Irish leader expresses deep regret over moment that could jeopardize election chances

Simon Harris, leader of Fine Gael, recently made amends by directly calling disability worker Fallon to apologize and pledged to meet her in person to address her grievances thoroughly. Despite the apology, Fallon shared her emotional state with The Irish Times, expressing that she was still deeply unsettled by what she described as “horrible” treatment during their interaction.

“I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through an experience like that,” Fallon said, adding, “It’s not a nice feeling to go home in tears.”

Harris’ misstep comes as the campaign enters its critical final phase amid freezing evenings and disruptions caused by an Atlantic storm that has left thousands without power and isolated rural areas flooded. With this weekend marking one of the final opportunities to reach voters at home in daylight hours, pressure is mounting on all parties.

The coming days will see the release of major new polling in the Sunday Independent, followed by additional polls on Monday and Wednesday. A key televised debate between Harris, Foreign Minister Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil, and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald is scheduled for Tuesday night—the stakes for which could not be higher.

Recent polls have depicted a razor-thin lead for Fine Gael over its main coalition partner and centrist competitor Fianna Fáil, as well as Sinn Féin, which is vying to make further gains. With such narrow margins, it’s plausible the three parties could end up in a virtual deadlock for the top spot. Traditionally, the party with the most parliamentary seats gets the first chance to negotiate a coalition government.

However, both Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have categorically ruled out any partnership with Sinn Féin, emphasizing their refusals to collaborate with the Irish republican party to form a government. This stance adds further uncertainty to the potential coalition landscape as the campaign barrels toward the finish line.


Comments

4 responses to “Irish leader expresses deep regret over moment that could jeopardize election chances”

  1. Marshmallow Avatar
    Marshmallow

    Oh, the charm of election season—where apologies are as common as rainy days, and the stakes are higher than a pint in Dublin! 🍻 Here’s hoping Simon Harris can charm his way through the electorate better than he did with that poor disability worker, or he might end up giving his next apology from the back of a taxi! 🚖😏

  2. Gold 
Bentley Avatar
    Gold Bentley

    Oh, look at Simon Harris trying to charm the socks off a disability worker while the storm’s blowing his campaign right out the window! 🌧️ Nothing like a heartfelt apology to really warm the cockles of the heart when you’re down to the wire, eh? 🤷‍♂️

  3. rawskills Avatar

    Oh, look at Simon, doing the ol’ “let’s be friends” routine while the storm clouds gather—typical Irish charm! ☔️ If only his apologies had as much power as the Atlantic winds knocking out our lights! 😂

  4. Little General Avatar
    Little General

    Seems like Simon Harris has mastered the art of turning heartfelt apologies into electoral gold—who needs actual policy when you can just shed a few tears on live TV? 🤷‍♂️ Let’s hope the next storm only brings better PR! 🌧️💼

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Last News

EU Commission’s Von der Leyen survives parliament confidence vote by large margin

EU Commission’s Von der Leyen survives parliament confidence vote by large margin

Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen smoothly survived a no-confidence vote in the European Parliament on Thursday. The vote was initiated mainly by far-right lawmakers accusing her and her team of eroding trust in the EU through illegal actions. The motion for censure was overwhelmingly rejected by the majority of EU lawmakers.

How did Von

Read More

King Charles ‘unwise’ to raise borders at Macron state banquet, says Reform deputy leader

King Charles ‘unwise’ to raise borders at Macron state banquet, says Reform deputy leader

During his speech at the state banquet at Windsor Castle, King Charles highlighted the many complex threats facing both countries, which come from various directions. He emphasized the importance of addressing these challenges together as allies and friends, noting that these issues transcend borders and cannot be avoided by isolation. He also addressed the issue of “irregular migration acro

Read More

Fico: I Seek Early Agreement with the European Commission on Halting Russian Gas Supply

Fico: I Seek Early Agreement with the European Commission on Halting Russian Gas Supply

Bratislava – Slovakia is continuing to withhold its support for the 18th package of anti-Russian sanctions, tying its vote to the resolution of concerns over gas prices, availability, and compensation for potential damages resulting from the halt of Russian gas supplies effective January 1, 2028. Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) expressed this stance on social media on Thursday, while also ind

Read More

EU Announces €2.3 Billion Aid for Ukraine’s Reconstruction

EU Announces €2.3 Billion Aid for Ukraine’s Reconstruction

Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – On Thursday, the European Commission revealed a 2.3 billion euro aid package for Ukraine to assist in its reconstruction following the extensive destruction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion.

What is included in the €2.3 billion package?How much destruction has Russia caused in Ukraine?

Russia’s air strikes have seriously impacted the infrastructure

Read More

EU Illegal Crossings Decrease by 20% in First Half of 2025, Reports Frontex

EU Illegal Crossings Decrease by 20% in First Half of 2025, Reports Frontex

The Central Mediterranean route is the EU’s most active migratory path, accounting for 39 percent of all irregular arrivals, according to a press release.
This route is also perilous. The International Organization for Migration estimates about 760 people died in the Mediterranean in the first half of this year. In 2024, 2,300 lives were lost in the same area.
Frontex has around 3,000 agents, plan

Read More

Environment Ministers Tested for “Forever Chemicals”

Environment Ministers Tested for “Forever Chemicals”

In Copenhagen, EU Environment and Climate ministers, along with Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, participated in a blood test on Thursday to check for “forever chemicals” (PFAS), according to Danish and European officials.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of synthetic chemicals that do not break down easily in the environment.
Research indicates that some PFAS ca

Read More

Diepenbeek: 21 Flats by Dethier to Replace Old Post Office

Diepenbeek: 21 Flats by Dethier to Replace Old Post Office

Diepenbeek (Eurotoday) – The old post office on Kerkstraat in Diepenbeek will be replaced by a green housing project with 21 apartments. Dethier plans 2 L-shaped buildings and a private garden.
As VRT News reported, the old post office on Kerkstraat in Diepenbeek, a municipality in the province of Limburg, Belgium, is being demolished. A new housing project will be built there. Officials mention

Read More

EU Considers Halting Israel Relations Amid Gaza Crisis

EU Considers Halting Israel Relations Amid Gaza Crisis

The review indicates that suspending the trade chapter of the agreement would remove trade preferences for Israeli products entering the EU, potentially passing with a qualified majority vote in the Council. A complete ban on imports from illegal West Bank settlements demands unanimity from member states, but individual nations can adopt this policy on their own.
Alternative options include exclud

Read More

EP adopted resolution on China’s raw material export restrictions at Lexmann’s request

EP adopted resolution on China’s raw material export restrictions at Lexmann’s request

Brussels/Strasbourg – The European Parliament (EP) approved a resolution on Thursday to address the EU’s economic, security, and strategic interests in the supply of critical raw materials, initiated by Slovak MEP Miriam Lexmann (EPP/KDH). She emphasized the significance of this issue for European security, as reported by TASR.
As a member of the EP Committee on International Trade (INTA),

Read More

Vought SB2U Vindicator: A Naval Aviation Legacy

Vought SB2U Vindicator: A Naval Aviation Legacy

Introduction 
If you have an interest in aviation or you enjoy studying old planes, chances are the Vought SB2U Vindicator will catch your fancy. One might wonder why we concentrate on this plane and not on more famous types of WWII aircraft, such as the 4U Corsair. That is why the Vindicator preceded the Corsair and was used in World War II, but is not very popular. It acted as a basis for subs

Read More