Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris has said he does not think a €430,000 salary is suitable for the head of the new Housing Activation Office, stressing that “we have to get this right”, reports RTE.
Speaking on RTÉ’s The Late Late Show, Mr Harris addressed the issue after NAMA CEO Brendan McDonagh—previously tipped for the position and potentially able to retain his current salary—confirmed he no longer wants the role.
When asked if the €430,000 salary figure is appropriate for a role focused on reforming housing to help those priced out of the market, Mr Harris responded: “I don’t”, reports RTE.
However, he emphasised, “this isn’t about any one person”, and added, “I think what’s most important is we get the skillset right”, reports RTE.
Mr Harris clarified that the Government intends to set up “an office”, rather than appoint a housing ‘tsar’, and said it’s essential the Government finds the right approach to address housing “for the next generation”.
When asked whether he “blocked” Mr McDonagh’s potential appointment during a leaders’ meeting on Monday, he said: “I don’t like the word block, I just didn’t think it was a particularly good idea”, reports RTE.
Mr Harris explained he needed time to “think it [the potential appointment] through”, and that once he did, “the Taoiseach agreed with me”.
He said the Housing Activation Office is intended to “break down the silos” and “knock heads together”—referring to coordination between various public sector entities involved in housing, reports RTE.
Responding to criticism from the opposition, he said: “They would say that, pot shots on the Friday before a bank holiday weekend”.
Asked whether the controversy could discourage officials from taking the role, Mr Harris replied: “Oh, I think there’s lots of people out there who want to play a role.”
Mr Harris also revisited an incident involving disability care worker Charlotte Fallon during the general election campaign, saying he has “kicked himself very hard” over it, reports RTE.
Last November, he issued a public apology after walking away from Ms Fallon during a visit to north Cork. She had approached him with concerns about disability services and pay, as captured in RTÉ News footage.
He apologised the following day, and now says: “you can imagine I’ve thought about this so many times”.
Mr Harris admitted the issue has stuck with him because “there isn’t an issue I care more about than disability”, reports RTE.
While he did not offer excuses, he reflected: “it was a long day, I was a bit burned out that day”, and stressed the importance of learning from mistakes.
On the general election that followed, Mr Harris said the party’s performance was “worse” than projected two weeks before the incident, but “better” than predictions from six months earlier, reports RTE.
He noted that “everybody goes into elections hoping to win,” and said he believes Fine Gael is “in a reasonably good place”.
Mr Harris said he is “committed absolutely” to advancing the long-delayed Occupied Territories Bill and will meet with Independent Senator Frances Black, who introduced the bill, next week.
He confirmed the Government will introduce legislation and that the coalition will provide “a further update on the timeline for that next week”, reports RTE.
He acknowledged the delays, which some critics attribute to concerns about international ramifications for Ireland.
However, he defended the Government’s approach, saying it is aimed at ensuring the bill stands up to legal scrutiny: “I’m not going to do something that’s just to be seen to be doing something”, reports RTE.
He reiterated plans to meet Senator Black to continue discussions and said Ireland “is going to have to do more” regarding Palestine.
Referring to the situation in Gaza, Mr Harris said: “we’re watching children in Gaza being starved” and described the actions of Israeli defence forces there as “unconscionable”, while also condemning Hamas as “despicable” and calling for the release of all hostages, reports RTE.
When asked separately about former US President Donald Trump’s first 100 days in office, Mr Harris—now Minister for Foreign Affairs—joked that his new role involves “learning diplomacy”.
He added, “the people of the US decide who they elect as president”, and said it’s important “we don’t respond to every single comment or every single tweet” from the White House, reports RTE.
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