IRELAND is poised to get its youngest-ever premier next month after Simon Harris secured the leadership of the Fine Gael party on Sunday.

Mr Harris replaces Leo Varadkar who announced his resignation last week.

The 37-year-old Harris, who has been the coalition government’s further and higher education minister, was the only candidate to put his name forward to succeed Mr Varadkar, who had been Ireland’s previous youngest prime minister, or what Ireland calls its taoiseach.