Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she hopes there will be a contest for the Fine Gael leadership.Ms McEntee, who has ruled herself out of the running, said an election for the position would be beneficial for the party.Fine Gael Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan has backed Simon Harris as the new leader of the party.Attending the opening of the Forensic Science Ireland campus in Co Kildare, Mr O'Donovan paid tribute to outgoing leader and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she hopes there will be a contest for the Fine Gael leadership.Ms McEntee, who has ruled herself out of the running, said an election for the position would be beneficial for the party.Fine Gael Minister of State Patrick O'Donovan has backed Simon Harris as the new leader of the party.Attending the opening of the Forensic Science Ireland campus in Co Kildare, Mr O'Donovan paid tribute to outgoing leader and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.