Harris is ready to ‘turbo charge’ his new role as Varadkar winds down
INCOMING Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to ‘turbo charge’ the Programme for Government as he prepares to take the role in two weeks.
Outgoing leader Leo Varadkar said yesterday he is confident the country will be in good hands, ahead of what is likely to be his last Cabinet meeting before he steps down.
Higher Education Minister Mr Harris was declared Fine Gael leader on Sunday after other heavyweights in the party said they would not run.
When the Dáil returns from the Easter recess on April 9, it will vote on whether Mr Harris will become the youngest ever Taoiseach at 37.
Ahead of Cabinet, Mr Varadkar was seen greeting Mr Harris in front of Government Buildings.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Varadkar said that the gathering of ministers would ‘probably’ be his last Cabinet meeting, and based on a rough count, it was the 650th he attended since his first ministry in 2011.
He added it was ‘quite a busy one’ as ministers tried to get things approved before ‘the changeover’.
When it was put to him that people were finding it difficult to accept there was no scandal or disquiet in Fine Gael that led to his resignation, he said: ‘I know people struggle to accept that politicians tell the truth.
‘Almost all the time we do, or at least what we believe to be the truth.
‘So, the reasons are the ones that I set out, and it is as simple as that.’
Mr Harris said there are ‘real areas’ that he wants to make progress on, adding: ‘What in the Programme for Government could be turbocharged, that could be accelerated, that could be delivered quickly for people?
‘And are there new areas that I, as party leader, want to outline in terms of the vision for Fine Gael?’
Asked about the possible reshuffle among Fine Gael ministers, he said: ‘I’m not there at all in my head yet. What I want to do today is endeavour to meet with my fellow party leaders,
‘Roll up our sleeves and get stuck in’
with the leader of the Fianna Fáil party, the Tánaiste [Micheál Martin], and the leader of the Green Party, Minister [Eamon] Ryan.’ He said the Irish people want politicians ‘to get back to bread-andbutter issues, roll up our sleeves and get stuck in, and from day one that’s what I’ll do’. Mr Varadkar said he had no advice for Mr Harris about ministerial appointments, but he did have advice for party members, remarking: ‘I’d just ask other people in the parliamentary party to give him a fair go. Mr Varadkar’s final engagement as Taoiseach will be at the North-South Ministerial Council in Armagh on April 8.