Harris: From 'articulate' teen to Taoiseach-in-waiting

In 2002, he spoke to the RTÉ 'Open House' programme about an autism awareness charity he had set up, Triple A Alliance.

Few would have predicted however that he would walk through the gates of Leinster House as an elected member just nine years later at the age of 24.He was a young TD with big ambition, who was rather bemused by people's focus on his age. But he knew how to play it to his advantage. "I was leader of the opposition in the Seanad in 2007. He applied for a job with me and I remember I met him in Buswells Hotel and immediately hired him," Frances Fitzgerald recalls.

He was making strides in his personal life too. In 2018, celebrities and cabinet members gathered for his wedding in Wicklow.His popularity was on the rise that year, as he also spearheaded the referendum to repeal the 8th amendment. His failure to fully disclose the cost of the Children's Hospital undermined political support and saw a no-confidence motion placed in him in February of that year.

The vote however never happened, as the Taoiseach called a general election, which was soon followed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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