Results 4,841-4,860 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I very much respect Deputy Smith and his strong views and, indeed, his significant experience in this House and in the Border region, so I take seriously what he says. He will know that I have to say respectfully that the deployment of gardaí and management structures is, as it should be, a matter for the Garda Commissioner. What we can do, as a Government, is make sure that we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O’Dowd. I am pleased to hear of the increasing garda numbers. As we continue to see more men and women enter Templemore and more gardaí come out, I can assure him the direction of travel will be upwards in terms of Garda resources, with a focus on community gardaí. At the core of all that gardaí do and have done so well is policing by consent and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter today and previously, and for his support for what I think is a practical, common-sense measure that we can take in this House to show solidarity with the men and women of the Garda Síochána and to show solidarity with their families. Those families worry when they hear the door open at an early hour in the morning, and maybe remain...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with Deputy Ó Ríordáin. As I said earlier, the act was vile. It disgusted our country and it is not reflection of who we are as a people or who our communities are. It is not a reflection of how this country overwhelmingly has responded to welcoming new people to our country. Deputy Ó Ríordáin and most of the House have supported many communities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: There is no contradiction. The country needs more gardaí and the Government is actively recruiting more gardaí with the Garda Commissioner. This is happening alongside a scenario where the Garda Commissioner says, to use his phrase, he has the operational integrity to police protests. There has been in Dublin city alone well over 125 protests, or so-called protests on occasion,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: A number of different issues have been mentioned and people have been good enough to acknowledge this. They are quite different. I have dealt with the issue of the burning of a tent which was somebody's home. This was an utterly vile and disgusting act that rightly appalled and sickened people in this country. There is an ongoing Garda investigation into this situation, as there rightly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----a flag that represents peace, inclusion and welcome. The Ireland people should be seeing around the world is one that has welcomed more than 100,000 people to our country over the course of just over 12 months. Those people do not speak for Ireland. They have no democratic mandate. There is no part of this country that can be in any way lawless. There are very clear laws for this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smith for the question. He and I and the Government are committed to working to make sure we build strong, safe communities and that we support the Garda and resource it properly. Everyone, no matter where in the country people live, deserves to be safe and feel safe. This is central to all that we do with regard to our community safety policy. As Deputy Smith is aware,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Offences Against the State Acts constitute our primary counter-terrorism legislation, which has served the State well over many years in tackling the threat posed by subversives and organised crime gangs. I can confirm that the independent group appointed to review the Offences Against the State Acts, including the Special Criminal Court, has completed its work and I met the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Deputy O'Dowd reminded us of a number of occasions where the Special Criminal Court has served this State well. I believe the Special Criminal Court continues to have an important role to play for the reasons I outlined. I again thank the review group. This is a comprehensive body of work - two years worth of work. There was an opportunity for significant civic society input for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The people of County Louth know all too well the risks members of An Garda Síochána face. I had the pleasure of meeting the father of Garda Adrian Donohoe at the weekend when we had the memorial day for the 89 members of An Garda Síochána who were murdered in the line of duty and taken from their families and communities. These were attacks on democracy. When the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Berry for this important question. The Government is committed to doing all that we can to build stronger safer communities. A key part of that has to be supporting An Garda Síochána, increasing the numbers, resourcing and equipping it properly. That is why we have given the highest allocation ever to An Garda Síochána in budget 2023 of €2.1...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The aim is to recruit 1,000 new gardaí this year. The exact net increase depends on a number of variables, such as how many people retire or resign from the Garda this year. The high-level target I have set is that by the end of this year, it will be the first year since the Covid pandemic that Garda numbers are back growing. This should be the first year that recruitment begins to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I will certainly take that away and look at it because I see the logic in what the Deputy is saying. The Garda Reserve has a very important role to play alongside growing Garda numbers, which we are now back growing with an annual recruitment campaign. Recruiting Garda staff is important. I have met many staff in Garda stations across this country in recent months. They are doing sterling...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy that he is entirely correct and the security assessment entirely tallies with his view that it is a statement of fact that there are a number of small, right-wing, far-right actors who move from community to community to stoke fear and division and, on occasion, engage in criminal activity. We should not overstate the number, nor should we tolerate their actions....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I absolutely believe in democratic oversight and oversight structures with regard to An Garda Síochána and our justice system - of course, I do. However, I am also conscious that when we talk about this subject in the House, we are talking about pieces of information we see. An Garda Síochána has a helicopter view of information and of intelligence and in terms of its...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Prison Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The first thing I want to say in regard to the change in the law to protect peace officers and provide maximum sentences is that everybody in the House, including the Deputy, shares the view that it is important that we put legislation in place to send out a very clear message and solidarity from this, the people's House, with those on the front line that it simply will not be tolerated if...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Prison Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I think we both agreed on the issue of people with short sentences and how we can try to help them be diverted from prisons in the first place. With my other hat is on as Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, I am delighted that this week the Government agreed to establish a new prison education task force which will be jointly chaired by me and the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Prison Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I fundamentally agree with the Deputy that there should never be a scenario where, for example, a school, workshop or training centre in a prison cannot open and people are instead sent out to a yard. That is a recipe for a variety of challenges, including challenges for prison officers as well as trying to break the cycle that we collectively want to break. I have spoken to the director...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising the question. I very much appreciate the fact that he referenced the challenging situation gardaí can find themselves in. I want to take this opportunity to thank members of An Garda Síochána. There have been well over 125 anti-immigration protests in the city alone. Gardaí have been working in very challenging environments and I want...