Labour and Sinn Féin want him gone.
Minister for Health Simon Harris will face a vote of no confidence this evening. The Dáil will debate a motion that Sinn Féin have submitted against Minister Harris over his handling of the new National Children’s Hospital.
Speaking at Leinster House yesterday, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said “the botching of the children’s hospital project speaks for itself and will have real consequences and effects on the ground”.
McDonald, Louise O’Reilly, Pearse Doherty and Jonathan O’Brien are the Sinn Féin TDs that are set to deliver the motion and it’s due to be heard around 4pm this afternoon.
Since Leo Varadkar became Taoiseach, this will be the third motion of no confidence that has been expressed in a Minister.
Fianna Fáil will abstain from voting, stating that due to the uncertainty of Brexit, a general election at this time could be akin to “national sabotage”.
In order to win the motion, the government needs 57 votes and they’re expected to receive them.
Harris should be able to rely on the support of 49 Fine Gael TDs along with the four Independent Alliance members. Independent TDs such as Noel Grealish, Katherine Zappone, Sean Canney, and Michael Lowry are also expected to back Harris.
In terms of the opposition, the Labour Party has already stated they will back the motion of no confidence.
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