Simon Harris silent on Patrick O’Donovan phone call that preceded hospitalisation

Tánaiste Simon Harris has declined to say if he spoke to Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan before he became ill at an EU event in Limerick last week.

O’Donovan, who has epilepsy, is recovering in hospital while speculation continues about events preceding the episode after which he was taken to hospital on Tuesday of last week. The Fine Gael Minister was treated in the intensive care ward for several days.

Colleagues, including Harris, have wished him a speedy recovery and return to Cabinet. Meanwhile, his department is being overseen by his secretary general, Feargal Ó Coigligh.

However, the events of last week continue to fuel speculation around Leinster House. In comments to journalists that morning, O’Donovan had criticised what he said were briefings against him, reported to be from a Fine Gael Cabinet Minister, that questioned whether his health would allow him to remain in Cabinet after next year’s expected reshuffle. The story ran on news bulletins and online for the morning.

A few hours later, O’Donovan stepped out of the EU meeting to take a call, according to reports, from a senior Government figure. Some time later, journalists were told that the afternoon press conference had been cancelled. The Minister was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

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There has been considerable speculation about who O’Donovan spoke to during that phone call and what was discussed. Asked repeatedly this week if the Tánaiste had spoken to him, a spokesman for Harris declined to say yes or no. Instead, he said: “The Tánaiste speaks to his Ministers on a regular basis and has been in close contact with Patrick and his family in recent days. The Tánaiste spoke to Patrick as recently as [Wednesday].

“Patrick is stable and continues to be treated at University Hospital Limerick. The Tánaiste looks forward to welcoming him back.

“As you are aware, the Tánaiste has been on paternity leave and issued a detailed statement last Friday in consultation with Patrick’s family. The statement reflects the Tánaiste’s views. All the focus now is on the Minister’s recovery.”

Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee said this week that she did not speak to O’Donovan.

While he is recuperating, some TDs and Senators want to draw a line under recent weeks and move on. But others say there has been much discussion of recent events within the Fine Gael parliamentary party.

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That includes the issuing of dual statements last Friday – first by the O’Donovan family, and shortly afterwards by Harris, both of which emphasised his ongoing participation as a Cabinet Minister.

Fine Gael TDs have privately shared “surprise” at the tone of the statements, particularly that issued by Harris, who said O’Donovan “serves with distinction in a key Government department and naturally will continue to do so”, adding that he had worked “diligently and competently in every role he has been entrusted with”, which Harris believed would “continue long into the future”.

It also admonished those who briefed against O’Donovan anonymously, saying such steps had “no place in the Fine Gael party and will not be tolerated”.

There is a view among some in the parliamentary party that Harris, as party leader, would be better served not issuing statements about anonymous briefings to newspapers – and puzzlement at the strength with which the Tánaiste endorsed O’Donovan’s continuation at Cabinet.

“Obviously on a personal level, we all hope he gets better, but you cannot say he’ll definitely be back and always be back,” said one TD.

Another Fine Gael member said: “We’re all paying attention to it because it’s a little bizarre.”

Earlier this week the deputy Government spokesman said O’Donovan’s department continued to operate as normal and further decisions would be made by the Minister in due course.

It was confirmed that Ó Coigligh would discharge the department’s administrative functions during the Minister’s absence.

The Irish Times asked O’Donovan’s department what kind of decisions must be made by the Minister himself and which can be made in his absence by Ó Coigligh.

The department said Ó Coighligh was continuing to discharge administrative functions and was ensuring continuity in the management of the department’s business in line with “the long established legal principle” known as the Carltona Principle. The department added: “This would not extend to significant policy or financial decisions.”

Under the Carltona Principle – named after a company involved in a legal case in the UK in the 1940s – the acts of departmental officials are synonymous with the actions of the Minister with responsibility for that government department.

The department did not offer details of any pending decisions that cannot be made until O’Donovan returns.

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Following Budget 2027, O’Donovan was embroiled in a row over funding for RTÉ after it was allocated €240 million for 2027, €20 million less than the broadcaster had been expecting under a deal reached with the last Government.

After a meeting between O’Donovan and RTÉ, his department said it would continue to “engage constructively” with the broadcaster over the coming weeks on issues that had been discussed, including RTÉ’s funding concerns and the delivery of reforms at the broadcaster.

The Irish Times asked his department if talks with RTÉ over its strategy for reforms, and ultimately any decision on its funding, would be delayed as a result of O’Donovan’s absence.

The department said it was envisaged that engagement between it and RTÉ “would be at official level in the first instance and that remains the case”.

In a statement, Fine Gael said its national executive had considered recent events. A spokesman said: “At the Fine Gael Executive Council meeting, members expressed their view that the anonymous briefing about the health of a Fine Gael colleague was not in keeping with the party’s values.

“The Executive Council supported the statement of the Tánaiste and Party Leader that such commentary is hurtful and has no place in the Fine Gael party.”