Simon Harris

Taoiseach since 2024

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January 23 2025 Harris and the previous government continued to carry out duties until their successors were officially appointed.
January 2025 Begins serving as Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence.
2024 Simon Harris received his appointment as Taoiseach from President Michael D. Higgins, becoming the youngest Taoiseach in the history of the state.
December 18 2024 Simon Harris resigned as Taoiseach during the first meeting of the 34th Dáil, though he and the other members of the government continued to fulfill their duties until their successors were appointed.
November 29 2024 Harris was re-elected to the Dáil on the first count in the general election.
November 22 2024 During the final weekend of the campaign, Simon Harris had an emotional exchange with Charlotte Fallon, a carer from St Joseph's Foundation, in Kanturk, where he faced criticism for his dismissive response regarding the government's treatment of carers and people with disabilities.
November 8 2024 Simon Harris sought a dissolution of the 33rd Dáil after returning from a European Council meeting in Hungary, which was granted by President Michael D. Higgins, leading to a scheduled general election for 29 November.
September 2024 Harris defended his statements linking homelessness and migration, asserting that the primary source of homelessness in Dublin was leaving direct provision.
May 28 2024 Ireland announced the recognition of a Palestinian state, which Harris referred to as an 'important and historic' move.
April 2024 Harris stated that Ireland would not provide a 'loophole' for immigration issues, following an increase in asylum seekers from the UK due to the Rwanda asylum plan.
April 9 2024 The Dáil reconvened after the Easter recess, during which Simon Harris was forwarded for the nomination of Taoiseach.
April 9 2024 Harris was appointed Taoiseach at age 37, becoming the youngest holder of the office in the state's history.
April 9 2024 Simon Harris was nominated by the Dáil as Taoiseach by a vote of 88 to 69, following the resignation of Varadkar.
April 8 2024 Leo Varadkar tendered his resignation as Taoiseach to the President.
March 24 2024 Simon Harris was the only candidate for Fine Gael leader when the deadline for nominations was reached and was confirmed as leader at the party's meeting in Athlone.
March 21 2024 Simon Harris confirmed his intention to run for Fine Gael leader during the evening news.
March 20 2024 Leo Varadkar resigned as leader of Fine Gael, triggering a leadership election.
2023 Harris condemned the Hamas-led attack on Israel and criticized Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip, advocating for international law and human rights.
June 2023 Concludes temporary role as Minister for Justice.
December 2022 Begins serving as Minister for Justice during Helen McEntee's maternity leave.
December 17 2022 Following Leo Varadkar's appointment as Taoiseach, Simon Harris was re-appointed as Fine Gael Director of Elections and temporarily took on the role of Minister for Justice during the maternity leave of Helen McEntee.
May 2022 Simon Harris published 'Funding our Future', a new policy aimed at sustainably funding higher education and reducing the cost of third-level education for students and families.
2021 Harris served as the Fine Gael Director of Elections for councillor James Geoghegan's campaign in the 2021 Dublin Bay South by-election.
2020 During the COVID-19 pandemic, Simon Harris used Instagram for live streams as Minister of Health, engaging with the public by taking questions.
June 27 2020 Simon Harris was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, leading a new department in the government led by Micheál Martin.
March 20 2020 Simon Harris introduced the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, emergency legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which was enacted on this date.
February 20 2019 Simon Harris survived a motion of no-confidence regarding his management of the rising costs of the National Children's Hospital, which exceeded €2 billion. The motion was defeated by a vote of 58 to 53, with 37 members abstaining.
2018 Simon Harris was the minister responsible for the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution, which was approved in a referendum, removing the constitutional ban on abortion in Ireland.
2018 Simon Harris introduced the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, which permitted abortion under specified circumstances.
2018 Simon Harris intervened in the case of an 8-year-old Chinese boy born in Dublin, who was facing deportation. Following Harris's appeal to the Department of Justice, the boy was allowed to remain in Ireland.
April 26 2018 The HSE confirmed that 206 women developed cervical cancer after having a screening test which was later deemed potentially inaccurate. Simon Harris faced criticism for his handling of the scandal.
2017 Harris faced controversy over the ownership of the National Maternity Hospital by the Sisters of Charity, which led to the resignations of Peter Boylan and Chris Fitzpatrick from the hospital's board.
2017 Simon Harris married Caoimhe Wade, a cardiac nurse, at St Patrick's Church in Kilquade.
June 2017 Harris was re-appointed as Minister for Health when Leo Varadkar succeeded Enda Kenny as Taoiseach.
2016 Harris contributed to the 'A Healthy Weight for Ireland – Obesity Policy and Action Plan 2016–2025', a government policy aimed at reducing levels of overweight and obesity in Ireland.
May 6 2016 Simon Harris was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for Health.
2015 During the winter of 2015 and 2016, Simon Harris was involved in managing flood relief efforts and had to address accusations regarding unspent budget allocations for flood relief works.
2014 Harris ran unsuccessfully as a Fine Gael candidate in the South constituency at the European Parliament election.
July 15 2014 Simon Harris was appointed as Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, Public Procurement, and International Banking.
June 2013 Harris introduced the Mental Health (Anti-Discrimination) Bill 2013 in June 2013.
2011 Harris was elected to Dáil Éireann at the general election, becoming the 'baby of the Dáil' at age 24.

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