SIMON HARRIS HAS met with fellow coalition leaders of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party for the first time as Fine Gael leader this evening.

The three party leaders met this evening and had a “very constructive and warm engagement” according to a government spokesperson.

The meeting is said to have covered a range of issues, including the legislative agenda for the government.

It paves the way for Harris, the current Minister for Further and Higher Education, to progress towards becoming the next Taoiseach.

“The three party leaders committed to continuing to work to implement the Programme for Government to deliver for the Irish people, and the Government serving its full term,” the spokesperson said.

Some doubt has been cast over what legislation may be prioritised in the government’s remaining months before a General Election, expected at some point within the next 12 months.

This has included the contested Hate Offences legislation, which the departing Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said earlier today should progress despite pushback from within Fine Gael.

With reporting by Christina Finn