Who will be the next Minister for Agriculture?

One of the longest political courtships in the history of the State came to an end on Friday last when Fianna Fáil agreed to facilitate a Fine Gael-led minority Government for at least the next three years.

After more than 60 days since the general election, focus now turns to what the shape the next Government will take and, in particular, who the next Minister for Agriculture will be. We take you through who the likely contenders are.

Simon Coveney

The outgoing and acting Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, has been a central figure in the talks between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil over the past three weeks. Despite telling anyone that would listen that he would like a return to Agriculture House, a higher profile portfolio surely beckons for Coveney. There are those who are speculating that Enda Kenny will keep Coveney where is he in order to keep an eye on him with a Fine Gael leadership debate on the horizon.

A clear message from the farm organisations has been that they want a single role for the next Minister. Agriculture and Food only, no Defence.

Heather Humphreys

The outgoing and acting Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, has been mooted for the position since before the last general election. Her profile among farmers increased since her work on attempting to extend the hedgecutting and burning dates. Those proposed changes are not yet in law.

Humpreheys satisfies a number of concerns for Fine Gael. Those are mainly the gender and geographical balance. She has farming knowledge too and her brother is Bert Stewart, the IFA’s Ulster / north Leinster chairman.

Martin Heydon

The young buck. Martin Heydon from Kildare has been slowly and quietly working away in Fine Gael. A farmer and chairman of the party’s internal agriculture committee, Heydon has farming and agriculture clout. Perhaps a seat at the cabinet comes a bit too soon for the ambitious Heydon, maybe the junior ag role could be a good way for him to continue his progression for now.

Just do not mention the Back to the Future vote-getting attempt.

Seán Kyne

An agricultural adviser and planner for over 10 years, Seán Kyne is another who is well in the race for the agriculture portfolio. Kyne, like Coveney, was part of the negotiation team with the old enemy Fianna Fáil.

As well as having a degree and masters in agriculture, Kyne’s biggest plus is geography. Coveney was often criticised for not getting the mentality of the farmers from the west of Ireland. Kyne is Galway based and is acutely aware of the difficulties farmers have in this region. Coveney did, however, do much for the opening of markets for food. Can Kyne, or anyone else for that matter, replicate that?

Andrew Doyle

Many felt that Andrew Doyle was unfairly overlooked when Tom Hayes was appointed junior minister following the death of Shane McEntee. Doyle effectively chaired the Joint Agriculture Committee in the 31st Dáil and received cross-party praise for being a fair chairman.

A farmer from Co Wicklow, Doyle has the knowledge of farming the profile to take the job but will his closeness to Dublin work against him when picking TDs?

Denis Naughten

The independents still have a voice in the debate on the next Government. With Fianna Fáil agreeing to facilitate the three year Fine Gael minority government, Fine Gael now needs eight independents to support the government. Fine Gael already has Michael Lowry and Katherine Zapone signed up and Naughten, as well as his group, is expected to sign up.

Could the former Fine Gael TD from Roscommon lead agriculture for the next three years? He has the ability but if he is to get a seat at the cabinet then Naughten might prefer the soon to be created rural affairs ministerial job.

Paul Kehoe

Paul Kehoe is Enda’s right hand man and enforcer. Kehoe served as chief whip in the last government. A farmer from Co Wexford, Kehoe qualified out of Kildalton agricultural college. Kehoe, having been the chief whip, has sat at the cabinet table and knows how the issues work. Is his closeness to Enda Kenny a problem in the era of “new politics”?

Michael Ring

Michael Ring, like Paul Kehoe, is a close ally of the soon to be re-elected Taoiseach Enda Kenny. A good vote getter, Ring is a mainstay in the Mayo electoral area. Not as agriculturally minded as Kehoe, Haydon, Doyle or Kyne, bringing Ring to the cabinet table would reward Ring’s loyalty and give another minister for the west. Very much an outsider.

Michael Fitzmaurice

Where was Michael Fitzmaurice on Friday as the talks between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were concluding? He was working the bog. Fitzmaurice is real farming and real rural. He has the connection with farmers but by the fact he was on the bog and not planning his next political mean he does not have faith in the new Fine Gael government?

Take your pick here. Fine Gael will have to rely on talented people and people from the right part of the county to survive the course of the next three years.

Messers Heydon, Kehoe, Ring and Doyle are all in contention here. Others to get a mention are Helen McEntee from Meath and Pat Deering from Carlow. Deering performed a Lazarus-style recovery on count day and comes from farming stock.