Harris calls focus on call to O’Donovan “bizarre”

Tánaiste Simon Harris has described the attention given to a phone call he made to Culture Minister Patrick O’Donovan as “bizarre”.

Harris confirmed he phoned O’Donovan at an EU telecommunications ministers’ meeting shortly before the minister fell ill, and rejected suggestions the call was contentious. O’Donovan had earlier criticised an anonymous briefing in a Sunday newspaper that implied Harris would remove him from office over health concerns, calling the comments “the ultimate betrayal”.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s “Today With Claire Brock”, Harris said he had a “duty of care” to O’Donovan as his party leader and that the call was routine. He noted, “I did speak to Patrick on Tuesday. I also spoke to Patrick on many other days. I speak to Patrick lots of days,” describing the minister as a good colleague and long‑time friend.

Harris, who was on paternity leave, said Fine Gael issued a statement, in consultation with the minister’s family, to convey best wishes. He added that the priority is O’Donovan’s recovery and that he looks forward to welcoming him back to government when medically fit.

The Tánaiste said he was “annoyed” by the anonymous briefing, which he said caused “significant hurt” to O’Donovan, and affirmed that Fine Gael’s parliamentary party remains united. He declined to launch an investigation into the briefing and denied that O’Donovan had undertaken a “solo run” by allocating €20 million less to RTÉ than originally agreed.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Joaquin Carfagna / Pexels.