Taoiseach Simon Harris has revealed what makes him “cry” in a personal interview with Ryan Tubridy.
The 37-year-old is the first guest on the second season of the former RTÉ star’s podcast On The Bookshelf, in which guests discuss the impact books have had on their lives.
During their chat, Ryan asked Simon to share what makes him cry, and he delivered a candid answer.
The Taoiseach replied: “Oh what makes me cry? I don’t know. I’m quite an emotional person. I think I’m quiet an empathetic person, but I’m quite an emotional person.
“I find the situation in the Middle East and Gaza and the lives very hard to…consider through any lens other than death and destruction for children.
“I find that very hard to comprehend — , how we can live in a world that we allow that to happen.”
Ryan then asked if that was a “father or a Taoiseach talking”.
Simon responded: “Well you see you can’t separate everything. You’re a person, aren’t you?”
“When I turn on the television and can see young children, I think, literally, that could be any of our children.”
Listeners were moved by Simon’s statement, and reacted to his interview in the comment section.
One commented: “It was refreshing to see Simon Harris, the Taoiseach in this light. He came across empathetic and warm.
“Especially about children involved in war. He’s just a human being at the end of the day. It’s a tough job being Taoiseach, but my mind has changed on him since this interview.”
Another wrote: “Excellent interview Ryan and the Taoiseach spoke from the heart. It is heartbreaking to watch, and children should never suffer.”
A third listener added: “@simonharristd we are all heartbroken, it has changed some of us forever but you have more power than us to actually make a change. Please do, you will never forgive yourself if you don’t do everything you can for these people.”
Elsewhere during the podcast, the Taoiseach also addressed speculation he will move to Farmleigh with his family after a series of incidents at his home, which he described as a “form of intimidation and harassment”.
When asked about the possibility of moving into an official Taoiseach’s residence, Harris said: “This has been put to me on occasion.
“The challenge for me – apart from loving Greystones – is that my kids are of an age where one has just started in the local school, and it would be very disruptive.
Mr Harris added that it’s “not something that I’m intending to do.”