Minister Jim Daly does not believe Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will reshuffle his cabinet following the local election results and also said he doesn't feel Fianna Fail's strong showing could force an early general election.
The Minister with special responsibility for Mental Health and Older People was speaking at the count centre in Clonakilty, where three LEAs are being decided. Fianna Fail has topped the poll in two and Independent Danny Collins marched to victory in the other, although vote management by Fine Gael could mean it secures six seats out of the 15 available, despite a lower overall vote percentage.
Fine Gael's national performance has sparked mutterings of a possible reshuffle but Minister Daly said the Taoiseach was unlikely to do so.
"I think his mind is made up on that," he said, adding that Mr Varadkar was "meticulous in his forward planning".
"I don't see this [election] changing his views on that."
Minister Daly said it was "steady as she goes" in terms of Ministerial posts and regarding the Green Wave he said the Taoiseach had already pinpointed climate change as the greatest issue of our time.
"It was an issue on the doors, no doubt about it," he said. However, he argued that the move towards the Green Party still represented one-in-10 voters and needed to be taken in the contact of moving to that position from a very low base.
"This has not blown up in our faces," he said. "The surge is from zero base to 9%."
As for Fianna Fail's strong showing possibly triggering an early general election Minister Daly said: "I don't really see anything in this election propelling us into a general election any faster than we would have been.
"If there is an election in the UK that may be the impetus for an election here."
