Simon Harris denies asking Patrick O’Donovan to resign before Minister fell ill
Tánaiste Simon Harris denied asking Patrick O’Donovan to resign hours before the Minister for Culture fell ill at a EU conference in Limerick. He confirmed he had spoken to him by telephone but said it was a routine conversation and repeatedly said it was “bizarre” for anyone to suggest it had anything to do with O’Donovan’s position at the Cabinet. In his first day back in Government after taking paternity leave, Harris spoke to the media on his way into Government Buildings on Wednesday. Asked whether he had spoken to O’Donovan on October 13th, he said: “I did speak to him on Tuesday during that conference. Conversations that I have with my Ministers are private. The way I’ve seen them characterised is inaccurate.”In response to a follow up-question asking whether he had asked O’Donovan to resign, Harris said it was a “bizarre” question. When asked whether his conversation had been…