There is a “general apathy and disengagement” amongst the public about Irish politicians – with many people no longer trusting any party to deliver change.

Simon Harris will today become Ireland’s youngest-ever Taoiseach when he takes over from Leo Varadkar who officially resigned last night.

Minister Harris is expected to be the only name put forward for the role after he was elected Fine Gael leader just over two weeks ago.

He will then make a speech to the Dáil before announcing his new Cabinet this evening.

On Newstalk Breakfast this morning, presenter Jonathan Healy said he cannot remember a Taoiseach arriving to power with less fanfare.

“Of all the years that I've been covering politics and all the years that I've been speaking on radio, when a Taoiseach comes in, there is a sense of enthusiasm, a sense of excitement, a sense of change – and that is missing today,” he said.

“It seems as if we are caught up in something internal within Fine Gael that has resulted in Simon Harris taking the reins.”

Taoiseach

He said Ireland traditionally does not change leaders mid-Government and Fine Gael has now done it twice in the last ten years.

“Fine Gael did it with Leo Varadkar when he took over,” he said. “Leo Varadkar didn't win an election, but he was Taoiseach twice.

“My point is that, you know, we have Simon Harris coming in but Fine Gael didn't end up as the biggest party by a considerable distance in the last outing and I think that the people are looking at this going, well, just give us an election.

“We'll decide whether we want Simon Harris as Taoiseach or not.”

Ciara Kelly in the Newstalk studio. Image: Newstalk

Fellow presenter Ciara Kelly said there is no sense of change because the Government is “continuing on in the same vein” with the same plans and Programme for Government.

“The electorate had no real skin in the game here,” she said. “We weren't consulted on this one.

“This was down to the parliamentary party and the broader party.”

Apathy and disengagement

Despite that, Ciara said she does not believe anyone is “clamouring for an election” – suggesting people no longer believe any party can deliver change in key areas.

“I think, actually, apathy is what's guiding us all through all of this,” she said.

“I think opposition politicians are certainly saying, ‘Give us an election, give us an election’ – but the electorate are going, ‘Ho hum.’

“I don't even think, if somebody else gets in, that we any longer believe that they'll be any great sweeping change.

“That's what's happened to politics. I think there has been a general apathy and disengagement by the public with politicians in general.”

Housing

After Jonathan suggested that the main question facing voters is whether the Government parties or Fine Gael are more likely to deliver the 250,000 homes that Ireland needs, Ciara said: “I think if either of them could do it easily, it would be done.”

“That's the real issue because both of them want to do it,” she said.

“If you actually look at where all the political parties are on their policies around housing, they are very, very similar – all of them.

“If it could be done easily, it would be done.”

Leo Varadkar is delivering his farewell speech in the Dáil this morning ahead of the vote for the next Taoiseach.

Simon Harris will then deliver his own speech before heading to Áras an Uachtaráin for his seal of office.