Micheál Martin defends Simon Harris’ knowledge of EU and all-island issues

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA

Tánaiste has defended Simon Harris’ knowledge on European affairs and north-south relations ahead of him becoming taoiseach on Tuesday.

Micheál Martin was speaking at the first North-South Ministerial Council convened in person since the coalition government formed in June 2020.

“Simon Harris has been in government for a considerable amount of time as well and would be well aware of all of the issues,” he said in Co Armagh.

Asked if he believes attention would drift from the powersharing institutions in Northern Ireland under Mr Harris’ premiership, Mr Martin said: “I don’t believe the eye would be taken off the ball.”

Mr Harris, 37, is set to become Ireland’s youngest taoiseach on Tuesday.

He has been a Cabinet minister in three departments: Health, Justice and Further and Higher Education.

Speaking on RTÉs This Week programme on Sunday, he said he plans to hire advisers on economics, Europe, and Northern Ireland in the coming weeks.

Mr Martin said he had watched the Fine Gael Ard Fheis at the weekend, where Mr Harris made a series of pledges for his leadership in a keynote address on Saturday.

He disagreed with the view that Mr Harris may be straying from the programme for government in his rhetoric.

“My sense is that we’ve a lot to do in the next 12 months,” he said.

“To me, it’s about delivery. And we have made significant progress on housing in terms of 33,000 houses more or less last year. I think we can go to 35,000/36,000 this year, potentially which would be well ahead of the target that was set in Housing for All.”