Simon Harris, the TikTok Taoiseach

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123292747#Comment_123292747

That’s perfectly fine Mr P.

Danye

I see Blue Hugh O’Connell shadowing the inept Tanaiste as he’s now his spokesperson.

Is this a new appointment?

Cluedo Monopoly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305726#Comment_123305726

In the last Dail the 3 party leaders had 17 special advisors at huge cost.

Maybe they should have looked at that situation instead of halving Taoiseach Questions time or giving Lowry and Healy Rae a special pro government speaking slot.

Danye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305820#Comment_123305820

I think it shows the friendly relationships Irish journalists have with politicians.

Francie Barrett

https://archive.is/UAqvB

Only on one previous occasion, in February 1994, did Fine Gael go as low as 16% in an Irish Times/Ipsos B&A poll

Fine Gael is struggling to capture the interest of younger voters, with just 7 per cent support among the under 35s.

It looks like the Tik Tok thing isn't really working for Simon Harris.

https://www.businesspost.ie/analysis-opinion/shane-coleman-carroll-macneills-stock-on-rise-with-taoiseachs-office-in-her-sights/

The second such article in as many days touting a successor to the Fine Gael leadership. It looks like the establishment are trying to pave the way for a heave against Harris.

Photobox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123371433#Comment_123371433

Good

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123371448#Comment_123371448

fg to Brass still wakes up in a cold sweat about taking out John Bruton in favour of Michael noonan over the formers poor opinion poll ratings. No way will they pull that move again unless Harris is flatlining for a year or more..,

Bitcoin

Harris is complete coward and I am not surprised his approval ratings have collapsed with young people. The Israeli's are conducting a genocide in Gaza, but he still refuses to pass the Occupied Territories Bill and runs defence for the Zionist regime.

He's a spineless human being that I have no respect for.

Beechwoodspark

Harris is a typical over promise and under deliver type.

He “rushes” from issue to issue, promising the divil and all, then goes to the next trending topic, leaving all in his dust.

His problem now is that He’s been “found out” by middle Ireland.

Francie Barrett

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123372782#Comment_123372782

I think this is probably right.

Ultimately, I think he's left-leaning populist.

One day he's gunning for Trump, the next day he's as timid as a mouse.

Same goes for Gaza. He's all for the Palestinians, until he realises the corner he's painted himself (and the country as well) and then he's quiet again.

Before the election himself and Helen McEntee were open borders, now we have FF pretending to be the hard men against immigration and he's quiet again.

What's Simon Harris' position on these issues?

Does he even have a position, or is he waiting for what he thinks public opinion is before making his choice?

_Kaiser_

Harris is from the same school as Varadkar - lots of noise but very little delivery.

This is a lad who knows of nothing outside of the FG party apparatus. No skills, no qualifications, no experience.

Is anyone really THAT surprised?

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123373905#Comment_123373905

Must be our least educated Taoiseach, was it first year he quit college?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378629#Comment_123378629

Berties claimed college qualification was fictional.

Floppybits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378629#Comment_123378629

I think more of life experiences is desirable in a leader more so than what degrees he may hold. Look at Varadkar, who was a qualified Dr and as @_Kaiser_ said "lots of noise but very little delivery." I find people who have held down jobs and worked hard to get where they are, are better than some of the most educated people.

Harris like is deputy leader McEntee are lacking life skills, they have never had to struggle to get by, it's been all too easy for them so they have no understanding of the struggles that people have at the moment living in this country. When I hear Harris talk all I can think of are the 2 lads in the Barry's Tea ad, nothing but "All talk".

Brendan Bendar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378961#Comment_123378961

To say they have no understanding of some peoples struggles is a bit rich, I would suggest ?

Danye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123379819#Comment_123379819

I think the poster might mean financial / career issues rather than life issues, although I may be wrong. I’m sure the poster will clarify.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123379819#Comment_123379819

They don't. Harris as I said has spent his adult life in FG. Nothing outside of it. This was badly exposed in that encounter in the shop during the election campaign.

As for McEntee. Elected on a sympathy vote and easily the worst justice minister in decades. The woman who paraded around Dublin City Centre with a Garda escort proclaiming nothing to see here. Don't even get me started on the immigration debacle she presided over, or how she devalued Irish citizenship to be equivalent to a cereal box prize in her ceremonies every couple of months.

This lack of experience or even just maturity has really shown itself for the liability it is in the last decade.

Flying Dominos

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123383457#Comment_123383457

Both come from the same windsock school of politics as Varadkar. All spin and pre-rehearsed soundbites with no substance.

At least both of them are very experienced in the use of the phrase "Let me very clear".

I also love the get out of jail free card "I can't comment on individual cases".

Bogey Lowenstein

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123383457#Comment_123383457

I saw another one where an old man was talking about the housing crisis being caused by FF and FG and Harris was hopeless. He cannot talk to people one to one off the cuff like a good politician should be able to. He always pulls the same move as well: he says something like 'right, we don't see eye to eye' while sticking his hand out for a handshake and then runs away.

Danye

He’s on the LLS tonight.

I was once a fan but I can’t listen to him much longer. Soundbites and populist politics. A man with no substance who has FAILED in all posts.

I don’t think I’m the only one seeing / thinking this? Even the FG head honchos must be seeing this. Surely a heave against him soon? He definitely won’t be leading them into the next GE.

Bogey Lowenstein

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123412722#Comment_123412722

I have a sinking feeling, when he goes the reins will be handed to McEntee and that is when the **** will really hit the fan.

jmcc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123412752#Comment_123412752

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill might be the next leader of FG. McEntee, like Harris, was a Varadkar appointee and was not successful in Justice. Harris had the chance to demote her and did not take it. The two have failed upwards and now FF is overtaking FG in the opinion polls (FG on a historic low of 16% in the most recent Irish Times/Ipsos-B&A poll) and the worry for FGers is that FF is taking FG support because FF is seen as a grown-up party. Paschal Donohoe is another potential replacement for Harris. It might take a few more bad opinion polls to kick off a leadership contest in FG.

Regards…jmcc