Between 1,500 and 2,000 Fine Gael members are expected to gather at the party’s ardfheis in Galway where Simon Harris will deliver his first address as their new leader. Here are seven hot topics set to be the focus of discussion among delegates.
The TikTok taoiseach
Wicklow TD Simon Harris is known for his social media prowess with 1.8 million likes and almost 96,000 followers on TikTok alone. Fine Gaelers will very much be hoping that the new leader’s undoubted communication skills will translate to votes for their party, not just in June’s local and European elections but the big one: the general election, which must be held within the next year. Mr Harris will deliver his keynote address on Saturday evening where he will set out his vision for the country and his party.
‘Back to Basics’
Harris has already signalled a renewed focus on Fine Gael bread and butter issues like law and order and support for small businesses and farmers. Expect much talk of tougher sentencing and bodycams for gardaí in the criminal justice sphere but also discussion of tax cuts and reducing the cost of childcare. There will undoubtedly be swipes at Sinn Féin — always very popular among the Fine Gael rank and file.
Shuffling the decks
Harris has up to five vacancies to fill, two in Cabinet and up to three in the ranks of junior ministers. His own Department of Higher Education will need a new minister once, as expected, he becomes taoiseach in Tuesday’s Dáil vote. Minister for Enterprise Simon Coveney’s bowing out of Cabinet contention has offered Harris slightly more scope to refresh Fine Gael’s team. Competition is fierce. Junior Ministers Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath), Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire), Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown), Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West) and Patrick O’Donovan (Limerick County) are all believed to be in contention.
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Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys — who has been appointed Fine Gael deputy leader — and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe are considered “safe” to stay in their roles. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, who has expressed a wish to remain in her brief and defended her record, is viewed as vulnerable to being moved due to issues in the justice sphere like the stalled hate speech legislation. She is highly unlikely to be dropped from Cabinet outright. Backbenchers mentioned for possible elevation to junior minister roles include Mayo’s Alan Dillon, Dublin Mid-West TD Emer Higgins and Cork North-Central TD Colm Burke. Harris will have to factor in experience, talent and perhaps geography in making his decisions which will leave a handful of TDs very happy, and more disappointed.
Looming elections
June’s local and European elections are on the horizon and the party has now selected well over 300 candidates as it seeks to build on the 255 council seats won in 2019. Fine Gael is the second-largest party in local government after Fianna Fáil; maximising the party’s vote will be among the first big challenges for Harris. So too will be retaining its five seats in the European Parliament. TV star and former jockey Nina Carberry has been announced as a high-profile candidate in Midlands North-West to run alongside sitting MEP Maria Walsh. Both are likely to feature heavily at the event in the constituency’s biggest urban area. The party has scheduled sessions on print and design for candidates and “election compliance” in areas like spending and donations.
Whither Varadkar and Coveney?
While Leo Varadkar has resigned as Fine Gael leader and will depart office as Taoiseach on Tuesday he has not confirmed whether or not he will run in the next general election. Similarly, Coveney has said he will not rush a decision on his election intentions. The question of whether they will join the exodus of Fine Gael TDs from frontline politics (12 elected in 2020 will not run at the next election) will be a topic of much speculation.
Debates and motions
There are the guts of 200 motions due to be debated across more than 20 sessions with titles like “Putting Money Back in Your Pocket” and “Safer Streets Across Ireland”. Some motions you would expect like those on tax cuts, more garda presence, immigration and housing. There are also many on wide-ranging topics from a proposal to grant every newborn citizen a €100 allowance to a suggestion that disposable vapes should be banned and a call for “Fine Gael in Government to provide lethal military aid to Ukraine”. Do not expect some of the wilder motions to be passed.
The weather
Far from the sunny skies Harris may wish to have for his first ardfheis as leader, Storm Kathleen is expected to batter Galway for most of the day on Saturday. The Orange weather warning could deter some members from travelling. But for those intrepid enough to make the trip it will likely be the non-political topic dominating their catch-up chats.
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