Fine Gael Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has declined to say who he would like to see take the position of Ireland's next European Commissioner.

Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan, a close political ally of Taoiseach Enda Kenny, wants the post.

However, in a move that could cause friction between the Coalition partners, Tánaiste and outgoing Labour leader Eamon Gilmore's name has been put forward by figures in the party.

“The appointment of the Commissioner is a matter for the Taoiseach and the Government...I know there are different names being mentioned. All the names I’ve heard mentioned are very well qualified and we’d be fortunate to have any of those people in as commissioner,” Mr Varadkar said.

Asked who he would like to see as Commissioner, the Minister said: “Not my call”.

Mr Varadkar was speaking at an event to mark the 10th anniversary of the Luas in Dublin city centre this morning with Minister of State for public transport Alan Kelly.

Mr Kelly also declined to say who he would prefer to take the position. He said the matter would be an agenda item to be discussed between Mr Kenny and the new Labour leader as part of a “package of discussions across portfolios and Ministries and Government in general” next week.

“I think it’s important that we put forward someone well qualified and somebody who can get a very good portfolio for the country,” Mr Kelly said.

Asked who he would prefer to see in the job, Mr Kelly said: “You can ask me that a thousand times but I’m not going to give you that answer”.

Mr Kelly is considered to be the front-runner in Labour’s deputy leadership race.

Earlier, Labour Minister of State for mental health Kathleen Lynch backed calls for Mr Gilmore to become the next Commissioner instead of Mr Hogan.

She insisted it was “realistic” for her party to call for Mr Gilmore to be appointed to the post which is considered to have been ear-marked for a Fine Gael candidate.

"When Labour goes into talk to our partners in Government about this we won't be mentioning any other candidates other than our own, and I think it's realistic because of the quality of the candidate that we're proposing," she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme.

Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs Joe Costello has also publicly backed Mr Gilmore.