Results 43,821-43,840 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. There are a number of proposals for constitutional reforms under consideration. However, no final decisions have been made as yet by Government on the timing of any such referendum. Some of the proposed constitutional reforms arise from the programme for Government, such as housing and extending the franchise for presidential...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will take these questions in the order they were asked. Deputy McDonald raised the franchise for the presidential elections. I have not had an opportunity to comment on this since I became Taoiseach. I am in favour of this proposal and acting on it. The Deputy is right that the programme for Government contains a commitment to that. In line with that commitment, the Government restored...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: To Deputy Ó Murchú, I thank him for his points specifically in relation to the affordable housing scheme in Dundalk, the criteria around it and the anxiety felt by people in relation to the housing crisis. I undertook to come back to him on that, which I will.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 15, inclusive, together. The Government continues to prioritise and progress the shared island initiative. Our commitment is to work with all communities and political traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. On 20 February, the Government announced the largest ever package of funding for cross-Border investments....

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: That is okay.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cross-Border Co-operation (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank colleagues for raising a number of issues. Without commenting on individual decisions of the courts, it is absolutely the case that the epidemic of violence by men against women and attacking women does not stop at any border. I say in the spirit of co-operation that there is more we can do on the island together. I know we will have willing interlocutors in the Northern Ireland...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 19, inclusive, together. I attended the summit on peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland on 15 and 16 June, together with over 50 other world leaders and over 100 countries and international organisations. As world leaders gathered for this important summit to talk about peace, Russia continued its relentless attacks on Ukraine, including the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: First, I sincerely welcome that everybody in this House who has spoken clearly condemns the horrific actions of Putin. I accept that, I acknowledge it and it is important that we say it, particularly after the horror of the children's hospital. I do want to acknowledge that. To be clear, I do not expect the Deputy to follow what I say at these summits, but I did very clearly say in my...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree with every word Deputy McDonald said on this issue. I thank her and Deputy Kerrane for engaging with me on this matter, along with Deputy Feighan. This is a really distressing case. It is important that everybody around the world, including in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates, know that we are speaking with one voice in this House on this situation. An Irish woman - an Irish...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy McDonald. Absolutely, step one is to get Tori and her mother, who is out there actively supporting her at this very distressing time, home. For this to happen, the travel ban needs to be lifted. It is the current block in terms of Tori coming home. The immediate request and demand of Ireland is that this happens. With regard to the issue of legal representation, I am...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Where are you working?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: On what is probably our last exchange, I wish Deputy Ó Ríordáin well. His election to the European Parliament is a major milestone for him and his party. I genuinely wish him well as he continues to represent Dublin and Ireland, albeit in a different capacity. I say to all those elected to the European Parliament that everybody in the House is rooting for them. When they go...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Ríordáin. He has made me feel even stronger about the point I made in my first response about the importance of the Equal start programme. I was not aware of the statistics on three-year-olds, but they are stark. I am pleased that the Equal Start programme, which is like DEIS for pre-school, will begin this September with 32,000 of the youngest children...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: This Government takes the housing crisis extremely seriously. It is the biggest societal challenge we face. It is an intergenerational challenge that causes significant anxiety across the country. The Deputy knows we take it seriously and he knows some of the figures he never mentions when he stands up to speak on this issue. That is his prerogative. We now live in a country where more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We did not need the Housing Commission to tell us we needed to increase housing targets.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Hang on a second. We are doing it but we do it in a clear, methodical, evidence-based way. I clearly announced before I became Taoiseach that we needed to build 250,000 more homes between 2025 and 2030. Many people scoffed at that - not people in this House, in fairness - and said it was not possible or credible. Now ESRI research, Housing Commission reports and the CIF indicate it is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: It only includes direct Exchequer funding.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: You were there.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I enjoyed my visit to Scariff and meeting the Deputy there. I apologised for the Deputy not receiving a formal invite and I wish him well with his new-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy was looking out for the others. I thank him. I appreciated seeing him there and wish him well with his new role in the European Parliament. The Deputy raised a number of elements and I will try to work through them. We need to be honest with people on accommodation. The Deputy rightly raised the situation of a young man doing his best to get educated and get to work. That...