Fine Gael leader Simon Harris rules out early election
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Simon Harris has ruled out an early election, insisting the coalition will run its full five-year term.
He was speaking in Athlone, where he formally became leader of Fine Gael, paving the way for him to become Taoiseach in just two weeks.
Mr Harris was the sole nominee to succeed Leo Varadkar as Fine Gael leader when the deadline passed at 1pm on Sunday.
Addressing the party for the first time as leader, he committed to "renewal", noting it was a time for Fine Gael as a party, to reset.
He said that it is his intention for the Government to run its full term until next year, giving him a "short window" to implement outstanding parts of the programme for government.
Mr Harris said there was no need for any "mystique" around his intentions and that he wanted the coalition to run its full five years.
With just a year of that term to run, Mr Harris denied that it was a "hospital pass" to become Taoiseach.
He said, however, that he would use the time to press his ministerial team for "priorities" and indicated that Justice Minister Helen McEntee would bring amendments to the controversial hate speech bill, which was on Sunday singled out by party veteran Michael Ring as a sign that Fine Gael had drifted too far to the left.
Mr Harris said that his Government would be one of "equality of opportunity", saying it would have the "moral courage to admit shortcomings".
He said that politics "is not about back-slapping", adding that housing is "a major societal challenge" in which "we have a lot more to do".
"Equality of opportunity is what drives me," he said.
"That's what gets me out of bed early in the morning.
"But I want to check that equality of opportunity is not a hackneyed phrase that a politician says, I want that to be the new litmus test that this party will bring to our policy proposals."
Mr Harris said he has had a "brief conversation" with Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, but looked forward to sitting down with both men in the coming days to nail down cabinet positions.
There will be one open spot at the cabinet table after the resignation of Leo Varadkar and within Fine Gael, and there is a growing belief that European Affairs Minister Peter Burke will be promoted, though there is continued speculation around the future of Simon Coveney.
Mr Coveney is seen as a potential casuality of a reshuffle, but insisted on Sunday that he would like to continue in cabinet and bluntly said that he will run in the next general election.
Mr Harris also said he will speak to the other Fine Gael TDs who have announced plans to not run again to "see if he could assist" with their reasoning.