Young FG ministers are out front and centre in this campaign, says Simon Coveney

Simon Coveney, the agriculture minister, has dismissed the concerns of a former Fine Gael strategist that the party is “complacent” and is lacking young ministers.

Ahead of a fresh poll yesterday leaving Fine Gael with a further loss of support and down to 26%, Mr Coveney said he disagreed with comments from lobbyist Frank Flannery that “dynamic young politicians” were missing from the campaign.

Mr Flannery also said yesterday he thought Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil might have to go into government together in “the national interest” — despite the leaders of the two parties denying they would do this.