NO-ONE could have predicted at the start of the year that, before we had even reached Easter, Leo Varadkar would no longer be Fine Gael leader or that he would have been replaced by Simon Harris in an uncontested coronation.
The next stage of Mr Harris’s extraordinarily rapid rise to the very top of Irish politics looks certain to be cemented on April 9. That is when the Dáil will reconvene after its Easter recess and Mr Varadkar will resign as taoiseach, clearing the way for Mr Harris to take up the position at what will strike many as the unfeasibly young age of 37.
Yet he is far from a novice. Mr Harris already has a range of heavyweight government roles under his belt, beginning at the finance department in July 2014. He had entered the Dáil barely three years earlier, and was clearly identified at an early stage as having serious potential. From 2016 to 2020 he was health minister, one of the toughest jobs in any administration.
When the coalition of Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Green Party eventually formed a government in June 2020, Mr Harris found himself as minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, with a spell as justice minister to cover Helen McEntee’s maternity leave.
Mr Harris has not ventured too deeply into northern affairs, though he has spoken of how a Fine Gael that unapologetically aims for a united Ireland could take the wind out of Sinn Féin’s sails
He has doubtless accumulated a great deal of experience on his political journey to the taoiseach’s office in Merrion Street. How well equipped he is to be taoiseach is a different question, one that goes beyond being adept at compiling a polished CV to having the character, temperament and political skill that distinguishes the best leaders.
Only time will tell, of course, though this is not something Mr Harris will have much of. A general election is due to be held by next March, and between now and then he will have to divide his focus between shoring up the coalition for another shot at government and narrowing Sinn Féin’s commanding and robust lead in the opinion polls.
“I promise I will work day in and day out for the common good of this country that we all love.”
— Fine Gael (@FineGael) March 27, 2024
—Fine Gael Leader @SimonHarrisTD pic.twitter.com/8DMtAY8P5K
Mr Harris will bring energy to the role, but neither that nor his social media skills will be enough. Fine Gael has been in power for 13 years; as with the wretched Tories in Britain, governments have a shelf life.
Mr Harris has not ventured too deeply into northern affairs and the border poll question, though he has spoken of how a Fine Gael that unapologetically aims for a united Ireland could take the wind out of Sinn Féin’s sails. He should develop his views.
Now that he is assured of the top job, Mr Harris needs to tell us what he will do with it. We need to see the substance behind the TikTok Taoiseach.
