Paschal Donohoe has said he has no interest in becoming leader of Fine Gael.

The outgoing finance minister is the latest political figure to take part in Sean Moncrieff’s “Quick-Fire Quiz” on Newstalk.

Before taking on the timer, he said he has no ambitions for leadership now or in the future – despite receiving the backing of his predecessor Michael Noonan.

“I have now worked for two different Taoisigh and two different leaders of Fine Gael and I see all they do and what they have to do and they are better suited to do that than I am,” he said.

Mr Noonan told the Irish Independent’s Floating Voter podcast yesterday that it was an open secret that he wanted Minister Donohoe to replace Enda Kenny as leader in 2017 – and said he thought the Dublin Central TD would be a good choice in the future.

Minister Donohoe noted that the outgoing TD also made it clear he thinks Leo Varadkar is “doing a great job.”

He said he has no interest in taking the job in the future.

“I am very happy and very lucky with the jobs I have been able to do and I am solely focused now on trying to keep my seat in Dublin Central,” said Mr Donohoe.

He also said he wants to become an author when he brings his political career to a close - but ruled out following in the literary footsteps of former Justice Minister Alan Shatter.

"You may know that Fine Gael does have a rich lineage of writers that have yielded many a bodice ripper in their time but I won't be one of them," he said.

"I'd be more thinking about what I have learned about doing politics as opposed to being a politician and a few more people might buy it as opposed to my attempts to pen a bodice ripper."