Results 41-60 of 43,300 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (14 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the question. She likes to talk about our party's time in government. When my party came into government in 2011, fewer than 7,000 homes were built that year. Despite a global pandemic and a construction sector having to be shut down on many occasions, more than 32,000 homes were constructed last year alone. Later this year we will be in a position to revise...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Employment Rights (14 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), the only corporate body under the aegis of my Department, is not aware of any cases of bogus self-employment in any bodies under its remit.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (14 May 2024)

Simon Harris: From 2019 to date in 2024, the Department of the Taoiseach incurred total expenditure of €10,720,362 for advertisements in print media. The bulk of the expenditure from 2020-2022, €10.58 million, related to the dissemination of information for COVID-19 public communications with campaigns including significant regional and local spreads across the print media. The remaining...

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: It is a particular honour to contribute as Taoiseach to this year's Dáil statements marking Europe Day. It is a timely opportunity to reflect on our EU membership and on the European Union's role in the world. Ireland's EU membership over more than five decades has brought many benefits. It offers freedom for our citizens to live, work or study throughout Europe. It provides access...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies very much. I acknowledge Deputy Brendan Smith's leadership of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly but also his leadership more broadly on North-South issues over a sustained period. I was delighted to attend the BIPA meeting. I was even more delighted that it was held in my constituency. The Deputy could not have known I was going to be Taoiseach at that time, so...

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: You can go first.

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: In the spirit of collaboration.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 to 38, inclusive, together. On 10 April I spoke by phone to the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. We each acknowledged the depth and the breadth of the British-Irish relationship and the value we attach to it. We discussed the positive leadership which the First Minister and deputy First Minister have shown since their appointment in February. We...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Programmes (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Programmes (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: To Deputy Tully, regarding the point she made about the working family payment and the one-parent family and the challenges she outlined that present when the youngest child reaches the age of seven, these are matters we consider in the context of the budget. We have taken several measures to help remove poverty traps and cliff edges. We have also tried to take a number of measures,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Departmental Programmes (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 to 28, inclusive, together. The child poverty and well-being programme office was established in the Department of the Taoiseach in 2023 in order to make sure we prioritise children, particularly vulnerable children, and to make sure they get a real chance to realise their own potential. "From Poverty to Potential: A Programme Plan for Child...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for raising these issues. I might go in reverse order and start with Deputy Conway-Walsh. I am happy to take that up. I have not seen the letter. If the Deputy wants to provide it, I will be happy to take a look at it. My general experience with the domiciliary care allowance is, as the Deputy said, that the structure of the scheme is worded in such a way as not to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Can I beg the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence for 20 seconds? I will be very quick. On Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan's issue in respect of childcare, capital investment and the north side enterprise, the Minister is bringing forward that capital funding, as the Deputy said. I take the point he makes around the time sensitivity in north Cork. I will come back to him directly on that. ...

Ministerial Rota for Parliamentary Questions: Motion (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 29th March, 2023, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer, following those set down to the Minister for Social Protection shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary sequence: Minister for Health Minister for Agriculture, Food and...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 16, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children, education and disability oversees programme for Government commitments relating to children, education and disability. It receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, local area disadvantage and the reform of disability services. In addition...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Nolan for raising the issue. The Minister of State, Senator Hackett, has worked really hard on this for a sustained period of time and I am really pleased we have got to the point of having a scheme to provide financial assistance. It has been a very stressful time for so many farmers and foresters. I know the Deputy welcomes the scheme. If the Deputy wants to write to me...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I certainly know the importance of the nursing home. As Deputy Kelly said, I was involved in it in a previous role in a Government of which Deputy Kelly was a member. I know the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, also knows the importance of it because we want to provide more nursing home facilities across the country. There is the issue of UHL, which, again, Deputy Kelly knows very well...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Before Saturday.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is also raising it with me. I know the issue is very important and that Deputy Shanahan raised it in good faith. I will engage directly with the Ministers involved and come back to Deputy Shanahan.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Troy for raising this matter. I cannot imagine what that family is going through with their little four-year-old girl, having to watch her in a very difficult state on many occasions and wanting to do everything right by her. I will certainly talk to the Minister for Health and the HSE about this. Sometimes different avenues can be explored if only a small number of children...