Simon Harris has confirmed his bid to be the next Taoiseach, replacing Leo Varadkar.
The Fine Gael leader announced his shock resignation on Wednesday, leaving room for the Minister for Further and Higher Education to take his spot.
Before his announcement, the Wicklow native had been endorsed by 24 of Fine Gael’s 54 TDs, senators and MEPs.
Simon Harris has confirmed he will run for the leadership of Fine Gael | Read more: https://t.co/EW53Ux6q4N pic.twitter.com/dxoh7c8uso
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 21, 2024
Speaking on RTÉ News this evening, Mr Harris said: “I want to let you know, I’m in. I want to be the next leader of Fine Gael. I’m ready to step up. I’m ready to serve.
“I have been really overwhelmed and extremely grateful for support from Cabinet colleagues, ministers of state, TDs, MEPs, councillors and grassroots members right across Ireland.
“I want to thank everybody for their support and their trust. It means so much to me and I will work night and day. I will give this my absolute all to repay that trust.”
He also said he wants to bring “energy and an enthusiasm” to the role, before adding: “I also want to bring my practical life experience.”
“I want to work with colleagues, I want to listen, I want to really reconnect with our party right across the country. I want to get back to core principles.”
Harris also thanked Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for his leadership over the past seven years, and said he “steered our party and our country through very challenging times including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the recent cost-of-living crisis”.
If Simon succeeds Leo, he will become Ireland’s youngest ever Taoiseach.
Rival candidates will have until Monday to also enter the race.
The Wicklow native became a TD in 2011 when he was just 24, and previously served as Minister of State at the Department of Finance from 2014 – 2016.
However, he experienced a surge in public popularity during the pandemic, when he served as the country’s Minister for Health.
