Simon Harris indicates he will canvass with under-fire Fine Gael candidate John McGahon in Louth

Taoiseach Simon Harris has indicated that he will be in Louth before the general election and could canvass with embattled candidate John McGahon.

Mr McGahon has found himself in the headlines in recent days following the publication of photographs in the Sunday Times of injuries allegedly suffered by a farmer, Breen White, during a late-night altercation with the Senator outside a Louth pub. A video of the incident has also circulated online.

Mr White, from Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, sued Mr McGahon for assault and battery outside the Rum House pub in Dundalk, Co Louth, on June 16, 2018. Mr McGahon, who was elected to the Seanad after the incident, denied the claims and said he was assaulted and acted in self-defence.

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In July, a High Court civil jury awarded Mr White €39,000 following the alleged assault.

The jury, after just under four hours' deliberation, found he had been assaulted, awarded a total of €60,000, including €10,000 for aggravated damages, and apportioned blame at 65 per cent against Mr McGahon and 35 per cent against Mr White. Mr Justice Alexander Owens, who presided over the four-day trial, gave a decree for €39,000 against Mr McGahon.

A separate criminal trial found Mr McGahon not guilty of assault.

Speaking in Naas, Co Kildare, on Wednesday, Mr Harris was asked if he would canvass with Mr McGahon before the election on November 29.

“I'm quite sure he'll be out canvassing in Louth, asking people in his constituency who know him very well to support him,” he said. “I will be in Louth before the election. My schedule hasn't been finalised, but he is a Fine Gael candidate in the general election.”

It was put to Mr Harris that Mr McGahon had not been subjected to an internal Fine Gael disciplinary process following the alleged assault. The Taoiseach said that “the courts of this country trump internal processes”.

He continued: “John McGahon was fined many thousands of euro. John McGahon then put his name forward democratically to be selected by members, has been selected, and now the people of Louth, in just over eight days' time, can decide who they wish to represent them.”

When asked if he was telling people they should vote for Mr McGahon, Mr Harris said: “Yes, I'm asking people to support Fine Gael candidates right across the country.”

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