Elaine Loughlin: Paschal Donohoe may be the foreign minister Ireland needs now

Ireland’s outlying stance on what has happened in Gaza over the past 15 months will continue to require careful stewardship so that this country still advocates for Palestinians but is not ostracised among our EU and international counterparts.

For these very reasons, some concern has been raised around the prospect of Simon Harris going into the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is to be bolstered by the addition of the trade brief, when he swaps positions with Micheál Martin next week.

“Is Simon Harris a good man for that deft diplomacy?” Kieran Cuddihy asked on his own show on Newstalk this week.

“He is one to shoot from the hip a little bit, he kind of says the thing that is immediately popular, [the thing] that will get me out of this interview, and I’ll worry, that’s tomorrow’s problem; promises around cervical smear test that almost collapsed the government, people forget that... scoliosis surgeries within six months, I mean anyone around him could have told him don’t make those promises,” the radio host summarised.

Being quick to speak and act comes with the refreshing energy that Harris exudes, but in the international world of diplomacy, holding back is often a more important trait.

His predecessor Leo Varadkar quickly learned how language matters when he sparked fury through a tweet celebrating the release of Irish-Israeli girl Emily Hand from captivity in Gaza.

His imprecise use of a biblical reference triggered a furious response from Benjamin Netanyahu who demanded an apology for the use of the word “lost” in relation to the young hostage.

Donohoe's wide range of interests

Donohoe, on the other hand, is a talented manipulator of words, often leaving journalists exasperated by how little he can say in providing lengthy responses to questioning. There are some politicians who are guaranteed to provide a headline or a spicy soundbite, but Donohoe is not one of those.

However, while giving away little, Donohoe has a unique knack for putting people at ease in his company, sifting through the drawers of his many interests to find common interests.

Back in 2016 when Beyoncé released her Lemonade concept album, Donohoe, a devoted member of the Bey Hive, announced that he had listened to the release in its entirety the night before and engaged in a lengthy critique of the record with journalists before being questioned on matters of the day.

His musical taste ranges from Biffy Clyro to Ham Sandwich and Macklemore — and of course Taylor Swift, having been to a number of her gigs in Dublin.

Avid reader, sci-fi buff

Similar to Micheál Martin, Donohoe is an avid reader, often stating that he makes sure he reads at least a few pages of a book before going to bed each night.

And then there is his fascination with Star Wars and Doctor Who, which anyone entering his ministerial office will become instantly aware of from the row of figures that stand behind his desk.

While asthma prevented him from taking part in sport as a child, he is a devoted Tottenham Hotspur fan, and also attends Bohemians matches with the club based in his own constituency.

Before politics, Donohoe worked in Britain for Procter & Gamble, becoming a sales and marketing director.

In short, he is a person you could easily take as a plus-one to an awkward family wedding in the knowledge that he would make conversation and find common ground with your 80-year-old granny or teenage cousin.

On the international political stage, forging relationships on the fringes of formal meetings can be key.

An ability to connect with colleagues on a personal level has already reaped rewards for Donohoe who was elected president of the Eurogroup by his counterparts across the EU in 2020.

As Taoiseach, at least for a few more days, Simon Harris has an all-consuming job and a demanding personal life with two young children at home.

What are Simon Harris's interests? 

However, beyond “watching the news” as one source suggested, even those close to him politically are unsure of what hobbies Simon Harris enjoys in the small bit of spare time he manages to eke out.

“Podcasts and walking,” volunteered one party source, adding that they wouldn’t get into things with him on “that level”.

It is understood the Wicklow TD also enjoys gardening and DIY at home when he gets a chance.

For his appearance on Ryan Tubridy’s Bookshelf podcast last year, Harris chose what some considered fairly obvious choices when asked to pick three novels he loved, ideally “a childhood book, a book that made you cry, [and] a book that changed your life”.

An FOI later revealed that staff at the Department of the Taoiseach prepared a four-page primer, including notes on Roald Dahl’s Esio Trot, at the specific request of Harris ahead of the podcast.

Harris, without doubt, is a leader who has brought his party with him, and who manoeuvred long in advance of Varadkar’s resignation to ensure he had the membership sewn up before a competition got under way.

Paschal Donohoe has always insisted that leadership of his party or country is not an aspiration, despite repeated encouragement from Fine Gael colleagues.

But he would be a better choice to take on the Foreign Affairs portfolio at a time when international relations require dexterity and discretion.