TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has “no idea” if he will be canvassing with Fine Gael’s Louth candidate John McGahon, who has been criticised over an assault case taken against him in the High Court.Controversy has surrounded the selection of senator John McGahon as a Fine Gael candidate in Louth after a man who took a civil case was interviewed by The Sunday Times last week,

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has said he is “surprised” that Taoiseach Simon Harris is continuing to back Senator John McGahon, as photos and videos showing injuries a man suffered following an altercation with the Louth candidate have circulated.

Mr McGahon was found not guilty of assaulting Breen White outside a Dundalk nightclub in a criminal case two years ago but a High Court civil action found him liable earlier this year, with Mr White awarded a sum of damages against Mr McGahon.

It comes following the publication of photographs in the Sunday Times of injuries allegedly suffered by a farmer during a late-night incident with Mr McGahon outside a Louth pub

RIVAL PARTY LEADERS are piling pressure on Fine Gael leader Simon Harris to address the behaviour of a Fine Gael senator that led to an assault case taken against him in the High Court.Fine Gael’s Louth general election candidate John McGahon was involved in an altercation with farmer Breen White outside the Rum House pub in Dundalk in 2018.