Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Alamy Stock Photo

McEntee pays tribute to Heather Humphreys' public service as she takes on role of deputy leader

McEntee said she will give her all to the new role as Deputy Leader of Fine Gael.

LAST UPDATE | 20 Oct 2024

TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has praised outgoing deputy Fine Gael leader Heather Humphreys, who has announced she will not be running in the next general election. 

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Helen McEntee has been announced as the party’s new Deputy Leader, which she described as “a great honour”. 

“I thank Taoiseach Simon Harris for placing his trust in me,” McEntee said in a statement this evening. “He is working with extraordinary energy, with integrity and with competence as Ireland’s new Taoiseach and as the new Leader of Fine Gael. As Deputy Leader, I look forward to working with Simon for our country and for our party.

“I want to pay tribute to my predecessor, colleague and friend Deputy Leader of Fine Gael, Minister Heather Humphreys. She has given over 20 years of exemplary public service to her country, to the people of Monaghan and Cavan, and to the Fine Gael Party. And she has been a friend to me and many throughout. I wish her every happiness with the next chapter of her life.”

Speaking on RTÉ’s This Week earlier today, Humphreys said that her decision was down to her being “not physically able to keep going for that long”, to serve another five year Dáil term. 

She said that it had been a difficult decision and when she had told the Taoiseach of her intention in late August, he had asked her to reconsider. 

Humphreys said that she had been “tired” and following the local elections in June, she put in a big effort and was “exhausted” after the campaign.

“That has never happened to me before,” she continued. “And you know that you’re always tired after any election. That’s normal, but you recharge the batteries and you get back to yourself again. But that didn’t happen for me this time, I took time off in August to see if it would help. It didn’t. I spoke to my family, and they were concerned about me. I spoke to medical people.”

She reassured listeners that it was “not the case that [she's] dying to anything”, but she was advised to slow down.

“The problem in politics is if you slow the pace down, somebody else will pass you out. So over the summer, I started to reflect on whether I could keep going, and could I commit to another five years? And the answer was no, because when you go for election, the people put their trust in you to represent them for the next five years, and I couldn’t give that commitment. Because if you can’t give, in my opinion, if you can’t give the job 100% then I’m better not doing it,” she said.

In a statement earlier today, the Taoiseach said, “Heather Humphreys has been a trailblazer in Irish politics”, adding that she has been “a great friend and has been a loyal and dedicated Minister and Deputy Leader”.

“She has been a reforming Minister for Social Protection introducing the long-talked about auto enrolment pension system and pay related social welfare to help people who lose their jobs. Her legacy will be ensuring every child has a hot meal during the school day.”

He also praised her efforts in rural affairs, saying she has overseen “record investment in rural Ireland”. 

“There is not a county in Ireland that has not seen investment under the leadership of Heather.”

Humphreys worked in five different departments throughout her career in politics.

“Anyone who knows Heather knows her entire political career has been driven by a sense of decency, fairness and compassion. She is a proud, mischievous Monaghan woman with a loud laugh and a heart of gold.”

Harris said “health must always come first” after Humphreys cited health reasons in her announcement. 

“I have appointed Minister Helen McEntee as Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. Helen is steeped in the Fine Gael values of equality and opportunity.

“Fine Gael will fight for every vote at the next general election and will take nothing for granted.”

McEntee said she will give her all to the new role as Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. 

“The Fine Gael Party is made up of many wonderful activists and public representatives in every community in our country who are working to ensure we have an Ireland where everyone has an equal chance, where communities all around the country can thrive and flourish. I will continue to work with them to achieve that goal,” she said.

With reporting by Emma Hickey.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
138 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Toca Stories
    Favourite Toca Stories
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 9:28 AM

    Looks like a very well managed response from dfb.

    153
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Burrough
    Favourite Brian Burrough
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 9:37 AM

    @Toca Stories: agreed. Not an easy job ..

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 11:01 AM

    How’s the traffic now, with the woke city transport plan to cut off the thoroughfare?

    44
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex
    Favourite Alex
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 11:57 AM

    @Rafa C: 60% less traffic and 20 minutes won for commuters so it’s pretty good. No need a car to go in the city center so it doesn’t matter.

    76
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 12:02 PM

    @Alex: not what it i was asking. Presume you meant 20 minute walk. Which was always the case.

    29
    See 10 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Duvanny
    Favourite Mick Duvanny
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 12:16 PM

    @Rafa C: They meant worse for car drivers and better for everyone else

    15
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 12:20 PM

    @Mick Duvanny: not what I was asking though.

    6
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex
    Favourite Alex
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 1:01 PM

    @Rafa C: As I said, it is better, can’t you read? Are you missing some grey matter or having trouble to understand basic concepts?

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex
    Favourite Alex
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 1:01 PM

    @Rafa C: It’s 20 win for commuters by bus not walk. I assume you don’t live in Dublin so you are just a clueless potato.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Moore
    Favourite John Moore
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 2:19 PM

    @Rafa C: how can a traffic plan be woke? Lol.

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 5:12 PM

    @Alex: Born and bred in Dublin, don’t live there anymore. I’m asking how the traffic diversion has affected the already diverted traffic and is it adding to the problematic traffic in other areas.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 5:16 PM

    @John Moore: The traffic plan is an example of ‘woke’ thinking because it’s based on a pretentious ideology that aims to redistribute traffic for the supposed benefit of the wider community. It’s sold as a progressive solution to congestion or pollution, but in reality, only a small group of people benefit, while the majority are negatively affected. It prioritises symbolic gestures over practical outcomes, leaving thousands stuck in longer commutes or forced into less convenient routes, all to satisfy an agenda that sounds good in theory but doesn’t actually improve the situation for a majority of people.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 5:17 PM

    @Alex: and save your nasty comments if you can’t reply kindly then don’t

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Corr
    Favourite Pat Corr
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 6:16 PM

    @Rafa C: Alex’s first language must not be English from what I can read. His posts are barely legible. And then he tries to be smart out of embarrassment by saying his grey matter spiel. He is to he pitied really.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rafa C
    Favourite Rafa C
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 6:51 PM

    @Pat Corr: Agreed – it was a basic question and still hasn’t been answered.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Bishop
    Favourite Martin Bishop
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 11:35 AM

    bloody scooters always going on fire!
    bloody EV’s always going on fire!

    Oh wait, its a truck and its not electric at all.
    Who knew that filling a truck with flamiable liquad would be dangerous!

    47
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Regular John
    Favourite Regular John
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 12:29 PM

    @Martin Bishop:
    Except diesel isn’t a flammable liquid (note spelling)… It’s classified as combustible.

    48
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute David Jordan
    Favourite David Jordan
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 1:42 PM

    @Regular John: Determining if diesel is flammable or combustible depends on its flash point (the minimum temperature at which fuel vapours given off by a flammable liquid can catch fire if exposed to a flame). This is why throwing a match into some types of diesel will put out the flame, but you can’t do this with petrol.

    Flammable fuels have a flash point below 60 °C, however the flash point of diesel varies between about 52 °C to 93 °C, so depending on the blend is can be classed as a flammable liquid.

    Diesel in Ireland has a flash point of >55°C, therefore Diesel is classed as flammable liquid. This is the classification for Diesel in Ireland:

    4.3.1 Overland transport
    Class: 3 – Flammable liquids
    Danger code: 30
    ADR classification code: F1
    ADR danger labels: 3 – Flammable liquid

    On the other hand, biodiesel has a flash point >130 °C, it is a combustible liquid.

    That said, a combustible liquid can become a flammable liquid if heated enough, e.g, heating a fuel tank in a fire that then ruptures. Thus, the question if a fuel is combustible or flammable, in a fire, is often a moot point.

    30
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Walsh
    Favourite Jason Walsh
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 2:20 PM

    @David Jordan: an epic technical burn bravo

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Regular John
    Favourite Regular John
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 5:14 PM

    @David Jordan: Ha ha… I don’t think you actually know what flashpoints mean. You’re a great man for going straight to Google on subjects you obviously know nothing about.
    A flash point of 52⁰C means the fuel is not flammable until it reaches that temperature. I don’t think we’ve ever had that kind of ambient temperature in Ireland and that is why diesel is not considered flammable. A match thrown into a bucket of diesel at ambient temperatures will always put out the flame, not sometimes as you state, always.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alex
    Favourite Alex
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 11:56 AM

    Looks like the fake news by Jak has been scraped! Good call.

    18
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pat Corr
    Favourite Pat Corr
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 6:18 PM

    @Alex: How can news be scraped?

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jason Walsh
    Favourite Jason Walsh
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 2:19 PM

    Hopefully the structural members didn’t get hit with too much heat. Fire and structural steel aren’t a good mix.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraig O'Brien
    Favourite Padraig O'Brien
    Report
    Sep 26th 2024, 2:01 PM

    Now that it’s reopened I’ll go on!

    4
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds