Simon Harris nominated by Dáil to become Ireland’s 16th Taoiseach

The Fine Gael leader was elected Ireland’s 16th Taoiseach on Tuesday with 88 members of the Dáil voting for the appointment and 69 voting against.

Mr. Harris paid tribute to his immediate predecessor and party colleague as a ‘trailblazer’ in accepting the position.

"Today is a very special day for me,” he told TDs.

He promised to deliver a government ‘committed to public service’ and to bring a ‘new empathy’ to politics.

He is the third Taoiseach elected to the role under the 33rd Dáil, with Deputy Varadkar and Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin rotating in the position for spells under the current term.

Mr. Varadkar, who officially resigned at Áras an Uachtaráin on Monday also served for a time in a caretaker capacity after the 2020 General Election.

The Cavan–Monaghan TD and Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys officially nominated Deputy Harris.

She noted how ‘during the country’s darkest hours’ in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic Mr. Harris played a key role as Minister for Health.

Deputy Humphreys said she was ‘very proud to nominate’ her colleague for the premiership.

Longford-Westmeath TD and Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence Peter Burke said Mr. Harris had provided a ‘calm voice that transcended generations’ during the pandemic.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin paid tribute to the outgoing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar thanking him for his service and saying he was sure he would continue to be an ‘active voice’. This was echoed by Green Party leader Eamon Ryan who pointed to Mr. Varadkar's role during the Brexit and COVID-19 crises.

No alternative nominations for Taoiseach were put forward in the Dáil on Tuesday, however, before the official nomination Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Mac Lochlainn said the lead opposition party would not be supporting the government’s schedule and called for a General Election.

Independent TD Mattie McGrath said an election should be called stating that Deputy Harris was the third Taoiseach to have held the position under the 33rd Dáil and that he would not be supporting the government’s proposal for business.

Deputies Humphreys, Burke, Martin and Ryan all rejected calls for an election, each pointing out that the terms of the Constitution state that a new Taoiseach should be elected by the Dáil and that the term of the 33rd Dáil still has almost a year left to run.

The Leader of Opposition Mary Lou McDonald reiterated Sinn Féin’s call for an immediate General Election.

“Today for the third time in four years you present your choice as Taoiseach, for the third time in four years you change your government,” she said, accusing the government of passing ‘the parcel of the keys of the Taoiseach’s office’.

Labour leader Ivana Bacik described the nomination of a third Taoiseach during one Dail term as ‘unprecedented’ and said her party would not support the appointment of ‘another temporary Taoiseach’. She also called for a General Election.

Social Democrat leader Holly Cairns said Ireland needed a new government. She said her party would not be supporting his nomination.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett said an election should be called.

The 37-year-old father-of-two is the youngest ever Taoiseach.