Fine Gael’s Maria Walsh says Harris can deliver

Shrule native and MEP Maria Walsh MEP has said she is ‘excited’ on what Simon Harris can deliver as Taoiseach.

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, is expected to be elected as Taoiseach in the Dáil tomorrow following former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's shock resignation.

Speaking to The Mayo News, the MEP for Midlands North-West believes Simon Harris can make an impact as leader of Fine Gael before the upcoming local and European elections.

“I think his track record, in terms of how he invigorated the higher education system, how we very much turned that on its head and ran with it, how he made monumental changes in terms of his previous health ministries, how he's working with everybody from an inner party side; I'm really excited for him and what he will deliver on,” said the MEP Walsh.

She continued: “We have our party Ardfheis in the University of Galway, so that’s where he will be very much setting out the stall of what he will be focusing on”.

This week, Mayo TD Michael Ring laid it on the line to Harris, saying he has an opportunity and if he doesn’t take it ‘Fine Gael and Simon Harris will pay a big price over the next couple of months if we don’t move back into the role that we always held’.

Ms Walsh said she knows the incoming Taoiseach has made ‘key points’ in terms of law and order, Ireland’s relationship with Europe, and access to education.

“All of those are reaffirming where he stands, but I'm excited to see what he delivers. 

“Again, another Taoiseach, at the age 37, driven by our party, which is fun from a young perspective, I'm certainly excited to see where he takes us,” she concluded.