Results 44,441-44,460 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I must say I agree with the Deputy. This is a bizarre situation where somebody over the age of 70 can drive kids in a private bus to the soccer or GAA game at the weekend but cannot drive them to school in a Bus Éireann bus. It is either safe or it is not safe and the inconsistency in relation to this is quite farcical and annoying at a time when we are trying to get more drivers. I...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: If the Deputy sends the details to my office I will engage immediately with the Minister for housing in relation to that matter.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Meara and congratulate him on his election representing the people of Tipperary North. I wish him very well. The programme for Government contains a number of commitments in relation to this. The Deputy is right that housing is the biggest challenge that our country faces and it is the biggest priority that the Government intends to address. As he also rightly...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Geoghegan and congratulate him on his election to Dáil Éireann, representing the people of Dublin Bay South. I look forward to working closely with him. I want to thank him for the instrumental role he played in the Dublin city task force during his time as Lord Mayor and first citizen of Dublin. We have a really good piece of work now, with very clear...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy knows, I agree with him on this issue and I am supportive of this project. It could be a real enabler for the south-east region. The new Minister of State sitting beside me, Deputy Canney, is due to meet his officials in the coming days specifically on that issue. It is, as Deputy Cullinane fairly acknowledges, specifically referenced in the programme for Government. Once...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Gorman and wish him well in his new role over on that side of the House. I am proud of the work we did together in the last Government in terms of supporting UNRWA when other countries, as the Deputy rightly says, withdrew their support. I acknowledge the role that the Taoiseach played in increasing the level of funding that we were providing to UNRWA. As recently as this...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Irish Prisoners Abroad (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that officials in my Department are aware of this case and are providing ongoing consular assistance to the citizen and their family. I appreciate that this is a difficult situation for all concerned. As with all consular cases, my Department has assigned a dedicated case officer to the family and they remain in regular contact with them. Their case officer will continue to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Artificial Intelligence (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department is actively exploring the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence and the various policy considerations that arise. None of the Department’s current programmes or services are driven by Generative AI models. A limited amount of research has been done within the Department’s ICT Unit on Large Language Models (LLM) that has incurred approximately...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Strengthening our relationship with the United States is a key priority for me and for this Government. Strategic political engagement is an important part of that effort at both Federal and State level. Ireland’s Consul General in Austin did not meet with the Mayor of Dallas in 2024. However, the Consulate of Ireland in Austin General engages regularly with elected officials and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Contracts (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for two Votes - Vote 27 (International Cooperation) and Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs). Overall expenditure under both Votes for consultancy services engaged by my Department in 2023 and 2024 to date are set out in the schedule at the link below. As a number of contracts are multi-annual, their expenditure in each year of 2023 and 2024 are listed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Measures (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: As set out in the Programme for Government, the situation in the Middle East remains a central foreign policy priority, notably advocating for a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine through the realisation of the two-State solution. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of the two-State solution. As the House is aware, in light of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Student Visas (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland and the US enjoy deep and strong bilateral relations. As is outlined in the new Programme for Government, it is a priority for Ireland to strengthen our political, cultural, economic and trade relationship with the US at all levels, recognising the unique significance of the mutually beneficial relationship between us. An element of these important reciprocal relationships are the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Artificial Intelligence (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: In line with the National AI strategy and the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Cyber Security Guidance on Generative AI for Public Sector Bodies, my Department continues to keep the use of artificial intelligence for business purposes under review. My Department's core IT infrastructure is provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) under the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Unfortunately, the information sought by the Deputy could not be collated in the timeframe provided. My officials will collate same and I will arrange to have this data provided to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Meetings (6 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The Irish Defence and Security Association (IDSA) was established in 2021 with a mission “to ensure Ireland develops appropriate, leading edge and trusted defence and security capabilities in the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains, in order to protect our society, create jobs, drive research and enhance Ireland’s economic growth”. National Defence Industry...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together. I thank the Deputy. I wish him well in his new role and look forward to working with him and other members of the Opposition constructively at an important time in the world for Ireland's position on a range of foreign affairs matters. I am conscious we are meeting against a backdrop of great fragility when it comes to the ceasefire,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I welcome Deputy Kenny. I share Deputy Ó Laoghaire's sentiments on the need to step back from the brink in protecting the fragile ceasefire in place. We will have an opportunity to engage on that shortly. To be clear, the Government and I, as the Tánaiste and leader of my party, still believe in legislating in relation to trade with the occupied territories. We gave that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I have been clear; I am not trying to be in any way evasive. The Government's position is to legislate prohibiting goods from the occupied Palestinian territory. That is our position. We are happy to engage constructively as we go through this process. More broadly, that means-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I think I have answered the question directly. The Deputy asked if it is goods or services and I said "goods".

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Legislative Programme (11 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I am saying that at the moment our focus is on progressing legislation to prohibit goods as we bring forward proposals. I am happy to engage with the Deputy in relation to other issues but the programme for Government-----