Simon Harris, the TikTok Taoiseach

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964691#Comment_121964691

AFAIK he announced it on RTE Clare Byrne show in the last hour

Furze99

Coveney sharpening the knives for the post June election results!

prunudo

Wonder is it a vote of no coincidence in Harris or does he just want to get out of dodge. If he runs again in the next GE you'd imagine its a ploy for the future with the view to go for leadership of the party.

amacca

Isnt he (the family) quite wealthy....It wouldnt surprise me if

1) he sees the writing on the wall and wants to distance himself.

2) He has better options in the private sector to go to.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964792#Comment_121964792

Harris has clearly been given the job to be the fall guy for whats to come. He will be lucky to last the year. FF did that before with Cowen, an absolute joke of a choice back in the day.

Once things get to the bottom Harris will be fired and the rebuilding will begin.

Beechwoodspark

Ivan Yates was on a podcast lately and said Coveney has had a job offer from Google - we shall see.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964776#Comment_121964776

not if he’s said he’s not running in next election he’s not - no point in ending your career on a low which would be the case if he’s part of this catastrophe about to happen

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964792#Comment_121964792

 If he runs again in the next GE you'd imagine its a ploy for the future with the view to go for leadership of the party.

But if that's his intention would he have left an uncertainty over whether he was going to run in the next election? If a politician is setting himself up as "the prince across the water" surely he's got to make it clear to potential supporters that he's still hungry for the top job…

Floppybits

I thought Coveney did a good job on brexit and gave good leadership and guidance on it but outside of that he has largely been anonymous. He had his Harris moment or maybe Harris had his Coveney moment when Coveney said in the Dàil that he would end homelessness and then moved out of the office.

Thought he was screwed over by is parliamentary party colleagues in the leadership contest with Varadkar. Can't see him running in the GE unless promised something substantial.

prunudo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964986#Comment_121964986

Yes also true, I was thinking distancing himself from the shitshow ahead. Probably in reality though, he' just fed up and will step down completely.

Oscar_Madison

I get the feeling that the current cabinet would all like to be somewhere else right now.

Looking at lunchtime news virgin media, they haven’t confirmed he’ll stand down after next election so clearly he’s leaving the door open at this stage - I’d say he’ll await this next leadership incarnation to see how it goes but a very strange move to excuse yourself from a cabinet post but not announce your retirement from the Dail after next election.

hoodie6029

Is anyone planning to film a lettuce for the duration of Harris’ leadership to see which lasts longer, a la Liz Truss? With Coveney departing the cabinet and nearly 20 TD’s not running again, he can’t have long in the job.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964911#Comment_121964911

That would be poor form considering all the guff we heard this morning.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965291#Comment_121965291

The main reason for Truss's departure being that was the bonkers budget and total loss of market confidence.

That isn't going to be repeated here - the economy isn't in the near flatline state the UKs is; and there is plenty of headroom to spend, cut taxes or both to provide a bit of support here and there and hope it works - e.g. I suspect 9% restaurant VAT is back on the cards within weeks.

If he survives any internal heave after the June elections; he can go til the very last day of the term if he wants; and could still end up as a rotating Taoiseach in a new coalition too - the party have to know they're going to take a thumping (both in the locals/euros and the GE), and the large number of added seats (GE only) next time out makes it possible to have quite a slide without losing too many TDs.

hotmail.com

Simon Coveney seemed to be the most miserable politician in the country.

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964300#Comment_121964300

The reason for her silence when the Tubs scandal became public knowledge is indicated in this article from last year.

https://extra.ie/2023/08/26/news/media-minister-low-profile-rte-crisis

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965560#Comment_121965560

I actually thought up till the "Zappone" fiasco that he was one of the better politicians we had. After he just seems to have gone into the background.

I think he would have been a better leader than Varadkar and I don't think FG would be in the mess it is in if he had of been the leader.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965569#Comment_121965569

I don't buy that for a minute. She was missing since May 2023. Then in a panic she fires the chair on national TV for a minor issue that she was informed about.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965560#Comment_121965560

I think a lot of FG TDs are miserable right now - the mass exedous of current TDs giving up their seats in next election shows that there’s a lot of negativity towards the future right now - with housing and health both in a massive mess it’s not a good time to be a TD

keeponhurling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965584#Comment_121965584

I'd agree with this.

We don't know his next step, so can only speculate.

But if he is stepping down to go to the private sector, it's not a great sign in terms of attracting or retaining bright people within politics - regardless of party affiliation.

CorkRed93

between himself and LV standing down do we expect any scandal to break soon? coveney + donohue were the two best TDs in FG. Harris is a real loser, they've managed to put someone even more unlikable than leo in charge this time. A political party that hasnt any clue on what it should be.

bloopy

How many TDs are gone now for the next election?

political analyst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964297#Comment_121964297

A change in the law is a change in the law.

When a suicide has taken place, gardaí inform the deceased's family. McEntee's dad took his own life. Calling for her resignation after an attack on a US tourist in Dublin is like saying that there's no room for empathy in politics.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965569#Comment_121965569

Can you also explain the complete invisibility in her primary role - Minister for Tourism??

AlanG

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965017#Comment_121965017

Covney has a reputation as the hardest worker in the cabinet. While he was working to at least try and make the country better Harris and Varadker spent too much of their time in cabinet traveling around the country working on their leadership bids with TDs and local reps. It worked for them but not for Ireland.

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965715#Comment_121965715

What are you on about?!

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965740#Comment_121965740

He did seem decent and always looked to be on top of his brief. He was good on Brexit and I think a couple of his party colleagues rode his coat tails on that. He came across very Statesman like than any of the others especially when comparing him to Varadkar and Harris. I just cannot take Harris seriously as a leader, Humphries, Coveney and even Donohue I can but not Harris.

I was going to say that maybe his working hard on his briefs cost him because he wasn't getting out there like Harris and Varadkar but then Coveney was the one that got the most votes in the leadership contest with Varadkar from the grass roots so the grass roots preferred him, just seems to be his parliamentary colleagues that didn't rate him or didn't like him or maybe even feared him.

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965693#Comment_121965693

11 according to this article- one third of current TDs - that’s a frightening thought considering government are probably going to get a wake up call in next election - whatever about hard working local TDs surviving it would be very hard for a fresh faced newbie to get elected on a FG ticket in the next general election

https://www.thejournal.ie/nine-fine-gael-tds-not-standing-next-general-election-6298155-Mar2024/

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965867#Comment_121965867

How many FF TD's didn't run for election in 2011, they had something similar? If they think they are doing such a great job then why are they so afraid of facing the electorate? Surely they can stand on their record in government?

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965953#Comment_121965953

yeah something does stink alright - even tv appearances during the leadership election you just got the feeling all was not well - guarded statements- lots a “family priorities” preventing them from wanting the leadership “at this time” 😀- the TDs going themselves probably feel no matter how hard they work it’s only going to get tougher so quit whilst ahead and become a “consultant” .

It’s throwing in the towel sort of level of resignation TBH- I think FG would be quite happy if SF got into government with FF after the next election - I don’t really see any determinism or hunger to stay in power here at all