Harris' 100 days as Taoiseach: Huge energy, migration challenge, and big election decision

James Cox

On Thursday, July 18th, Taoiseach Simon Harris will have completed 100 days in office.

Mr Harris was labelled the 'TikTok Taoiseach' by critics after he succeeded Leo Varadkar, but he has matched his prolific social media presence with a huge work rate.

'New energy'

When Mr Harris took over, he promised he would bring a "new energy" to the office.

While this may seem like a typical politicians' promise, he has lived up to that billing.

He starts his days most days by 7am and regularly works late into the evening, while hopping all over the country to meet colleagues, constituents and attend official events.

Taking ownership of migration issue

While Mr Varadkar was at the forefront of most issues in his first term, some had accused him of distancing himself from difficult areas like migration towards the end of his tenure.

Mr Harris moved immediately to take hold of the migration issue as Taoiseach.

The clearing of the tent encampment outside the International Protection Office on Dublin's Mount Street was only a quick fix as tents sprang back up along the Grand Canal.

The steel barriers in place along the Canal show the issue is far from handled.

However, opinion polls which show a slump in support for Sinn Féin, with many citing inconsistencies in their policy on migration, appears people are more satisfied with the Government's attempts to handle the issue now.

Recognition of Palestine

The Taoiseach was at the centre of Ireland's recongition of Palestinian statehood, which made international news.

While a lot of the work in the process had already been done by his predecessor Varadkar and Coalition partner, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, Mr Harris still deserves a lot of the credit.

Defence Forces comments

Mr Harris "threw the Defence Forces under the bus" with his comments after a serving soldier was sentenced for the assault of a woman in Limerick, according to an employment lawyer and former army officer.

Cathal Crotty pleaded guilty to assaulting Natasha O’Brien in 2022, and was handed a fully suspended sentence, prompting public outcry.

Following the case, the Taoiseach said: “There are people in the Defence Forces who clearly knew this was happening, why did they do nothing? These are very serious questions and as Taoiseach I am not satisfied in relation to this, I am not satisfied at all.”

Barry Crushell is an employment law solicitor and former army officer, who served with the United Nations on multiple deployments.

In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, Mr Crushell pointed out that regulations prevent the Defence Forces from taking action against an individual before the criminal/civil courts before a case has concluded.

With this in mind, he argued that the criticism from Mr Harris and other politicians was unfair.

"The outcry, in particular from Harris, has not gone down well within the Defence Forces or among its former members. It feels as if Harris deliberately threw the Defence Forces under the bus.

"He will be well aware the Defence Forces has no power to suspend Crotty. The Defence Forces could not intervene at an earlier stage because to do so might have prejudiced the criminal case."

Anglo-Irish relations

Mr Harris stood firm when former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak claimed an influx of migrants crossing into the Republic from Northern Ireland was a sign of the infamous Rwanda deportation scheme working.

After Labour's landslide victory in the UK general election the scheme has been scrapped.

Mr Harris is due to travel to Downing Street to meet the new prime minister Keir Starmer soon, and he has expressed hopes of

Coalition tensions

Some sources have indicated Fianna Fáil TDs are unhappy at what they perceive to be Mr Harris taking credit for all of Government's achievements, but this is inevitable in a three-party coalition government.

However, Mr Harris' relationship with Mr Martin is understood to be solid.

General election timing?

While Mr Harris and Mr Martin continue to insist the Government will serve its full term to March 2025, this is unlikely.

This would mean fighting five by-elections, which would give Sinn Féin a chance to regain momentum.

Behind the scenes, the Government holding its own in the local and European elections, and Sinn Féin underperforming, is understood to have shifted thinking on an autumn general election.

In an interview with BreakingNews.ie, former minister for agriculture Ivan Yates suggested November 15th as the most likely general election date.

Mr Harris' decision, which will be made with Mr Martin and new Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman, could be the defining moment in his leadership.

Past taoisigh have not recovered after choosing the wrong time, while Mr Harris could end up in power again if he plays his cards wisely.