Results 1,961-1,980 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Minister was quite right this week to bring forward a proposal to Cabinet to move that forward. The only decision the Government of Ireland took this week was regarding that.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Now that the Government of Ireland has done that, we will decide how best to populate the office, process matters - I want to understand the processes followed regarding key personnel - and we will then address all those matters and put this together.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: That is the appropriate way. Of course, people who do a job will be paid a salary but this not about personalities.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: In the first instance, this is about getting things right. Speculation in the media is not how we do things in government. We will bring forward proposals, we will tease them through-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: -----and we will consider them. That is exactly what we will do in the hours and days ahead and we will get this right-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: -----with a housing activation office to break down silos. Getting the right people in place is also important.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Bacik for that. I also wish everyone a happy International Workers' Day. I would like to acknowledge the incredible work done by workers right across our country in the public service and in the private sector, as well as the many people who work here in Leinster House to help our democracy function on a daily basis. Objectively, it is fair to say a lot of positive measures...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I assure Deputy Bacik the Government is unified in wanting to support our workers and economy and wanting to protect their jobs too. I agree low paid workers and workers in this country are certainly not responsible for the many turbulent challenges the global economy faces and the impact that may have on Ireland. We are very lucky to live in a country where our union movement was very...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. We all agree that housing is the most important issue. There is a housing emergency in this country. There is an onus on all of us to come forward with ideas and policies to try to make real and meaningful progress for people in the country. I hope we are at least united on this. This Government has taken a number of steps on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: There is no housing tsar for us either.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I love the way Sinn Féin loves to laugh and joke about the issue of housing. It proposed in the general election that if it was elected to government, and thank God we were spared that, it would establish a new office to bring forward all of the different structures to break down silos. That is what Sinn Féin proposed. The Housing Commission proposed that, and so did the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: That is the only decision that we have made. We have not made any decisions about personnel or pay. Process matters with all of these issues. We will continue to engage as a Government, now that we have made the decision on establishing the new office, on how best to staff that office. The overriding objective will not be personality but will be getting the job done and making sure that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am very on board with setting up a housing activation office and I thought Deputy Doherty was too. It is in page 98 of Sinn Féin's own plan, about breaking down the silos, bringing in expertise, and-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not sure whether its Deputies read the policies but that is what they all ran on in the election. They ran in the election and said that he wanted to establish an office to bring together people to break down silos relating to housing.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Currently, there is no Free Trade Agreement between the European Union and Türkiye. The EU-Türkiye Customs Union, however, has enabled bilateral trade to increase significantly, reaching a record high of almost €206 billion in 2023, making Türkiye the EU’s 5th largest trade partner in that year. Goods may travel between the two entities without any customs...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government remains committed to free, fair and open trade while protecting Ireland’s interests in international trade deals. Our EU membership makes us part of the growing network of EU Free Trade Agreements, supporting more opportunity for exports and investment, helping support jobs and growth at home, maintaining strict EU standards on food safety, animal and plant health, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, these applications are within the current turnaround times and have not yet reached their issue by date.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland and Australia enjoy warm and strong bilateral relations founded on historic ties of kinship and a shared commitment to democratic values. Both countries work closely together on issues of mutual interest, including defending multilateralism and the rules-based international order. These were among the issues discussed when bilateral consultations at senior official level took place in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I have not engaged in direct correspondence or communication with my Russian counterpart nor met the Russian Ambassador to Ireland since February 2022. Since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, my engagements on this issue have focused on direct engagement with Ukraine, as the victim of Russian aggression, and with our European Union and like-minded partners. Ireland’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Consular Services (1 May 2025)

Simon Harris: In June 2018, the Government launched Global Ireland: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025. The strategy aims to see Ireland’s global footprint and influence double in the period to 2025, including through an expanded and strengthened diplomatic presence. Under the The Global Ireland strategy, 27 missions diplomatic missions have been opened or announced to be opened. This...