Politics

A prince who was never to be king: The highs and lows of Simon Coveney’s career

Coveney announced he will be standing down from cabinet next week, as new Fine Gael leader Simon Harris prepares for a reshuffle

Simon Coveney’s stepping aside as a minister marks the end of a political cycle for Fine Gael. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The announced departure of Simon Coveney from cabinet brings to an end a political era for Fine Gael that began in 2011.

Outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and soon-to-be ex-enterprise minister Coveney were the last of the 2011 Fine Gael senior ministers, meaning their exit from cabinet next week will close off a political cycle which has seen all of the heavyweights of the 2011 Fine Gael class move aside.

Coveney’s departure from cabinet could well ...