Harris completes reshuffle and says Fine Gael can win next general election

Taoiseach Simon Harris told his party’s parliamentarians they can win the next general election after completing his junior ministerial reshuffle.

He also spoke to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on his first full day as Ireland’s premier.

At his first parliamentary party meeting since becoming both Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach, Mr Harris told TDs and Senators their party can win the next general election and have a major role in the formation of the next government.

Fine Gael is polling at about 21%, behind Sinn Fein on 26% but ahead of coalition partners Fianna Fail, which has 16% support, according to a survey by Sunday Independent/Ireland Thinks at the weekend.

On Wednesday, Mr Harris promoted three backbenchers to junior ministerial level as he made further changes to portfolios held by Fine Gael.

Neale Richmond has become the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, which was left vacant on Tuesday after Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was appointed as the junior minister for European Affairs.

Mr Richmond’s old role of Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise has been given to first-time junior minister Emer Higgins.

In another first, Colm Burke has been appointed as the Minister of State for Wellbeing and Drugs Strategy, after Hildegarde Naughton was moved from the role to be given responsibility for special education on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Kieran O’Donnell has been been moved from junior minister at the Department of Housing to take on the Minister of State for the OPW role that became free when Patrick O’Donovan was promoted to Cabinet.

Mr O’Donnell’s old role will be taken on by Mayo TD Alan Dillon, who becomes a minister of state for the first time.

Meanwhile, Fine Gael has dropped the Gaeltacht portfolio following the promotion of Patrick O’Donovan.

Mr O’Donovan, who held that junior minister role, was appointed to Cabinet as Minister for Further Education on Tuesday.

In the reshuffle of junior minister positions on Wednesday, no Fine Gael appointee inherited the role.

Instead, Fianna Fail TD Thomas Byrne added the job to his existing responsibilities as Minister of State for Sport and Physical Education.

The Gaeltacht job is normally held by a minister who can speak Irish, as Mr Byrne does.

Asked why Mr Harris had ceded the responsibility to Fianna Fail, a spokesman said that the three coalition party leaders had decided the role should sit with a minister within the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The spokesman rejected the suggestion there was no Fine Gael TD with proficiency in Irish to take the role.

At a photo opportunity with the new junior ministers on Wednesday, Mr Harris said he had a “very good team”.

He added that his first full-day as Taoiseach was a “busy one”.

The Taoiseach chaired a Cabinet meeting in which the junior ministers were appointed and went on to established Cabinet subcommittees, including a newly formed committee on disability, education and children which was described by a spokesman as a “priority” for the new premier.

In addition, coalition leaders agreed it was necessary to expand the remit of Cabinet subcommittee on Ukraine to include migration and integration.

“Really looking forward to trying to break down silos to improve disability services in this country,” Mr Harris said.

The Government also decided that the National Economic Dialogue will take place on May 27, which is an event seen as the first step of the annual Budget process.

Mr Harris held “productive and engaging” phone calls with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Today is the 26th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement and I think it is so fitting today that I would engage with the Prime Minister, looking forward to having a conversation with the prime minister of our nearest neighbour.”

He reiterated Ireland’s “full and total support for Ukraine” in the call with Mr Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president congratulated Mr Harris on his election and thanked him for Ireland’s support for Ukraine.

He also invited the Taoiseach to attend the upcoming Global Peace Summit on Ukraine.

Mr Harris also spoke to Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, and emphasised how important he sees his role as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement.

There was consternation in the Dail when the Government chief whip said Mr Harris would be unavailable for Leaders’ Questions due to these scheduled calls.