Ireland's higher education minister Harris says he is a candidate to be next prime minister

Ireland's higher education minister Simon Harris told national broadcaster RTE on Thursday he is a candidate to lead the governing Fine Gael party, which puts him on course to become the country's youngest prime minister.

Any rival candidate has until Monday to enter the race but others seen as possible contenders, including Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, and Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe, have ruled themselves out.