Results 46,301-46,320 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I deplore antisemitism, as does everybody in this House. We should speak with one voice in condemning antisemitism in all its forms. It needs to be called out and we all need to do more, as countries, as the European Union and as a global community, to stamp out antisemitism. That is beyond doubt. Separate and distinct from what I just said, we will continue, as a country, to speak up...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Absolutely, and that is the difference between the Government and the Opposition. The Taoiseach and I were in the United States, where he had a meeting with President Trump, engaging on behalf of this country, speaking up for our values, putting forward our views and valuing our relationship. The leader of the Opposition took the weekend off. That is the difference. It is easy to turn up...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Diplomatic Representation (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I remember the challenges to do with envoys previously. I agree with the Deputy's broader point on the need to empower as many people as possible to engage. I will reflect on his point. The first way we should do that is by continuing to facilitate and host Congressional delegations, known as CODELs, whereby people from both sides of the aisle, Republicans and Democrats, travel to Ireland...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Consular Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this question and giving me an opportunity to provide some further information about the matter, as I am sure she will provide the same to me. I am aware of this case and have been apprised of the details. I spoke with officials in my Department on the matter as recently as yesterday and have asked them to meet with Mr. Cornelius's wife, family members and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Consular Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I am conscious that I am talking to a family through the prism of the Dáil. I wish to be respectful of that reality. I thank Deputy Gibney for writing to me on this matter. My officials will meet with Heather, the family and Mr. Cornelius's representatives because we want to be helpful. While this might sound like a frustrating thing to say, and I can understand why, this case...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Consular Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: We will absolutely do that. I am happy to keep in direct contact with the Deputy on this issue. I cannot imagine how difficult, traumatic and upsetting a time this must be for Heather, her children and the wider Cornelius family. As I said, I do not wish to accidentally endeavour to intervene in a way that is unhelpful. That would be the worst thing to happen. We are very eager to engage...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank my colleague, Deputy O'Shea, for raising this question. I am pleased to say the passport service is delivering passports to our citizens within advertised turnaround times and, in many cases, well before their due date. More than 580,000 passports have been issued this year to date. The public offices in Dublin and Cork operate an urgent appointment service for renewal...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Let me take those suggestions on board. The passport reform programme is continuing. While we made significant progress on passport delivery, turnaround times and the integrity of the passport, that process continues. I am happy to continue to engage on that. On Deputy O'Shea's point, what I am saying for the people of Cork is that we are committed to Cork, to our Passport Office and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I hear the Deputy. We are continuing to do everything we can to reduce the number of people who ever need to travel for an in-person appointment. I am really encouraged to see that that is less than 2% of people. It is quite incredible. We have spare capacity for the appointments in Cork today. Only about 26% of the slots in Cork are being used. I join with the Deputy in saying that is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 23, 46, 48, 55 and 73 together. I thank Deputies Ward and Ó Murchú. As the House is aware, as far back as 14 February 2024, the then Taoiseach and the Prime Minister of Spain wrote to the President of the European Commission, requesting an urgent review of whether Israel was compliant with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I hear Deputy O'Reilly about that. I acknowledge that people are trying to do something good, in good faith. We all share that view. There are rules in place relating to visas, particularly when it comes to minors, especially when they are not travelling with parents or guardians. An appeals process is in place. I make that point without over-commenting on individual applications. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: First, I join the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in remarking on the fact tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This was one of the most horrific atrocities ever to take place on the European Continent and an atrocity that resulted in the massacre of more than 8,000 men and boys. It is our duty as a country, a Parliament and an international...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I am very clear, not just from my perspective but from that of the entire Government, that on 25 March of this year, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality secured sanction for the €8 million grant fund. There is a budget of €3.2 billion for disability services, as the Deputy knows, and €8 million of a grant fund was sanctioned for the Department of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: It is welcome to have a question on climate as I am not sure we, as a Dáil, are having the level of focus and discussion needed on this issue. The climate emergency has not gone away; far from it. We need to look at how we can accelerate the pace of change that needs to take place. We need a conversation about how we bring people with us, on which the Deputy had some good ideas. I,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: We are committed to providing the investment that is required. I am being very honest in saying I am not convinced currently of the need for more legislation in this area. There is a lot of legislation in place. It is an implementation issue now in terms of how quickly we can accelerate delivery. Most sectors of our economy are seeing a decrease in emissions, including agriculture and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As a previous Minister with responsibility in this area, I know Tipperary ETB to be an excellent and well-run organisation. I am aware of some of the exciting projects in which it is involved, including at the old barracks in Clonmel and the plans for a FET college of the future. I know the ETB to be a well-run organisation and would...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. I know the seriousness with which he views this issue. He has said it is a "central issue" and that is obviously how he feels about it. It will be interesting to see whether, through the range of courses provided by Tipperary ETB and the pathways available, it believes it can meet the needs of learners through other mechanisms or whether it will require LTIs to continue...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the matter, as I acknowledge he has on previous occasions, as he said. He raised it with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, who has committed to engaging with him. I will welcome his views on the legislative basis we have in Ireland. I am not familiar with the details and if the Deputy has details, he should furnish them to the relevant...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. When he criticised me about my response only being words, I am not sure what more I can provide in oral response to a question. I provided clearly in those words quite a bit of detail on the laws that are in place in our land. They are laws that those of us who are honoured to serve in government worked hard to put in place in 2014, with an enhancement in 2022. In the...