Fianna Fáil ministers believe Jack Chambers’ appointment may be first sign of a Cabinet reshuffle

Fianna Fáil ministers believe the appointment of Jack Chambers as the party’s deputy leader is the first sign of a ­cabinet reshuffle.

With Finance Minister Michael McGrath widely expected to become Ireland’s next European Commissioner, Tánaiste Micheál Martin yesterday appointed Mr Chambers (33) as his second-in-command.

Mr Martin said the junior minister’s performance overseeing Fianna Fáil’s local election campaign had convinced him to give Mr Chambers the job.

He said Mr Chambers would be centrally involved in preparing the party for the general election which, he said, would be in eight months.

However, ministers in Fianna Fáil believe the appointment could be a precursor to a cabinet reshuffle if Mr McGrath is selected to represent Ireland on the European Commission.

Mr Chambers said Fianna Fáil’s performance in the local and European elections had “exceeded all expectations”.

“But that’s in the past, we’ve drawn a line under that, and we’re ambitious as a party about the future,” he said. “This Government has about eight months to go and we’re keen as a party to really drive new organisation, new ambition and new plans for the future to look at the next five years.

“So part of my remit now as deputy leader will be to drive activity within our organisation, but also engaging and listening to the wider public about what type of country and community they want to see over the next five years.”

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Simon Harris has insisted the Government will deliver a budget in October and called on his party to push back against suggestions of a general election before then.

Speaking to his parliamentary party, Mr Harris hit out at “anonymous sources” calling for an early election and said his “absolute priority” was to deliver the Budget as expected.

Mr Harris said this year’s Budget was “not the pre-election Budget” and called on members to put forward suggestions for the forthcoming announcement on tax cuts and spending measures.

“Now is the time to feed in your ideas and have them costed, we are a campaigning party and that’s why so many people voted Fine Gael on June 7,” he said. “I want you to know it is my absolute priority to deliver the budget. When elected leader, when I campaigned across the country, I promised to ­deliver for people.

“And I will. This Budget will be about turning the economic success this country, and the people have created it, into real and meaningful changes in their daily lives.”

Mr Harris said in September, before the Budget, a number of government initiatives would seek to lower childcare costs, raise college grants and introduce a free book scheme for all students up to the Junior Cycle.

“I have said I want to make Ireland the best small country to be a child – that will be my motivation as Taoiseach,” he said.

“That is why we must deliver a budget that delivers for every single child and their family in this country.”

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