Results 44,061-44,080 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Responding to Deputy Mac Lochlainn, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, assures me that the changes that are being brought in with regard to that cap level will be retrospective to those within the scheme. I want the Deputy's constituents to know that, and I know Deputy Pringle's bona fides on this. It will take a period of time to draft the amendment. I will ask...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will have to ask the Minister to comment on the timeline.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I have control within constitutional parameters. I am not making light of a very serious issue and I do take that point. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, to engage with the Deputy directly. Deputy Bacik asked about legislation. I have asked the Attorney General to look at that. I will get the Deputy an update in this Dáil, yes. Let me see if I can get that update quite...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will do my best to get through the many requests that the Deputy has made.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will, but I will also speak-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: There is a serious-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: The Minister has done a great job in Cabinet and the people of Monaghan know that too.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: They do know that. They will tell Deputy Carthy all about it soon too. May I answer the question?

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: There is a serious issue with the need for a special school in Monaghan. My understanding is that the Department and National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are currently working to finalise special school capacity for September 2025 and Monaghan will be addressed as part of that process. I will engage with that group directly.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I do not need to do it through Deputy Carthy. I can do it myself, thanks. It is a democracy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I do not need Deputy Carthy's assistance.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I do not accept the presentation on Housing for All because we have seen housing supply very significantly increase. There were fewer than 7,000 homes built in 2011 when my party and Deputy Bacik's went into government after the financial crash. That figure will be closer to 40,000 this year. I agree that there is a need for new targets. I also agree that there is a need to significantly...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely right to make the point that domestic, sexual and gender-based violence absolutely does not respect any borders. She makes a very fair and interesting point about the need to see if we can collaborate on the island of Ireland on this. I know from memory that the Northern Ireland Executive very recently launched its own strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: We are nowhere near strike action. I understand that a ballot was begun by the INMO today and that FÓRSA will begin a ballot later this week. Any objective, fair analysis would acknowledge that growth in numbers of staff in our health service has never been as high, with recruitment in 2023 being the highest since the foundation of the Health Service Executive. As of August 2024,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his own service and expertise in this area and I absolutely and fully agree with him. Peacekeepers and peacekeeping have a very particular level of protection in international law and in terms of international norms regarding conflict. When I spoke to President Herzog of Israel yesterday, I made it clear to him in the strongest possible terms that what Israel had done...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will certainly look into the ambulance situation and ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, to revert to the Deputy on it. Obviously, in relation to his constituent, Lorraine, who has multiple sclerosis and her transport situation, I do not have the information to hand but I will pass that directly on to the Minister for Health and ask that the HSE would reach out to the Deputy and...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this extraordinarily important issue. He is entirely right on the importance of people being and feeling safe as they access transport, including taxis. I recently met with the Ministers for Transport and Justice and their officials specifically on the issue of safety on public transport, including taxis. My understanding from memory is that the Minister...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this really important matter. As he rightly said, it is expressly prohibited for civil aircraft to carry munitions of war in Irish sovereign territory without being granted an exemption to do so by the Minister for Transport. Of course, no such exemptions have been granted but there have been many reports of this now happening. It is a very...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Dea for raising this important matter. It is probably fair to say that there are a number of national projects based in Dublin that obviously provide benefit to people from Limerick and people from the regions. I would have to look into it but I imagine that has had some impact on the figures but I take the point that he makes. We need to continue to actively prioritise...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: Deputy Griffin makes an excellent point. I know it is an issue of concern for small businesses particularly in the hospitality and retail sector across Ireland. I know we have a lot of hospitality in County Kerry. From my visits there with the Deputy, I know how important this issue is. He is right to highlight the broader issue of the cost base. I highlight this when I meet people in...