The Department of the Environment has this evening said the "general feeling" is Phil Hogan will leave his current post.

Mr Hogan is tipped to be Ireland's next European commissioner, even though Labour has been pushing for Eamon Gilmore.

The Department said there had been “ much speculation in relation to Minister Hogan’s future place of employment which still remains to be finalised”.

But the general feeling is that he will not return to this Department either way.”

It also provides a list of Mr Hogan’s achievements and the “sheer amount of issues which the Minister has presided over”.

“Some not so popular but they had to done.”

The list includes areas such as the establishment of Irish Water, as well as local government reform and other issues.