Simon Harris, the leader of Ireland, was born in 1986 and grew up in Greystones, County Wicklow. He studied at St. David’s Holy Faith Secondary School in Greystones. He was involved in local politics when he was only fifteen years old. He set up the North Wicklow Triple Alliance to help families with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD). He has had a long journey in politics since his teenage years.
The news of Leo’s resignation became a plus point for Simon Harris
Leo Varadkar stepped down as leader of Fine Gael on 20 March 2024, triggering a leadership election. Varadkar pointed out that he would also resign as Irish Prime Minister upon the election of the new Fine Gael Director. Nominations opened at 10 a.m. on 21 March 2024. By that afternoon, over half of the Fine Gael parliamentary party had announced their support for Harris to be the next leader, and all other cabinet ministers had ruled themselves out of the contest.
Simon Harris focused on achieving the seat of Fine Gael leader on the evening of 21 March 2024 on Six One News. When the due date for nominations was attained on 24 March 2024, Harris was the singular nominee, and he was verified as leader at the party’s meeting in Athlone within 24 hours. Both other administration groups have suggested that they aspire the government to run its entire period; nevertheless, with a change of leadership, Harris will almost certainly become Ireland’s prime minister.
Simon Harris will become Ireland’s youngest prime minister after the leadership battle in his Fine Gael party ended without any other nominee coming forward. The leadership became unfilled after the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, declared his shock surrender “for personal and political reasons” last week. Simon Harris, 37, the higher education minister, was the only applicant when nominations closed at 1 pm on Sunday. Still, he will not become taoiseach until 9 April when the Irish parliament, the Dáil, restarts after its Easter break.
Simon Harris’s speech after winning the election
Speaking to party officials, Mr. Simon Harris said he would repay the faith placed in him with hard work.
He added: “With great effort steadily.”
“With liability, with humbleness, and with courtesy.”
On Sunday, he summarized his authority preference at a selection convention in Athlone, County Westmeath, to select party nominees for the June European parliament elections. Harris said he required the moderate Fine Gael – which governs with associate moderates Fianna Fáil and the Green party – to return to focus values, including making work pay, being strong on law and order, and backing farmers.
“Fine Gael supports and empowers local businesses across the country, from one end of the coast to the other. Fine Gael stands for making work pay and ensuring we are worth work, and we value people who go to work.”
Simon Harris thanked his family and honored his parents, wife Caoimhe, and children, Saoirse and Cillian.