Need to ‘sharpen’ Fine Gael’s identity, Tánaiste says

There is a need to “sharpen” Fine Gael’s identity, Simon Harris has said, adding that he was not going to wait for a “big electoral hiding”.

The Tánaiste and Finance Minister made the comments on the eve of his party’s Ard Fheis, which will be held at University College Cork on Saturday and Sunday.

Mr Harris said he would publish a report of the party’s “commission on renewal” at the Ard Fheis.

He told reporters in Cork City there is a “need to sharpen our identity and proposition”, and added: “It’s sometimes hard to put your party under a spotlight, a party that you know we all love and are dedicated to and work hard.

“But it is the right thing to do.

“If you want the centre to hold in politics, you can’t just dine out on past successes.

“You have to be willing to listen to your members and listen to your voters.”

Looking forward to the party conference, Mr Harris said: “I think it is the first time in about 10 years we’ve had a two-day Ard Fheis, and we have record numbers of people registered to attend, serious interest in debating the issues.

“But let me be really clear about this – when I became leader, I set two tasks.

“One, get us back into government so the centre could hold and we could deliver for the Irish people.

“Most of the TDs sitting on the stage behind me tomorrow night when I deliver the leader speech weren’t TDs at the last Ard Fheis. That’s visible renewal.

“But the second job I said was we were going to renew while in government.

“Most of my predecessors had to wait until we got a big electoral hiding and went to opposition to rebuild and renew. We’re not going to do that.”

He added: “We’re arriving at this Ard Fheis with energy.

“We’re looking forward to assuming the Taoiseach’s office in a year’s time, but much more importantly, we’re looking forward to driving on with delivery.”

Asked about why a motion on centre-right identity would not be considered at the Ard Fheis despite reports he had requested it, the Tánaiste said he did not put forward any proposals but “made sure the executive council had considered how issues around the party’s identity” would be included.

He said: “A subcommittee of the Executive Council gave it consideration, and they said we believe the session of the commission of renewal is the way that we address all of these issues.

“We’ve done a comprehensive body work. We’ve gone around the country surveyed the members, and that’s fine, and that’s absolutely fine.

“And if I didn’t think it was fine, I could have, you know, turned up the meeting but I didn’t do any of those things.”

Pressed on whether members of the executive council were annoyed at his repeated request to consider the matter, Mr Harris said: “I know the members of the executive council I think they’re alright.”

The Fine Gael leader said he had not been “rebuffed” and added he would be re-elected as party president on Saturday.

Asked if he had lost control of the executive council, he said: “I have not – nor do I wish to have control of the executive council, it is elected by the membership.”