Results 2,621-2,640 of 46,232 for speaker:Simon Harris

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: That is my hope.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Canney for raising the matter and for his kind words for the Minister, Deputy Ryan, which I am sure he will appreciate. I acknowledge that the Deputy has been pursuing the issue of the western rail corridor and the all-island rail review for some time and we discussed it recently when I became Taoiseach. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Ryan, is due to bring a memorandum...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his words of tribute to the Minister, Deputy Ryan. I think many could learn from his courteous and civil approach to politics -----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: -----in this House and indeed outside this House as well.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: There are many lessons that could be learned from him in that regard. I thank the Deputy for his words about Cara Darmody. I met her as a Minister, not as the Taoiseach. She highlighted a number of things to me then and some of those, I believe, we have made progress on. I look forward to meeting her again on Thursday.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: The first thing I will do is familiarise myself with that task force report. I appreciate that a lot of work has been done since then but I will familiarise myself with that. We do need to come at this from all angles. There is, of course, a criminal justice element to this. A lot of good legislation has been passed through these Houses on that. The establishment of the agency is...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smyth for raising with me the issues that were raised in Killygarry, County Cavan last night in respect of these battery energy storage systems. In fairness to her constituents and the important issues, were the Deputy to provide me with a note of those three asks, I would co-ordinate a response across the Government and see if we can establish information for her constituents...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I met Cara and her father, Mark, briefly this morning when I came back from Brussels. I met them in the courtyard of Government Buildings before the Cabinet meeting. I will formally and properly meet Cara this week with, I hope, other relevant Ministers as well. I have here her letter, which she gave me this morning. She is an incredible young person. We have taken a number of steps...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Nash. We are having a meeting of the Cabinet committee on health in early July, I believe, and I look forward to seeing whether we can bring progress to that issue of the pay and numbers strategy there because discussions are ongoing between the HSE and the Department of Health. However, there is broad agreement in relation to the pay and numbers strategy. The Minister has...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies. First, in respect of Deputy Bacik's point, I am not sure this always come across in our domestic debates on European positions but four posts are currently being considered in Europe - the European Parliament President, the President of the Council, the President of the Commission and the High Representative for foreign affairs - and the different political groupings at...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: How many times do you want to speak on it? Are you voting against the arrangement to allow every Deputy to speak on it?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: There is a serious misrepresentation of the views of President von der Leyen by some in this country. Some have done so for political gain during the European elections. I attended the European Council last night with 26 other prime ministers and presidents. I have not heard any country within the European Union actively propose another name for President of the Commission. While...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I spoke yesterday to President Biden and I spoke specifically on behalf of Ireland about the importance of an immediate ceasefire. The president agreed that there was a need for a two-state solution. I think he said that in his read-out of the call. My question to everybody is what more can we do to bring about the circumstances where a ceasefire...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising the issue of Noah Donohoe and my thoughts are with his family. I am reluctant to talk too much about any individual case. I am conscious of the processes and the independence of the PSNI from political interference as one would expect, just like An Garda Síochána in this jurisdiction. However, I am always happy and eager to hear from...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: The honest truth is that on any legislative issue, one gets to a point where the point of disagreement is just reached. I can absolutely assure the Deputy that the Minister-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: It was reached. I will explain to Deputy Howlin how the point of disagreement was reached. He has been in this House a very long time. The Minister and the Government have been listening to these issues through a whole variety of fora, through consultation, through Committee Stage-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: The committee of the Oireachtas is not a residents' association; it is an Oireachtas committee of the Dáil. The Ceann Comhairle can clarify that is where Members of Dáil Éireann can go to tease through legislation. To be clear, the committee is of the Dáil. The only people who can attend it are Members of the Dáil.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: There was a lot of time spent there. The Minister considered the issues. Amendments are tabled on Committee Stage. Quite often, members of the Opposition, as is their right, table the exact same amendment, or a variation of it, on Report Stage. At some point, the Minister, with such lengthy legislation, which is trying to modernise housing planning so we can get things moving in this...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising this important issue. I join with him in completely condemning what happened in Loughinisland. I very much agree with them on the point that just because time has passed, it does not mean that issues can be ignored. It does not mean that an approach can be taken to any issue that is not victim centred and is not centred in terms of justice,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (18 Jun 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Bacik for the question and for acknowledging the role the Minister, Deputy Ryan, has played as a leader of his party. I am very conscious that he intends to continue in office, and that is a matter for the soon-to-be new leader of the Green Party in due course, but also continuing to serve his constituents in the Deputy's own constituency until the next election. He is a...