Jerry Buttimer and Paudie Coffey on board for Simon Coveney

Housing Minister Simon Coveney has received a double boost in terms of declared supporters for his bid to become Fine Gael leader.

Mr Coveney has secured leadership support from Jerry Buttimer, with whom he shares a constituency, Cork South Central. There had been some doubt about whether the senator and former TD would back his constituency rival or go with Leo Varadkar.

A senior source in Mr Coveney’s team said: “He’s on side with us. He’ll admit it when the race begins.”

Mr Buttimer is expected to be one of the eight names to nominate Mr Coveney for the leadership position if, as is expected, Taoiseach Enda Kenny announces his resignation next week.

Sources also confirmed that former minister and senator Paudie Coffey is on board with Mr Coveney.

His camp expects a number of experienced TDs and figures to publicly emerge over the weekend and into next week to bolster support for his campaign.

The names are in addition to junior minister Damien English; Health Minister Simon Harris; and TDs Kate O’Connell and Maria Bailey, who are all now actively working on his team.

Meanwhile, party figures are speculating on whether Mr Kenny will make an announcement or public statement before Wednesday’s parliamentary party meeting.

Mr Kenny told his party in Leinster House this week that he will address the leadership issue next Wednesday, at the next meeting. Some think Mr Kenny may want to choreograph the moment himself and thus reveal something about his intentions away from rebel TDs. Others insist Mr Kenny is serene about his departure.

“He’s relaxed as hell,” said a senior party figure.

Speaking in Kinvara, Co Galway, Mr Coveney said he is confident Mr Kenny will deal with the Fine Gael leadership issue next Wednesday. “He indicated this week that he will deal with it next Wednesday and I think he will. And I expect we will move on to a transition process that will be orderly, will be well managed by the party. That will undoubtedly be very competitive.

“But it will be a very positive process for Fine Gael. Because the country will be watching how the party manages that transition. And more importantly, the public will be asking, ‘What is this about? Will it represent change? What do the people who are putting themselves forward as candidates have to say about that?’

“In terms of both the party, but more importantly the country, in terms of what we want for the future. I am looking forward to all of that. But I think that it is important that the Taoiseach is given the time and space to use his judgment around getting the timing and the process right here. And I trust him fully to do that.”

It was suggested that Mr Kenny may travel to Seattle next month on an Enterprise Ireland trade mission, but a spokesman for the agency would only confirm that the mission is going ahead and not who is going.