Odds On Irish Government Collapse Slashed

There has been a surge in betting speculation over the weekend that the Irish coalition government will collapse before the year is out.

Micheál Martin’s rocky beginning to life as Taoiseach was compounded last week when recently appointed Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary resigned, after he was revealed as one of the senior figures who attended a golf event in contravention of newly agreed Covid-19 restrictions.

The latest crisis has resulted in BoyleSports slashing the odds on another general election being called before the end of the year into just 9/2 from 12/1, with a 2021 visit to the polls also gambled into 11/4 from 7/1.

Dara Calleary had been the joint 5/2 favourite to take over from Martin as Fianna Fáil leader, but his chances are now rated at a remote 25/1, with Jim O’Callaghan now the stand alone favourite to be the next leader at 15/8 from 5/2.

The golfgate scandal hasn’t done much for confidence in the coalition from what we’re seeing, as a growing number of punters are putting money behind another election which is now just 9/2 from 12/1 to happen this year.