Results 44,701-44,720 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Third Anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: There is no proposal like that.

Third Anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Hear, hear.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: No, I will not, as we have already had a very extensive process. Let me agree with the Deputy on one thing: the people of Ireland expect this place and the people who show up to do their work to start talking about the issues that matter to them and addressing issues around housing, special needs education and disability. What they certainly do not expect is this sort of immature behaviour...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: A Cheann Comhairle, I could do without the cacophony.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Ceann Comhairle. Let the people at home know that, in the next six weeks, there will be 90 priority questions to various Ministers. Sinn Féin will have 47, Labour will have 12, the Social Democrats will have 11 and those on the Government side will have none – zero. How is that fair? How is their democratic mandate lesser than that of Members of the Opposition?...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Let us deal with that also.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: They are using my time. There is quite a bit I want to say on this. We have engaged extensively and we have also moved.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Sorry, but we did. The Deputy was not at the meetings; her leader was there. We have moved.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Not with me. We have moved. We had a position and we were willing to change it because, in fairness to the Opposition, it is important to listen. We did not go ahead with the proposal that would have seen Opposition questions during Leaders' Questions eaten into. Under these proposals, the Members opposite all get the exact same amount of time for questions to leaders. That is not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: We live in a parliamentary democracy in which the mandate of everybody, in government and opposition, counts. In so many parliamentary democracies, including the one just across the water, of course government Members of Parliament can ask the head or deputy head of government questions. That happens in PMQs in the House of Commons every single week. So, enough of the hyperbole.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: We have lots of hyperbole.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I have answered the question. We have had meetings, for dozens upon dozens of hours. We had a democratic vote in this Parliament of the people's representatives and now we intend to get on with the people's business. Deputy Carthy raised the issues of trade and tariffs. What he has done in opposition today is utterly childish. At a time when it has never been more important for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I will deal with that now in a moment.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes, it does.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Is that a threat?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I will do my best. Deputy Carthy talks about the Moriarty tribunal. I fully accept the findings of the Moriarty tribunal and my party voted in favour of setting it up. However, we do not have to look back 20 or 30 years to find issues in respect of fundraising when we look at the Deputy's party. We only had to read the Sunday Independent last week.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Deputy Carthy asked me if I have ever asked somebody a question. Did he ever ask a former councillor in his own constituency,-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: -----former Sinn Féin Councillor Owen Smyth, what he meant when he talked about Billy Hampton, the man who left a rural cottage to Sinn Féin? Does the Deputy remember the €99,000 for the derelict cottage from the reclusive English millionaire? The former councillor in Deputy Carthy's constituency said that the money bequeathed to Sinn Féin by Hampton-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: -----was "a lot sweeter" than the Northern Bank robbery money.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (27 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: When you put it in context, it is "a lot sweeter" than something like the Northern Bank-----