*Senator Martin Conway pictured with Simon Harris and Leo Varadkar while campaigning in Dublin in 2021.
CLARE SENATOR, Martin Conway (FG) has backed Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris (FG) to become the next Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.
Following Leo Varadkar’s (FG) shock resignation as Taoiseach and leader of the party, the race to find his successor is well and truly underway with Minister Harris leading the pack.
Two of the front-runners, Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee (FG) and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney (FG) have confirmed they will not be putting their names forward.
An hour before nominations for the leadership opened on Thursday morning at 10am, Minister Harris passed the threshold to stand as a candidate. The window for nominations closes at 1pm on Monday.
There are 53 members (TDs/Senators/MEPs) of the Fine Gael parliamentary party which collectively accounts for 65% of the vote in the leadership race. Every endorsement is therefore worth 1.2% of the total outcome.
Senator Conway had committed to making a decision quickly when it came to who he supported. “The people should know where I stand and who I vote for,” the Ennistymon man told The Clare Echo.
On Thursday morning, Senator Conway declared that he was supporting Harris. “Today we move to electing a new leader. For me Simon Harris is that person with his endless energy, empathy and vision. Record of delivery at the most difficult times for our country. His lifelong advocacy and experience for people with disabilities is key part of my support”.
Public declarations of support for Harris have come from Minister Neale Richmond, TDs Emer Higgins, Brendan Griffin and Frank Feighan, senators Barry Ward, John McGahon, Tim Lombard and Mary Seery Kearney, and MEPs Maria Walsh and Frances Fitzgerald.
