Results 40,901-40,920 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Applicants are advised to apply for their visa 8 weeks before their intended date of travel to the State. The Dublin Visa Office are currently processing Short Stay Business Visas, received in the Dublin Visa Office, on the 3 April 2023. Processing times and decisions at the Overseas Visa Offices can be checked at the following link: www.irishimmigration.ie/visa-decisions/ There...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Legislative Reviews (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Part VII of the Succession Act 1965 sets out the legal requirements for the making of a valid will and provides robust safeguards in relation to the validity of wills. These requirements are as follows:it must be in writing;the testator must be over 18 years of age (the testator may be under 18 if he or she is or has been married);the testator must be of sound mind;the testator must sign or...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Grant Payments (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Admissions (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Higher Education Institutions are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997, the Institutions of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation, the institutions are academically independent and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes including admissions, examinations,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education and Training Provision (3 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The government has set an ambitious target to retrofit 500,000 homes by 2030. Important steps towards delivering on this target include the delivery of training through Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) Centres of Excellence. Training offered in the NZEB Centres provide the skills required for a modern construction workforce, and helps support the delivery of the Government’s...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I know there are no amendments to section 2, but I am obligated to flag that I intend to consider something on Report Stage. For the information of the Cathaoirleach's colleagues, I wish to mention that we may add further necessary definitions to this section on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It is in section 2.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I have a relatively long speaking note. At a high level, I will point out that in reviewing the amendment, my view is that it is unnecessary in the context of this section, which essentially restates an existing section of the Garda Síochána Act 2005. As Deputy Ó Ríordáin says, the amendment provides that nothing in section 3 of the Bill, which relates to the...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It would be more accurate to say I am not sure it is required, full-stop. I certainly do not believe it fits well in this section because of this section being a lifting of section 3A of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, as amended. The more general point that I did not relate in my summarised version is that the powers available to members of An Garda Síochána are already...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Amendments Nos. 2 and 3 both concern "policing principles", but they are quite different and I will deal with them separately. Amendment No. 2, in the name of Deputy Ó Ríordáin, restates, subject to certain important amendments, the meaning attributed to "policing principles" in section 3B of the 2005 Act, as amended. It is important to note that this Bill provides for a...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies. Of course we always reflect. It goes without saying that every member of the committee supports in full An Garda Síochána. I note Deputy Ó Ríordáín's comments and I do not in any way doubt anybody's bona fides on this. We live in a country where confidence in our police, in An Garda Síochána, is extraordinarily high relative to...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: This section is on appeals and replacement provisions and I want to flag there may be further amendments on Report Stage.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 4: In page 23, lines 23 and 24, to delete “Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform” and substitute “Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform”. There are many amendments in the group but I would be surprised if we have a big debate on it. This is a grouping of amendments that are entirely technical...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: It does not matter what Department I am in, I seem to have these conversations with Deputy Ó Snodaigh.

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: As he should on this issue. I enjoyed working with him in this area on the Higher Education Authority, HEA, Bill. I think we made a better Bill as a result of the engagement we had. We will approach this issue in this Bill in that same way. I agree with a lot of what he has said. I will flag that I intend to bring forward amendments to this section on Report Stage to address the issue as...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 6: In page 24, line 24, to delete “in particular individuals, who” and substitute “in particular individuals who”. There are three amendments in this group. Amendment No. 6 is a technical amendment and serves to remove an unnecessary comma. Amendment No. 58 relates to section 78 and concerns a code of ethics for members of Garda personnel...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Costello. I note the point the Deputy makes and I acknowledge the concern. I send many letters to the Deputy providing a lot of statistics, through parliamentary questions and the likes. Often, we have to say that we have to get the data and then revert to the Deputy. I acknowledge the concern behind the amendment. The provision in section 77 of the Bill hopefully...

Select Committee on Justice and Equality: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (9 May 2023)

Simon Harris: We do try.

European Year of Skills: Statements (10 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Ceann Conmhairle for the opportunity to discuss the OECD report on skills in the Dáil today. It is a timely intervention as yesterday also marked the beginning of the European Year of Skills 2023. This is the year in which we are all challenged to look at the skills in our own country but also to look at skills in our own lives and what skills we may wish to learn or avail...