Results 45,501-45,520 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: We are very effective in most areas in Wicklow.
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: There often is, as Ms Tallon is aware. As I do not want to be parochial, I will mention that Tipperary is not on the list. Should an employee of one of the two county councils in Tipperary - they will be merged soon - whose county manager has not sent a business case to the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, which therefore could not send it on to the Department...
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: Okay. Therefore, it is ceasing for new beneficiaries only.
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: I am delighted Ms Tallon referred to dirty money because of all the allowances, dirty money is the one that most seems like an anti-capitalist term. It is a bizarre name for an allowance. I do not know whether this allowance is the same as the dirty money allowance applied in the university sector, but I presume it is the money maintenance staff get for what I colloquially call "muck on...
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: I thank Ms Tallon and Ms Buckley and their officials for being here today. I wish to add my comments to the point the Chairman made. I commend the approach being taken by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with one caveat, which I will get to in a moment. Nobody has a veto over the process. What public sector managers are doing and are being instructed to do is actually...
- Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 25: Environment, Community and Local Government - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012) Simon Harris: The Deputy means the other Department.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: This is useful because the Committee of Public Accounts does not want to be fed fictional figures for potential savings. If the Labour Court has ruled on something which is being counted as part of savings, we run the risk of potentially wasting everybody's time. I have several more questions to ask.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I will be very brief and ask the questions together. The witnesses have done work on which allowances could be consolidated and the allowances they want to see continued. I ask them for their views in this regard. One cannot make public comments about the Croke Park agreement without being pitted as for or against it. It has good elements, but it also has absolutely ridiculous...
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I am scaring myself.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I am frustrated because ordinary everyday workers are being lumped with consultants and county managers who receive the same level of protection. The State is in serious financial trouble, but we are all expected to defend a situation where the perks and holiday entitlements of a county manager are looked after to the same level as those of a caretaker. It is illogical.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: That is a good assurance.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: Is there an eating in one's workplace allowance?
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I thank the delegation for appearing before us today and apologise for being late. I had a referendum meeting beforehand. I really appreciate the delegation's appearing before us. Unlike many people we see sitting on that side of the table, the delegation does not have to be here, and the fact that it is here is very important. I found this process over the past number of meetings very...
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I am referring to post-primary education.
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: That was just something on my mind. Representatives of a number of workers and, obviously, officials from a number of Departments have appeared before the committee. The Army is one group that sticks in my mind, along with maintenance workers, caretakers and the like. We are talking about many people who are low-paid, embarrassingly so in some cases. Let us take the example of the Army,...
- Public Accounts Committee: Irish Congress of Trade Unions - Review of Allowances (31 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: No, it will not. We have heard that from both officials and union representatives. Certainly, the message I get from the people Ms King talks about in my constituency is that they want it to happen. Obviously, they want the same amount of money in their pockets at the end of the week. That is normal, and it is ICTU's job to protect that interest. They want a situation whereby their core...
- Other Questions: Retail Guidelines (25 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I would like to pick up on the point made by Deputy Troy about the need for a European approach to this issue. We have discussed the marketing of food, drink and clothes to children, but I wish to focus on gambling with particular reference to a new Facebook application. Although it is currently available in the UK only, a number of parents' groups in Ireland have expressed concern about...
- Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I would like to share time with Deputy Lawlor.
- Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: I am grateful to have an opportunity to contribute to this discussion on the economic situation. I pay tribute to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance for the work they are doing to seek a better deal for this country in relation to its bank debt. Last week, our media learned a little lesson in how quickly things can move in European circles. RTE possibly learnt...
- Order of Business (25 Oct 2012)
Simon Harris: Where are the Deputy's receipts?