Simon Coveney to step down as Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney has announced that he will be stepping down from Cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week.

Mr Coveney took to X to declare his concession, mentioning he had already informed Fine Gael leader Simon Harris of his decision.

Last night I spoke to @SimonHarrisTD to inform him that I would not be making myself available to serve in cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week. I’ll continue to work as a proud TD for Cork South Central and will of course actively support the Government in the Dáil.

— Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) April 2, 2024

While he will be stepping down from his Cabinet duties, Simon Coveney confirmed that he will remain as TD for Cork South Central.

“Last night I spoke to [Simon Harris] to inform him that I would not be making myself available to serve in cabinet when the Dáil resumes next week,” the post reads. “I’ll continue to work as a proud TD for Cork South Central and will of course actively support the Government in the Dáil.”

Mr Coveney was appointed Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in December 2022, having previously served as Tánaiste from November 2017 until June 2020.

In 2017, he assumed the role of Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and remained in the position for five years, during which he helped guide Brexit negotiations, as well as the pandemic.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Today with Claire Byrne, Mr Coveney expressed his uncertainty about whether Simon Harris would have appointed him to his Cabinet, but concluded that it would smooth the transition if he stepped down from his duties as Minister.

"I respect the fact he's made it clear that he wants to create a new-look Fine Gael in many ways, to promote new talent in the party," Mr Coveney said to RTÉ.

He added: "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.”

"I've had a chance to think about it from a personal point of view, over Easter with my family, and for me. I've had an amazing 13 years at the centre of government and I think we've got lots of ambitious talent in the party and I'm going to make it a bit easier.

"It may have happened, anyway, I don't know. But I make it a bit easier for Simon [Harris] to promote that talent now."

Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar remarked that he was “blessed” to have Mr Coveney as a colleague and ally:

"I was blessed to have him as my Deputy Leader, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. This was particularly so on Brexit and our successful campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council and our policies to increase the budget for international development and our diplomatic footprint.

"He’s one of the hardest working and most loyal people I have ever had the privilege of working with. His decision to create more space for a new generation of Fine Gael leadership to step up is admirable. I look forward to continuing to work with him as a member of the parliamentary party.”