Fine Gael TDs must confirm if they will run in the next election before any changes are made in Saturday’s reshuffle.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadkar will swap roles on Saturday, with a number of Cabinet positions also expected to change roles.
Multiple ministers have told the Irish Mirror that it is not expected that there will be sweeping changes.
However, at the Fine Gael parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday evening, Mr Varadkar said that anyone “holding an officership” must confirm if they are running in the next election if they want a role after the reshuffle.
The next election is currently not expected to take place until 2025.
The Tánaiste said he will be giving the formation of the new Government “a lot of thought over the coming days”.
He said the Fine Gael ministers were “performing very well” and that “the current parliamentary party is the most talented he has been part of”.
The Tánaiste said the decisions he will have to make regarding the reshuffle will be “very difficult”.
He said he will endeavour to make sure there is a meaningful role for all.
The meeting heard the Fine Gael leader will be asking anyone holding an officership to confirm they are running in the next General Election.
“Mr Varadkar said the coalition is working well and delivering an agreed Programme for Government,” one source said.
Fine Gael currently has six senior ministers – Mr Varadkar, Simon Coveney, Paschal Donohoe, Helen McEntee, Simon Harris and Heather Humphreys.
It also has eight junior ministers – Hildegarde Naughton, Patrick O’Dovovan, Josepha Madigan, Martin Heydon, Colm Brophy, Peter Burke, Damien English and Frank Feighan.
It is already expected that several junior ministers will be dropped as part of the reshuffle, with suggestions that Ministers Brophy, Madian and Feighan could lose out.
Names suggested for promotion include Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, Neale Richmond and Brendan Griffin.
Ministers have attempted to downplay reshuffle rumours in recent days, with one telling the Irish Mirror that “it will surprise people how little change there is”.
Another said that they expect the reshuffle to be “boring”.
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