Harris denies Fine Gael attempted to influence RTÉ on interaction with carer

Vivienne Clarke

Taoiseach Simon Harris has denied that contact by the Fine Gael party with RTÉ was an attempt to influence how the broadcaster handled a video clip of an interaction between Mr Harris and an upset carer.

Mr Harris told the Joe Finnegan show on Shannonside and Northern Sound radio stations that the media interest in the interaction had been an opportunity for him to expound on Fine Gael’s policy on carers and around disability services.

It had been “entirely appropriate” for the clip to be broadcast as it had been “a very important interaction on the campaign trail.”

“I put my hands up and owned my mistake. But if anything good can come from this, and I really hope it can, it is that, thankfully, now we are talking about issues in relation to carers and disability and, for what it's worth, these are the issues that brought me into politics, watching my own mother cry with frustration at the lack of services.”

Mr Harris said it was his understanding that Fine Gael had contacted RTÉ to offer a statement in relation to the incident and to offer further details.

“Which is exactly what would happen when RTE are covering any story or indeed Shannonside are covering any story, we'd obviously offer information, and that's an entirely appropriate and normal thing to do in any sort of political media coverage.”