Simon Harris elected Taoiseach
The Fine Gael Leader was backed by 88 TDs in a Dáil vote this afternoon, while 69 voted against his nomination.
Simon Harris has become Ireland's youngest ever Taoiseach, succeeding party colleague Leo Varadkar with less than a year to boost the coalition government's bid to halt a first electoral victory by Sinn Fein.
The 37-year-old former health and higher education minister was elected unopposed as the new leader of Fine Gael last month, just days after Varadkar's shock exit.
That all but assured he would become the 16th person to lead the country and he was confirmed in the Dáil after securing support from some independent TDs, as well as his Fianna Fail and Green Party coalition partners.
He is due to announce a reshuffle of his Fine Gael team - which makes up seven of the 18 seats in cabinet - this afternoon. It will not include the finance and foreign affairs portfolios, held by Fianna Fail's Michael McGrath and Micheal Martin.
Harris, who quit university aged 20 to work as a political aide, was elected to parliament at 24 and appointed to cabinet before he turned 30, used a speech at Saturday's Fine Gael Ard Fheis to spell out his focus on law and order, helping small business and reconnecting with rural voters.
He also pledged to fix the housing crisis "once and for all" - something his predecessors have also promised - proposing an extension to support for developers and first-time buyers, while acknowledging the required boost to supply would take years.
(Reporting by Padraic Halpin; Editing by Alex Richardson via REUTERS)
I am deeply honoured to become Taoiseach of this great country today.
I will be a Taoiseach for All, a Taoiseach that will work every day to realise the hopes, dreams and aspirations of all our people.
To read my full speech: https://t.co/iZs3RDlQ0M https://t.co/4kmgxJR6kj
