Election battle to replace Eoghan Murphy already under way

The outgoing former housing minister will receive over €60,000 in termination payments in the next eight months but will have to wait at least a decade to see his pensions

Eoghan Murphy: The race to fill his seat has already commenced. File Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

The by-election to replace former housing minister Eoghan Murphy will have to take place over two days to allow for Covid-19 social distancing, under new laws to be approved by the Dáil before the summer.

Both Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar paid tribute to Mr Murphy at Cabinet yesterday, describing his departure as a “loss to politics”.

Following his resignation, Mr Murphy will receive €61,320 in termination payments over the next eight months. He will have to wait for at least a decade to see any benefit of his TDs and ministerial pensions.

Under existing rules, Mr Murphy is entitled to a termination lump sum worth €16,352, or two months of his TDs’ salary. 

After that, Mr Murphy is entitled to six months of payments at 75% of his monthly salary and then two months at 50%. In total, these payments will be worth €44,968.

Under the Electoral Reform Bill, it is proposed that voting will be held over two days to allow for social distancing at polling stations. 

The race to fill Mr Murphy's seat has already commenced.

For Fine Gael, Mr Murphy's former constituency colleague, Kate O'Connell, is the subject of much speculation, and Mr Murphy called her yesterday to inform her of his decision before he announced it.

However, her relationship with Mr Varadkar is frosty, and local councillor James Geoghegan has been, according to some, "quietly groomed for some time" by Mr Murphy.

Fianna Fáil councillors Deirdre Conroy and Claire O’Connor are the subject of interest and one of them will emerge as the party candidate.

The Green Party faces a thorny selection convention. Sources say that Dublin Lord Mayor Hazel Chu faces an uphill battle to get the nod. The alternative is Claire Byrne, the local councillor. She is popular in the area and within the party and works in Mr Ryan's constituency office.

Sinn Féin’s sources have sought to pour cold water on suggestions that Senator and former MEP Lynn Boylan would run, despite the desire for "a big name".

Another senator, Fintan Warfield, has been mentioned by some. He is from the Harold's Cross part of the constituency, is young. If he declines or isn't picked, councillor Daniel Céitinn, who replaced TD Chris Andrews, could run.