While the new cabinet has not been confirmed at the time of going to print, Martin Heydon is the only name being discussed for Minister for Agriculture.

The 46 year-old will be stepping up from his Minister of State role, but it’s a role he has been training for all his life in one sense.

Background

Heydon is a farmer, having attended Kildalton Agricultural College and completed his Green Cert.

He took over the family farm while still in his teens, his father having died, while he was only eight, developing a suckler and tillage farm.

Heydon has been a Fine Gael TD for Kildare south since 2011.

He served as party chair, and was appointed Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture in 2020, with responsibility for research and development, market development and farm safety.

He is married to Brianne and they have four children.