A leadership contest is now in the works following yesterday’s announcement that Leo Varadkar is stepping down from the position.
Nominations for the next party leader will open this morning at 10 o’clock and close at 1 o’clock next Monday afternoon.
Three regional meetings will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week before any votes are cast the following week.
Voting for almost 20,000 members will then take place at more than 20 polling stations between April 2nd and 4th, with a winner to be declared the following day.
Local Fine Gael Cllr Michael Murphy says he feels that a leadership election could be good for the party.
The Clonmel based representative has given his backing to Minister Simon Harris to take over the helm.
He says it’s a chance to revitalise and bring new faces to the fore.
“You know change is good in any organisation. We’re heading into local and European elections. I’m very conscious of the wider talent that exists within the party.”
Tipperary Fianna Fail Cllr Siobhan Ambrose says she doesn’t think her party will have any problem supporting the next Fine Gael leader as Taoiseach when Leo Varadkar hands over the reins.
“It’s up to Fine Gael and the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party members and grass roots to decide who they want to pick as their next leader. That’s up to them and obviously Fianna Fáil…there is a pact there…so whoever it is we will work alongside that party as we have done in the past as well for the betterment of the people of Ireland.”
