New PM Could Be In Place By 9 April; Science Min Harris Early Favourite

Following the announcement by Taoiseach (PM) Leo Varadkar that he intends to resign his office and as leader of the centre-right Fine Gael party, attention will now inevitably turn to who will succeed him. Fine Gael will elect its new leader ahead of the Ard Fheis (party conference) on Saturday 6 April. After that, the Dáil (the lower chamber of the Irish parliament) will have to approve the new taoiseach in a vote. This means a new head of gov't could be in place as soon as 9 April.

• Under party rules, in order to make the ballot prospective candidates require the support of 10% of Fine Gael lawmakers within a week of the announcement of the vacancy. This equates to the backing of 10 TDs or senators.
• The Journal reports: "...party leaders are elected via an Electoral College system, consisting of the Parliamentary Party (TDs, Senators and MEPs), public representatives (councillors), and any other party members. A voting weight is attached to each grouping, which goes as follows: Parliamentary party 65%, Party membership 25%, Councillors 10%."
• Irish betting website PaddyPower makes Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris the clear favourite with an 83.3% implied probability (odds of 1/5) of winning the leadership. FG Deputy leader Simon Coveney and Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe are in joint second place with a 12.5% implied probability (odds of 7/1) each.