Calleary in the running for Minister for Finance following McGrath EU appointment

MAYO TD Dara Calleary is said to be in contention to take over as Minister for Finance from Fianna Fáil colleague Michael McGrath. 

Minister Calleary has been tipped as a potential contender to succeed Minister McGrath following his appointment as EU Commissioner. 

Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members contacted by The Mayo News this afternoon (Tuesday) could not confirm who Minister McGrath’s successor would be. However, Minister Calleary was said to be ‘definitely in the running’ for the job, according to one Fianna Fáil senator. 

The Ballina native previously sat at cabinet during a short-lived spell as Minister for Agriculture, which ended after he resigned in the aftermath of the ‘Golfgate’ controversy. 

Minister Calleary resigned from cabinet and apologised publicly after he attended an indoor gathering with other politicians at the Railway Hotel in Clifden in August 2020 at a time when Covid-19 restrictions limited the number of people who could gather indoors. The hotel owners and attendees were later found by Galway District Court not to have broken any law by attending and organising the gathering. 

In 2022, Minister Calleary was promoted to Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation at the Department of Enterprise following the resignation of Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy. 

Minister Jack Chambers, who was recently appointed Fianna Fáil deputy leader and who also has Mayo connections, has also been mooted for the finance portfolio.

Minister McGrath is to be formally confirmed as Ireland's new EU Commissioner following a cabinet meeting today (Tuesday). His replacement as Finance Minister is also expected to be announced later today.