Simon Harris has insisted he does not think calls for him to be reinstated as Minister for Health – and replace the beleaguered Stephen Donnelly – are realistic.
Mr Harris – now Ireland's Minister for Higher Education and Research – said tonight that he was "honoured" to serve as Health Minister.
But he poured cold water on calls for him to take the job on once again as Ireland attempts to fan the flames of Covid-19.
Mr Donnelly – who took on the Health Minister brief last June – has faced mounting criticism in recent weeks after a string of gaffes and controversies.
Yesterday, he was accused of getting vaccine numbers wrong for a second time after HSE chief Paul Reid contradicted figures he gave out in the Dail – an error labelled "astonishing" by Labour leader Alan Kelly.
Tonight, however, Mr Harris said he didn't think calls for his return were realistic.
"I was honoured to be Minister for Health," he told Newstalk's Hard Shoulder, but added: "The current Minister for Health works extraordinarily hard.
"He is having to work on so many fronts – both dealing with a massive way, like nothing we ever saw in terms of the virus, and at the same time rolling out the vaccine."
On the Government's pandemic response, Mr Harris said next week – when GPs get involved in the vaccine rollout – could represent a "game-changing moment."
He said he understands people's frustration at the hiccups arising out of Ireland's jab programme, but added: "We are doing quite well.
"We’re consistently in the top three or four countries in the European Union, in terms of the number of doses administered.
"I think the big game-changer is the involvement of the GPs. Once you get your GPs involved, these people get things done.
"Next week is a game-changing moment."
