FINE GAEL LEADER Simon Harris has said had he seen the video footage of the altercation in 2018 involving Louth candidate John McGahon he would not have described it as a “scuffle”. 

The Taoiseach, when speaking to reporters about the case during the summer, referred to the incident as a ‘scuffle’ before the election.

Controversy has surrounded the selection of McGahon after White, who took a civil case against him, was interviewed by The Sunday Times last week in an article which contained pictures of the injuries he sustained.

The altercation between the politician and White took place outside the Rum House pub in Dundalk in 2018 – before McGahon was a senator.

McGahon was acquitted in a 2022 criminal trial of assault causing harm but was later ordered this summer by the High Court to pay White €39,000 after the Castleblayney farmer sued the senator for assault and battery.

According to the Irish Times, the jury found White had been assaulted and awarded €60,000, including €10,000 for aggravated damages. It apportioned blame at 65% against McGahon and the other 35% against the farmer.

A video of the incident has also circulated widely on social media.

Harris avoided a question posed on Newstalk Breakfast this morning as to whether he would’ve made a different decision on McGahon being selected as a candidate had he seen the footage.

Harris responded: “No if i had seen it I certainly wouldn’t have described it as a ‘scuffle”". 

He went on state that the way assault is decided upon in this country is by “judge and jury”, but he would not have referred to the incident as a ‘scuffle’ if he had. 

Harris said: “I abhor violence, I absolutely abhor it. And I don’t in any way, shape or form defend what happened at all what happened there.”

Taoiseach Simon Harris has been asked about John McGahon's candidacy many times this week following an interview in The Sunday Times with Breen White. RollingNews.ie RollingNews.ie

“[But] 12 men and women on a jury looked at all of the evidence, looked at all of the CCTV, looked at all of the photographs, heard from gardaí, heard from witnesses, heard the self-defence argument put forward by now senator John McGahon. And they acquitted him.

“They found him not guilty. I think that has to count for something,” he added.

‘I was being pedantic about the children’s hospital’

The selection of McGahon has followed Harris around for the last number of days as his political opponents took the opportunity to condemn the nominee and say that he would not have been chosen in their party.

Another issue, the overspend for the construction of the New Children’s Hospital in Dublin, has followed him and the outgoing coalition around for the last number of years.

The New Children’s Hospital, which is now years overdue, has cost the state €2.2 billion to date. It had previously been marked for completion in 2020 with a budget of €650 million. 

During a debate on RTÉ Television on Monday night, Harris – who was health minister at the commencement of the construction project – said he did not sign the contract for the hospital.

As Health Minister, Simon Harris and the Government signed-off on the contract for the main phase of construction of the National Children’s Hospital - a project now burdened by an outrageous €1.5bn overspend.

Tonight he is trying to distance himself from this scandal and is… pic.twitter.com/0sPd48gsJE

— Pearse Doherty (@PearseDoherty) November 18, 2024

His remark caused some confusion between mediator of the debate Katie Hannon, other political leaders in the studio and the audience at home. Asked about his answer this morning, Harris admitted he was being “unnecessarily pedantic and semantic”.

“The buck stops with me in relation to the National Children’s Hospital, let me very clear in relation to that. The point I was trying to make was that these comments can be kind of flippant, you know, ‘one person signed off on a contract’,” he told the programme.

“These things go through a very deliberative process. Lots of departments look at them, lots of bean counters – I don’t mean that disrespectfully – from different departments look at them, agencies look at it, there’s a board and then the Minister of the day – which in this case, was me – will bring a proposal to cabinet rather than sign a contract.”

The Taoiseach said that while the New Children’s Hospital is “too expensive”, it will make a difference to children’s health in Ireland and will be a worthwhile, long-term investment.

“This will, when it opens, make a real difference,” he said.