Harris, Simon (1986-…) is an Irish politician and government official. Harris became taoiseach (prime minister) of Ireland in 2024. He had earlier served in several government roles, including as minister of health and of education. Harris is the leader of Ireland’s Fine Gael (Tribe of the Gaels) party. The party’s full name is Fine Gael, the United Ireland Party. 
Harris succeeded Leo Varadkar as both Fine Gael leader and taoiseach <
Harris was born on Oct. 17, 1986, in Greystones, in County Wicklow, south of Dublin, Ireland’s capital. His mother worked as a special needs assistant, and his father was a taxi driver. Harris, who has a younger brother with autism, was only 15 years old when he founded a charity for autism awareness. He soon lobbied (influenced) Irish lawmakers to increase funding for services for autistic people. Harris attended the Dublin Institute of Technology, where he studied French and journalism. He left the school in 2008, before finishing a degree, to work as a parliamentary assistant for Frances Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was at the time a Fine Gael member of Seanad Éireann, Ireland’s senate.
Harris himself soon ran for political office. In 2009, he won election to the council of County Wicklow and to the Greystones town council. In 2011, Harris won his first election to represent the Wicklow constituency (voting district) in Dáil Éireann, the Irish Parliament’s lower house. In 2016, Harris was named minister of health, a cabinet position in the government of Fine Gael taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Varadkar succeeded Kenny as Fine Gael leader and taoiseach in 2017. Harris remained health minister until 2020, when he became minister for further and higher education, research, innovation, and science. Varadkar resigned as the leader of Fine Gael in March 2024. The party selected Harris as its new leader later that month, and Harris succeeded Varadkar as taoiseach in April.
