One year after the 2024 general election, Fine Gael Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is set to resign from Government as a Minister, as a TD, and President of the EuroGroup.
Donohoe will be leaving to adopt a senior role with the World Bank in Washington DC. Specifically, he will become the organisation’s second-most senior member.
With Donohoe’s departure, Fine Gael leader and Tánaiste Simon Harris will now have to select a replacement from his pool of Fine Gael TDs, and a Dáil by-election will be required in Donohoe’s constituency of Dublin Central to elect a new TD in his place.
Last year saw a significant number of Fine Gael TDs resign, including, most notably, then-party leader and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who stood down 18 months ago.
Paschal Donohoe began his political career by winning a seat on Dublin City Council in 2004, representing the Cabra-Glasnevin ward. Although he failed to secure a position in the 2007 general election for the Dublin Central constituency, he gained entry to Seanad Éireann that same year as a senator on the Administrative Panel.
In a bid to enter the Dáil, Fine Gael selected him on March 24th 2009, to contest the Dublin Central by-election, where he once again fell short.
Ultimately, Donohoe achieved a victory in the 2011 general election, leading the vote tally and securing his seat on the second count.
Since then he has served in a number of Junior and Senior Ministerial roles, including Minister of State Minister for European Affairs, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and Minister for Public Expenditure.