Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has been tipped as favourite to become the new Tánaiste, as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar begins his search to appoint a new deputy leader.

Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Heather Humphreys are also being considered to replace Frances Fitzgerald, who resigned as Tánaiste and Business Minister yesterday amid criticism of her handling of the Garda whistleblower scandal.

Only hours after her resignation, Deputy Fitzgerald was last night selected as an election candidate for Fine Gael in the Dublin Mid-West constituency.

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin now want the Disclosures Tribunal to expand its remit and look at recent revelations about the Department of Justice, Minister Charlie Flanagan and the former Tánaiste.

Last night Charlie Flanagan told the Dáil he was horrified that documents from his department were not provided to the Charleton Tribunal: