late into Friday night where Martin is expected to inform his Government colleagues which ministerial role he wants to take up.

Sources said it is likely he will move to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

However, they warned: “He may still pull a rabbit from a hat and surprise us.”

Martin will hand in his resignation to President Michael D Higgins on Saturday morning before the Dail elects Fine Gael’s Varadkar as Taoiseach and he returns to the Aras to be appointed. 

The rotation will trigger a mini-shuffle of Cabinet positions and a more substantial shake-up of the junior ministerial positions. 

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath will do a straight swap as part of the deal struck during Government formation talks in 2020. 

The Greens will likely retain their departments with Roderic O’Gorman, Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin staying in their positions. 

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has also received assurances he will remain in charge of the Government’s bid to tackle the crisis. 

Varadkar’s departure from the Department of Business will create a vacancy in this role but it’s understood that Martin does not favour moving to this role. 

There is speculation the Fianna Fail leader will move to Foreign Affairs and the current Minister Simon Coveney will switch to Business. 

This would create the least issues for the party leaders with all other Cabinet ministers expected to retain their current positions.

The role of Government chief whip is due to move to the Fine Gael side of the coalition and will see Jack Chambers’ job given to either Hildegarde Naughten or Brendan Griffin. 

And two new junior ministerial roles will be created to ease the pressure on Children’s Minister O’Gorman.