Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has ruled out doing deals with Independents in exchange for their support in next week’s vote to elect him Taoiseach.
However, the Wicklow TD will hold meetings in the coming week with Independents who have voted with the Government, while warning that those discussions would not be “transactional”.
The Government holds a slim on-paper majority, however its effective majority in confidence votes has been bolstered by support from the ranks of Independents, including some former government TDs.
Speaking at the Fairyhouse races on Easter Monday, Mr Harris said: “I am, of course, engaging with people from across the political spectrum. It’s a statement of fact that a number of independents have, on occasion, supported the Government and have supported the election of the Taoiseach and I want to ascertain from members of the Independent benches, their views in relation to that.”
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Kildare South TD Cathal Berry, Former Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry, former Fine Gael deputy and Donegal TD Joe McHugh, Roscommon-Galway TD Denis Naughten, Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick, Galway West TD Noel Grealish and Tipperary TD Michael Lowry all voted to elect Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach for a second time in 2022.
Mr Harris said they while they would not be transactional meetings, he accepted that politics “is always about listening and being accessible and willing to listen and engage. The Government obviously has a majority in the Dáil. But of course I want to talk to the Independents who have in the past supported the Government to see if they’re minded to do so again.”
Mr MacSharry and Mr McHugh have indicated they will support Mr Harris and the remainder are expected to meet him in the coming days.
A range of other Independents, including Wexford’s Verona Murphy, Donegal’s Thomas Pringle, Clare’s Michael McNamara, Roscommon-Galway’s Michael Fitzmaurice, Sligo-Leitrim’s Marian Harkin and Dublin South Central’s Joan Collins will not vote for Mr Harris.
Mr Harris also expressed concern at the high level of road deaths in Ireland since the start of the year and said he plans to make road safety a key priority with a “very early” meeting with the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Garda once his election to the office is confirmed.
He said the rise in the numbers being detected driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs over the bank holiday weekend was alarming. He warned that a more relaxed attitude by some motorists to driving under the influence posed a “very real risk” of progress made in relation to road safety being reversed.
“In recent days, my office has reached out to the Road Safety Authority and one of the very early meetings I’d be hoping to have in Government is with the RSA, the Garda and others in relation to this matter,” he said.
[ Number of gardaí in road policing down by more than 100 since 2021Opens in new window ]
“I think we are a real risk in this country of seeing a reversal of the very significant progress that has been made over many years in relation to road safety. And this will be a priority issue for me in the days ahead.”
He said he had yet to make any final decisions about who would form part of his Cabinet selection once he is elected taoiseach, as expected, on April 9th.
“These are issues that I’ll think about in the days ahead. For me, the priority right now is on policy and delivery. We have the Fine Gael ardfheis at the weekend and that will be a further opportunity for me to outline to the Irish people some of the areas which I want us to make real progress and I’ll be working with colleagues in the days ahead, to really try and identify and focus in on areas where I think we can deliver for people,” he said.
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