Results 43,401-43,420 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I was going to make a point with which the Deputy might agree. The issue of providing clarity on legal advice during a referendum campaign is important. When I was the Minister for Health, there was a referendum campaign on which the Deputy and I were on different sides. However, we had a précis paper that allowed me to share with the Dáil in some guise the legal advice that was...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: That was what I meant to say. It is what is written on my sheet of paper. I will get an update for the Deputy from the Minister of State. I share Deputy Paul Murphy's view on how appalling arson attacks are. One struggles to comprehend how, at a time of constraint in capacity, housing supply, accommodation and shelter for a whole variety of needs in our country, people who profess to...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputy has an interest in Meath. I am conscious of the fact that particular parts of the country have experienced significant population growth. Those areas include Meath, Kildare, my own county of Wicklow and others. I am concerned about the fair distribution of Garda numbers as we grow them. I will ask the Minister for Justice to give a view from the Garda Commissioner.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Change Policy (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 13, inclusive, together. The Department of the Taoiseach prepares progress reports on the delivery of measures committed to under the climate action plan. These progress reports provide a detailed breakdown of completed and delayed actions and are published online, once considered by Government. The final progress report relating to the Climate...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Change Policy (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: To respond to Deputy O'Rourke, yesterday the Government considered the climate action plan for 2024 which has now been published. Next year we will begin the process of the allocation of the unallocated emissions. We have given consideration, and the Minister Deputy Ryan has shared this with the House previously, to a number of ways this can be addressed, including technology. I am very...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Conflicts (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 to 17, inclusive, together. As the House will be aware, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the situation in the Middle East is of great international concern. The phrase "ongoing conflict" does not in any way capture the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe we are now seeing in Gaza. Since my election as Taoiseach, I have had many discussions on the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Foreign Conflicts (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The first thing I want to say, and I am very conscious of it on a day like today, but it is important to say this, is that what happened on 7 October was an horrific terrorist attack. It was a massacre of people at a music festival. We have seen people who were killed, assaulted, raped, taken hostage, including children, including an Irish-Israeli girl. We should never forget that, brush...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services which oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy and public services was re-established when new Cabinet Committees were put in place following the appointment of the new Government in April. The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services last met on 20 November and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Climate Action Plan (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach prepares progress reports on the delivery of measures committed to under the Climate Action Plan. These progress reports provide a detailed breakdown of completed and delayed actions and are published online, once considered by Government. The final progress report for the 2023 Climate Action Plan (CAP23) was published on the 5th of March this year. It...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: As the House will be aware, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the situation in the Middle East is of great international concern. Since my election as Taoiseach, I have had many discussions on the situation with my international counterparts. The issue was discussed at the special meeting of the European Council in April, when Leaders committed to working with partners to end the conflict in...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Priorities (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Over the last three and a half years, the Government has significantly advanced our Shared Island initiative and continues to progress this important dimension of the Programme for Government, working with all communities and political traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. On 20 February, the Government announced over €800m in funding for Shared...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Cabinet Committee on Health is scheduled to next meet on 1 July.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am grateful to have the opportunity to expand on this important issue because it is always important when it comes to housing - one of the biggest intergenerational challenges of our time - that the Government is willing to listen and to respond. Something we did not hear from the previous speaker is that we live in a country where every working day, we see so many homes being built, where...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: That is not accurate

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: In Boston.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: It is entirely possible, although it might be a new one on Deputy McDonald, to be able to report progress in an area of societal challenge and still wish to do more in that area. I travel around the country, as I am sure does the Deputy, most of the time anyway. As she travels around the country, I am sure she sees plenty of examples of new homes being built. I am sure she knocks on the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: We still wish to do more. Fewer than 1% of residential property transactions saw the higher rate of stamp duty. I want to see more. I want to see it reviewed. The Government intends to review it in the context of the budget.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this very important issue. Like her, I too welcome the fact that today Ireland will recognise the State of Palestine. It is a significant moment, an historic moment and an important moment to recognise that you cannot have a two-state solution without recognising two states. Also, I hope to create a positive momentum towards more countries now...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: It is not rhetoric.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am not calling the EU out. We are part of the EU. We joined it, are members of it and are around the table. What I am doing every single day with colleagues across Government, including the Tánaiste, is working at a European level to help bring about the actions that need to happen. Europe has not covered itself in glory in relation to this humanitarian catastrophe. I am very...