Residents from Carrigaline and Glanmire in Co Cork have expressed "shock" and "surprise" after their local TD Simon Coveney announced that he is to step down from Cabinet.
"I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Really. And truly," said John Healy from Glanmire.
"We really are in changing time, frankly, with Leo going and everything.
"Nobody thought that was going to happen, you know."
Michael Wall from Carrigaline agreed that it will be a shock, but said that he thought that it was "on the cards for a while".
Margaret Charles from Carrigaline said that Mr Coveney's step-down as minister will be a "big loss", as she said he was a "very, very good minister".
Ms Charles added that the minister had a track record of being a "hard working, conscientious, good, gentleman".
Lillian Murphy, also from Carrigaline also said that she was shocked by the news, and wondered: "Is there something else going on?"
