Harris takes finance post in Irish Cabinet reshuffle

Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris has assumed the position as Finance Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle prompted by a high-profile resignation.

Simon Harris, the leader of Fine Gael, was forced to reshuffle ministerial positions held by his party on Tuesday following the resignation of Paschal Donohoe as minister for finance.

Mr Donohoe said he was “departing from public life in Ireland” to take up the second most senior position in the World Bank, as managing director and chief knowledge officer at the Washington DC-based institution from Monday.

He will also stand down from his position as a Fine Gael TD for Dublin Central this week, requiring a by-election to be held in the constituency.

In a speech at Government Buildings, Mr Donohoe said: “My election to Dail Eireann and the opportunity to serve in the Government of Ireland have been the greatest of honours, for which I will always be grateful to the people of Dublin Central and beyond.

“In more than 20 years of public life, my goal, always, has been to make a difference to our country, for the benefit of our people.”

The 51-year-old has also been president of the Eurogroup body of finance ministers since 2020.

Mr Harris’s old portfolios as minister for foreign affairs and minister for defence will be transferred to Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee, who will become the first woman to hold those positions.

Her appointment comes ahead of Ireland assuming the presidency of the European Council in the second half of this year and amid ongoing work with the UK government on legacy issues in Northern Ireland.

Speaking in the Dail chamber on Tuesday, Mr Harris thanked Mr Donohoe and said: “It is impossible to find words for how much we will miss him as a friend and colleague.

“I can only wish my good friend, Paschal, along with Justine, Oscar and Lucy, every happiness and success in the next chapter of their lives. He should know that we will always be here for him and we will always count him among our friends.”

Addressing the reshuffle in the coalition Government, Mr Harris said he was committed to steering Ireland’s economy at the Department of Finance by continuing investment in infrastructure and delivering increased housing supply.

He added: “For me, economic prosperity and social cohesion go hand in hand. We must manage our public finances responsibly and equitably for our citizens.”

Taoiseach and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin also congratulated Mr Donohoe: “Over the past five years, I have enjoyed working closely with Paschal during some of the most challenging times faced by our country and by the European Union.”

He said the ministerial changes were “being made in the context of a very clear set of priorities which define the work of our term”.

Opposition figures wished Mr Donohoe well on his new role but used the reshuffle as an opportunity to take aim at the record of the Government.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said: “We must confront honestly the record of the Government that he leaves behind, a record not defined by service, not by ambition, but by a relentless commitment to clinging to power at all costs. ”

Mr Donohoe, who has also served as minister for European affairs, minister for transport and minister for public expenditure, delivered the country’s latest Budget on October 7.

He said it was a “privilege” to serve Ireland and said his aim had been to “build a better and fairer Ireland through careful management of our economy and public finances”.

On his new position, he said: “The bank plays a leading role in our world through the development of policies and financial supports that enhance economic resilience and growth for so many.

“I want to make the case for this work and to play a role in making this cooperation as effective as possible. This post is an opportunity to do so and to continue public service, in a different way.”

Elsewhere, Hildegarde Naughton, who had been minister of state for disability, is to become a senior minister and member of Government as she replaces Ms McEntee at the helm of the Department of Education.

Emer Higgins, who had been minister of state for public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment, will take on Ms Naughton’s vacated role and have her own position filled by Frank Feighan who is being elevated to the junior ministerial position.

Mr Donohoe was the third person elected in the four-seat Dublin Central constituency last year, behind Ms McDonald and Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon, and ahead of Labour’s Marie Sherlock who edged ahead of gangland figure Gerry “The Monk” Hutch in the closely-watched final count.

The constituency must now host a by-election within six months.

Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud.

Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016.

A judge of the Special Criminal Court described Mr Hutch as being engaged in “serious criminal conduct”.

A by-election is also due in Galway West after Catherine Connolly left the Dail following her election as President of Ireland.