Simon Harris

Simon Harris (born 17 October 1986) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been the Tánaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence since January 2025. He was the  Taoiseach from 2024 to 2025. He has also been the Leader of Fine Gael since 2024. At age 37, he is the youngest person to become Taoiseach.

Before becoming Taoiseach, he was a minister in the government of Ireland from 2016 until 2024. He was the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science from 2020 until his election as Fine Gael leader. He has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Wicklow constituency since 2011. Harris was a Minister of State from 2014 to 2016.

Early life
Harris was born in Greystones, County Wicklow, in 1986, to Bart and Mary Harris.

Harris studied at St. David's Holy Faith Secondary School, in Greystones. He first became involved in local politics as a fifteen-year-old when he created the North Wicklow Triple A Alliance to help the families of children with autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit disorder. Harris was a member of Fianna Fáil at first, but later joined Fine Gael.

Harris studied journalism and French, at the Dublin Institute of Technology, but dropped out in first year.

Political career
Harris was elected to Dáil Éireann in 2011, taking the third seat in the Wicklow constituency. As the youngest deputy in the 31st Dáil, he was selected by Fine Gael to nominate Enda Kenny for Taoiseach.

Harris ran unsuccessfully as a Fine Gael candidate in the South constituency at the 2014 European Parliament election.

Harris was promoted to the position of Minister of State at the Department of Finance in 2014. In May 2016, Harris was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for Health. On the formation of the coalition government in June 2020, Harris was appointed as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. From 2022 to 2023, he was Minister for Justice.

Fine Gael leadership
In March 2024, Leo Varadkar resigned as leader of Fine Gael, causing a leadership election. Varadkar said that he would also resign as Taoiseach after the election of the new Fine Gael leader. 

More than half of the Fine Gael parliamentary party had announced their support for Harris to be the next leader and all other cabinet ministers had ruled themselves out of the contest. Harris confirmed his plan to run for Fine Gael leader on 21 March 2024. Harris was the only candidate, and he was confirmed as leader at the party's meeting in Athlone the same day. 

Taoiseach
Harris became the 16th Taoiseach on 9 April 2024. He received his appointment as Taoiseach by President Michael D. Higgins shortly afterwards as the youngest in the history of the state.

One of his government's first decisions was the recognition of a Palestinian state on 28 May 2024.

Harris was re-elected to the Dáil on the first count during the 2024 general election. He resigned as Taoiseach on 18 December, on the morning of first meeting of the 34th Dáil. He and the other members of the government will continue to carry out their duties until the appointment of their successors. He was picked as Tánaiste in January 2025.

Personal life
In 2017, he married Caoimhe Wade, a nurse. They have one daughter and one son. Harris has Crohn's disease, but has said it has little impact on his day-to-day life.

References

Other websites

Simon Harris's page on the Fine Gael website

Category:1986 births
Category:Living people
Category:Politicians from County Wicklow
Category:Members of Fine Gael
Category:Health activists
Category:Irish activists
Category:Government ministers of Ireland
Category:Members of Dáil Éireann
Category:Taoisigh of Ireland
Category:Current national leaders
Category:People with Crohn's disease