MINISTER FOR FURTHER and Higher Education Simon Harris has been given the prestigious Praeses Elit award by the Trinity College Law Society.

The award was founded by former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson and former recipients include Cherie Blair, South African president FW De Klerk, Mary McAleese, Bob Geldof and the broadcaster Jeremy Paxman.

The minister was presented with the award at a virtual Trinity Law Society event last night, in honour of his role in the response to Covid-19 and as a result of his new job.

“I am genuinely humbled to have played a role in our response to the first wave of the pandemic,” he said.

“I was a very small cog in a huge wheel and the real heroes of this pandemic are not those of us who hold office but the doctors, nurses, pharmacists, GPs, porters, healthcare assistants and staff who quite literally are putting their health and their wellbeing on the line to protect us.

“It was my greatest honour to be their Minister for Health.”

The minister said that the pandemic would continue to bring difficult days, but added that his new department would play a role in addressing the youth unemployment that Covid-19 had resulted in.