Simon Harris: he will be holding talks with Independent TDs who have tended to support the Government. Photograph: Tom Honan
On Wednesday Independent Roscommon-Galway TD Denis Naughten indicated he would be voting for Mr Harris. Mr Harris has already indicated that the meetings with the Independent TDs will not be “transactional”. One Minister, speaking privately, suggested that with Mr Coveney’s decision, Mr Harris now had sufficient latitude to overhaul the Cabinet without demoting anyone else from Fine Gael’s Cabinet membership.
Mr O’Donnell is a former special adviser to Eoghan Murphy during the latter’s time in the department of housing, and previously worked in Government Buildings with Enda Kenny when he was taoiseach. He will join a cadre of advisers including Chris Donoghue, who until recently worked with Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney, but who is now set to be appointed as government press secretary.