Ministers divided on future of Public Expenditure department

The two favourites to take over from Taoiseach Enda Kenny are divided on whether the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform should be scrapped.

Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar is adamant the department should be merged back into the Department of Finance as there is “eminent logic” in having income and expenditure under the control of one minister.

His main rival in the race to become the next leader of Fine Gael, Simon Coveney, said he is “not convinced” on such a move, at least in the short term.