Results 1,561-1,580 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is right. This is an area where a significant amount of work is needed to make progress. There is no doubt about that. I would make the point at the outset that I do not think any one strand of work will get us to where we need to get. We will need to do four or five very significant things at the same time and this is the focus of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: There is an agreed way forward. We have a very clear view forward regarding amending and reforming the legislation and the model around assessment of need and we want to work with people in good faith to get this right, including, most importantly, parents and those who carry out assessments of need - the clinical professions. The House can expect engagement from us on that very shortly. ...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We can come back to that in a moment. Other actions needed include: resourcing An Bord Pleanála properly; enacting and commencing the various provisions of the Planning and Development Acts in order that we can speed up the delivery of planning, because planning decisions are holding back the delivery of homes and infrastructure; increasing the zoned land for housing, and that is what...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: No, just yours. The misleading of people in relation to Irish Water is your fault.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We have been very clear that we are going to have to spend an awful lot more on Uisce Éireann. I met with the chief executive of Uisce Éireann for a number of hours last Friday. Uisce Éireann has presented to the Government real plans that if we can provide it with significant additional capital funding over the summer period in the context of the review of the national...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not sure who is playing leader of Sinn Féin today, whether it is you or Pearse. I am not sure whether this is the audition for the next leader of Sinn Féin but I would like to speak, if that is okay.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We will publish a new housing plan-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: They do not want an answer because they are not about the answer.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: May I speak? I am sure Pearse does not need your help.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We are going to produce a new housing plan in July. Deputy Doherty can be quite assured that part of that new housing plan will be significant additional funding and enabling provisions for Irish Water and, indeed, for energy. We have been clear, and we were very clear in the election, about what we would do with the proceeds from the Apple account in terms of how that money would be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Over the past number of years I have been in government, we have seen a very significant increase in the number of homes delivered in this country. We saw 133,000 new homes delivered between 2020 and 2024, with 92,500 of them delivered between 2022 and 2024. Deputy Doherty never acknowledges that bit. He never acknowledges that we have rebuilt a construction sector and rebuilt an economy,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: -----if Deputies want to work constructively and not politicise the issue of housing, to actually make real progress in the time ahead. We now have the legislative background-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not going to be shouted down by the Deputy. I am going to speak, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Between now and the month of July, we are going to work on a housing plan; not a glossy document but a targeted list of actions we can take in relation to water, energy and planning that will get us to 300,000 homes. I assure Deputies we have the money and capital to make this happen. What we now need is political support across this House and in communities to drive on delivery.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I hope the Deputy will support the establishment of a housing activation office that will do exactly what he said, which is bring in people from Irish Water and the local authorities and put them in an office working together to break down those silos so we can deliver the homes for our people.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Doherty. Housing is the biggest domestic challenge that this country faces and the people in this country face. It is the biggest societal challenge on a domestic level and it is now a real economic challenge as well. We have to do more when it comes to housing. We, the parties that formed the Government and the Independents who support it, were very clear that if...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza: Statements (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am very pleased to have an opportunity to be here today and I thank Seanad Éireann for inviting me. I have commitments in the other House so I will take this debate along with the Ministers of State, Deputies Thomas Byrne and Neale Richmond. I said in the other House yesterday and will say today again at the outset that I hope the starting and end point of this debate will be not be...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland, along with our EU partners, adheres to the One China Policy. This means that we do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan and that we recognize the People's Republic of China as the legal representative of China. This does not preclude the development of economic, cultural, and people-to-people connections with Taiwan; nor the meaningful participation of Taiwan in relevant...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 178, 235 and 236 together. As a small, highly globalised economy, it is of the utmost importance that we maintain a strategic focus on the international trading environment. The Government Trade Forum plays an important role facilitating direct engagement between Government Ministers and key stakeholders and experts as we shape the national,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (29 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has consistently and strongly advocated for the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTQ+ people, including in our relations with Hungary. We have regularly raised our concerns about serious Rule of Law backsliding and the targeting of civil society and minority rights in Hungary, including in direct contacts with our Hungarian interlocutors. Through my Department’s...