Simon Harris, Ireland's Minister for Further and Higher Education, is set to be the country's next - and youngest ever - Prime Minister after his expected challengers in the race to replace Leo Varadkar dropped out.
If Harris confirms his intention to run later today, it is expected he will be the only candidate for the role - with support from half his parliamentary party, Fine Gael.
Yesterday, Varadkar said he asked for a new leader of the party to be elected ahead of Fine Gael's annual conference on April 6, following which parliament would vote on that person succeeding him as Prime Minister after the Easter break.
The move came as a surprise to many, but Varadkar - Ireland's first gay PM - said his party would stand a better chance of reelection under new management.
Simon Harris, Ireland's Minister for Further and Higher Education, is set to be the country's next - and youngest ever - Prime Minister
PA
Harris has long held a hard pro-EU stance - not least during Brexit negotiations, when the prospect of a hard border had threatened UK-Ireland negotiations.
At the time, Harris, Ireland's then-health minister said the Irish government was satisfied "full legal effect" would be given to the avoidance of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic when the UK was due to leave the European Union.