Statement by Helen McEntee TD, Deputy Leader of Fine Gael & Minister for Justice

“It is a great honour to be appointed Deputy Leader of Fine Gael and I will give my all to the role.

“I thank Taoiseach Simon Harris for placing his trust in me. 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.

“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.

“Fine Gael stands for every person having equal opportunity and security, for Ireland being a country that rewards hard work and enterprise, and for Ireland as being a country at the centre of the European Union. As Deputy Leader I will work every day with our Leader, with party members, councillors, candidates and the parliamentary party, to deliver from those core Fine Gael values policies and projects.

“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.

“I look forward to continuing to work with Heather in Government and to supporting Heather and the Fine Gael organisation in Cavan-Monaghan to win two Dáil seats at the next general election. We will equally be working with huge determination in Co Meath to win three Dáil seats for Fine Gael, two in my own Meath-East constituency and one in neighbouring Meath-West.

“I look forward to working as Deputy Leader with all candidates and party members in the general election campaign.”