Tensions grow as Simon Harris outperforms Taoiseach over smear scandal and referendum
Government support has dropped a startling 7%
TENSIONS have re-emerged between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Health Minister Simon Harris in the highly fraught political atmosphere caused by the CervicalCheck crisis and the later stages of the abortion referendum campaign, according to colleagues.
An Irish Times poll this week shows a startling 7% drop in satisfaction with the Government, and an even more marked 12% drop amongst women. This is being attributed to Mr Varadkar’s perceived poor performance over the past three weeks on both issues.
In contrast Mr Harris appears in command of detail and is regarded as performing significantly better.
Ministers have observed ‘unhappiness’ in the Taoiseach’s camp at the positive press Mr Harris appears to be attracting.
However a spokesman for Mr Varadkar denied that there were tensions between the rivals.
Cabinet colleagues of the two men have observed frustration on Mr Harris’s behalf with Mr Varadkar’s ‘uneven’ media performances and slow reaction to the huge CervicalCheck scandal. Fine Gael TDs say that Mr Varadkar, in turn, appears unhappy that a larger share of the media and political criticism has come his way rather than towards the young health minister.
Mr Harris was the highest profile supporter of Simon Coveney in the leadership contest a year ago.
It is understood that Mr Harris has met personally with Vicky Phelan and has been in frequent phone contact. Mr Varadkar has not met Ms Phelan – though he did get his office to contact her. ‘Leo appears to be upset that Harris is not damaged by all this, but appears to be thriving,’ said a Cabinet source, ‘His crocodile tears at the press conference did not go down well, and his subsequent interviews were not good on detail.’ However, a spokesman for the Taoiseach said he did not believe that there were tensions and that the two men ‘have never been closer’.
Likewise, a spokeswoman for Mr Harris said: ‘They have never been closer, personally and professionally.’
Much of the gloss has disappeared from Mr Varadkar’s leadership in recent weeks. He has had two major media interviews on two Fridays in a row – the first on The Six One News on CervicalCheck and the second on Friday of this week on the Today with Seán O’Rourke Show on RTÉ Radio 1 – where he failed to master detail.
‘It was evident to me that he hadn’t prepared,’ said a Minister.
It emerged yesterday that more than 125,000 new voters have registered in a late surge head of next Friday’s abortion referendum.
Meanwhile, among continuing political fallout, a senior Fianna Fáil member has claimed that the abortion referendum has ‘divided the Fianna Fáil party’ and undermined its leader Micheál Martin.
Also yesterday, three senior government ministers – Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Enterprise Minister Heather Humphreys – have ruled out a rerun of the abortion referendum. Minister Flanagan said: ‘The Government will respect the outcome.’
‘Harris is much more in command of the detail’