Results 1,341-1,360 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2013)

Simon Harris: I would be delighted.

Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2013)

Simon Harris: I am terribly upset.

Further Education and Training Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Feb 2013)

Simon Harris: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Further Education and Training Bill. This Bill is yet another step in the Government's reform agenda. We have found ourselves in a situation in which many areas of society and Departments are in need of reform. The Bill takes a dramatic step forward in streamlining and updating the structures around further education and training. It is clear that...

Leaders' Questions (5 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: He wants a land tax introduced.

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Motor Tax Collection (5 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any mechanism in place for a person whose motor tax lapsed whilst they were in hospital for an extended period of time and who now wants to re-tax the car excluding the months that they were in hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11327/13]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Home Schooling (5 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the options in place for a child to avail of home schooling; the criteria which must be met to be eligible for home schooling; the way a parent goes about applying to have their child home schooled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11024/13]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Treatment Abroad Scheme (5 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: To ask the Minister for Health if selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery is available under the treatment abroad scheme; if not, are there any proposed plans to make it available under treatment abroad scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11706/13]

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (6 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: The parents of children with special needs in County Wicklow need and want to hear from the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills about the future plans for St. Catherine's Association and all of the services it provides to children in the county. Yesterday 58 superb staff members were let go. Today parents in Wicklow are concerned, frustrated, angry and confused. They do not know...

Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (6 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is particularly encouraging to hear that departmental officials will meet with the management of St. Catherine's tomorrow. It is good news that the Department of Education and Skills will now engage with those concerned. The Minister of State is correct that our collective aim as a group of Deputies is to protect the services that are in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (6 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures taken by Irish Aid, his Department and non governmental organisations that receive financial support through Irish Aid or his Department, in support of human rights promotion in developing countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11775/13]

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2013 [Seanad]: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: I welcome the Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2013. I heard Deputies Troy and Mattie McGrath refer to a delay in the legislation. We all want everything to do with child protection passed through this House and in operation as quickly as possible. While everything is urgent, not everything can be delivered at the moment, as we would like it to be. This is another piece in a jigsaw we have...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: A number of articles have appeared in the media recently on the operation of Bord na gCon. I have also been contacted by a number of people involved in the greyhound industry about this matter. I am sure Bord na gCon would welcome an opportunity to address the issues which have arisen. In that context, would the committee consider writing to it to seek a response on the issues which have...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: That would be a good way to proceed. Some relatively new issues have been the subject of discussion in the national media in recent weeks and it would be useful if a response on them could be sought.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: Mr. Moran and his team are welcome to the Committee of Public Accounts. I want to begin by echoing Mr. Moran's words of thanks to what he aptly described as the many unsung heroes in his Department. We all got some insight during the passage of legislation here recently, and during various efforts at a European level, of the amount of work being undertaken at a political level but also at...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: I thank Mr. Moran and Mr. O'Brien. That is very important. On the issue of the banking division in the Department that was established last year, how many staff currently work in the banking division?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: It would be interesting to have an insight into the way that works on a day to day basis. This is a key question to which people want to know the answer. What is the day to day interaction between the Department of Finance, through its banking division, and the banks covered by the State guarantee scheme? Could we have some insight into what the ten people, approximately, are actually...

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: Does Mr. Moran attend those meetings?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: At the monthly meetings, Mr. Moran or Ms Nolan represents the Department of Finance at the most senior level. Do the CEOs of the banks attend? The banks are represented by the CEOs.

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: What about the chairmen of the boards?

Public Accounts Committee: 2011 Appropriation Accounts and Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General
Vote 6 - Office of the Minister for Finance
Chapter 1 - Financial Outturn for 2011
Chapter 2 - Government Debt
Chapter 3 - Banking and Insurance Measures
Chapter 5 - EU Financial Transactions (7 Mar 2013)

Simon Harris: Where do the public interest directors slot into this? Some of them appeared before the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform a number of weeks ago. While I am sure they are well-meaning individuals, I believe they could not provide a tangible example of how their presence on the boards has made a difference. Through a range of parliamentary questions, I asked whether...