Results 5,081-5,100 of 46,267 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 167 and 171 together. As the Deputy will be aware, under the Garda Síochána Act 2005 (as amended), the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the administration and management of An Garda Síochána, including all human resource matters and recruitment. As Minister, I have no direct role in such matters. As the Deputy will also be aware An...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Coroners Service (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Coroner Service provides an important service to next of kin and society in general in seeking to explain the causes of death in those instances which are reportable by law. Section 9 of the Coroners Act, 1962 provides for the payment by the Local Authorities of a salary to the Coroners. This salary has been fixed from time to time after consultation between the Minister for Justice and...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Funding (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Per-Cent for Arts scheme provides for a prescribed funding allocation to be made from capital budgets to support public arts schemes. The scheme is not applied directly at Departmental level and funds are not released directly from the Department's budget. The Office of Public Works manages capital projects on behalf of the Department and the scheme is applied at individual project level...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members of the Houses of the...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Tackling Domestic, Sexual and Gender Based Violence (DSGBV) is an absolute priority for me as Minister for Justice.  This includes focusing on prevention and on providing victim-centred supports and services and implementing the €363 million Zero Tolerance plan.  Under Budget 2023, an extra €9 million was secured, a 22% increase, for combatting domestic, sexual...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Functions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Lead responsibility for policy in relation to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence lies with  the Criminal Justice Policy function in my Department. The Policy function leads on the development of national policy on specific themes and drafts, consults on and manages the negotiation and approval of EU/International and applied policies. The Community Safety Policy team has...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Courts Service (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, management of the courts, operational matters and logistical functions are the responsibility of the judiciary and Courts Service, which are independent in exercising their functions under the Courts Service Act 1998 and given the separation of powers in the Constitution. The Courts Service has a dedicated email address for the provision of information to members...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Indian nationals are subject to the same visa requirements and checks as all visa required nationals wishing to travel to Ireland. I can advise the Deputy that a number of steps have been taken in recent years to upgrade the visa processing system to make it more efficient and easier for visitors from abroad to submit their visa applications for travel to Ireland; this has included the...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific application referred to by the Deputy, I have been advised by my officials that an application from the student in question for the 2023/24 academic year has been commenced online by the student but has not yet been finalised and submitted to SUSI for assessment.  In general for student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: National Development Plan (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I am pleased to provide the Deputy with details of capital projects being progressed under National Development Plan currently in the area referred to. The attached table details further education and training (FET) projects being progressed by Cork Education & Training Board (CETB) who have responsibility for projects in Cork, including the region referred to by the Deputy. As there...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Technological Universities (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Section 25(3A) of the Technological Universities Act 2018 (Number 3 of 2018) requires a technological university to seek consent from the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to acquire shares in a company formed for purposes other than the manufacture or development of a product, service or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Contracts (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department was established in August 2020 and commenced moving headquarters into existing State-owned office space in September 2021. Since moving my Department secured the services of Accent Cleaning Solutions to provide contract cleaning within the building and there is one private cleaner on site Monday – Friday. My department recently...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Bodies (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: My Department does not have access to the information regarding policies in place in each state agency.  In relation to local authorities, the local government sector is committed to creating a culture of continuous learning and development so that employees can develop to their full potential.  Local authority employees are encouraged and supported to expand their existing...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Funding (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Funding (full funding or co-funding) for capital projects is disbursed by my Department generally via the HEA to individual higher education institutions who are fully responsible for managing all phases of the design and delivery of a capital project within the parameters of the approval in principle provided. A percentage of the cost of any publicly funded capital, infrastructural and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It is a great day for Clonmel. I can confirm, and I have confirmed by way of a statement, that we have made the decision to decouple both Clonmel and Macroom Garda stations from the PPP bundle. This means they will both be able to go direct to Exchequer-funded build and I expect Clonmel Garda station to go to construction next year.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank my colleague and friend, Senator Ahearn, for raising this matter again. He has raised it on many occasions on behalf of the people of Clonmel. It is a huge issue for people and members of An Garda Síochána in the town. We need to provide the people of Clonmel and County Tipperary with this new Garda station in Kickham Barracks. It has been on the priority list for quite...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: An Garda Síochána (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Tipperary has such a proud tradition of supporting An Garda Síochána, with the Garda College based in Templemore. We saw another class of Garda recruits enter this week. This is a year when we will begin to see Garda numbers grow again after the Covid pandemic, with more people becoming members of An Garda Síochána than leaving it. That is happening in Templemore. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Services (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Gallagher for raising this matter and, more important, for his ongoing work, leadership and advocacy on this. I thank him for meeting with me and my officials and the team in the Department of Justice on a number of dates and for constantly keeping this issue on the agenda. I share his view. I know, as Minister for Justice and as a former Minister for Health, that every day...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Services (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I commend Senator Gallagher on his work, for using the Seanad to really try to bring forward good change, and using in a proper way the office he holds to try to bring forward positive legislative change which I believe will help keep our front-line workers, including members of An Garda Síochána, more safe as they go about their duty. It is also something which they, and their...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Parking Provision (16 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I have contacted An Garda Síochána for the information requested by the Deputy, regretfully this information was not available in time. I will write to the Deputy once the information is to hand.