Results 1-20 of 63 for echo speaker:Simon Harris

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An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: ...constructively with her in this House. I really appreciate her raising this issue. I will watch the RTÉ documentary very closely this evening because I share the views and concerns that she has echoed and that the Tánaiste echoed at the weekend on the impact of social media on the mental health and well-being of our young people. We now have Coimisiún na Meán...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Healy-Rae for raising this issue. I echo his kind words for the staff in the Passport Office. They work extremely hard, and it is a very busy time of the year. The suggestions and observations the Deputy made are definitely worthy of consideration. I will pass them on to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Griffin for raising this issue and echoing and amplifying the frustration of his constituents in relation to this. At a time when we are trying to support and sustain the rental market, encourage landlords to stay in the market and help people who are renting, it is important that the RTB can function efficiently for anyone who tries to contact it. I will pass on the Deputy's...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Report Stage (Resumed) (29 Nov 2018)

Simon Harris: ...which obviously does not relate to the amendment, but which a number of people are referencing, is no unearthing. The Deputy is right; that was my position in 2011. It is my party's position; it echoes in it. I have changed my view. I am delighted I changed my view. I am delighted I campaigned and voted to repeal the eighth amendment of the Constitution.

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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Meeting on Health Issues: Discussion (2 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I am coming to that. I have heard very clearly members' views on the issues of diagnostics and the MRI scanner. It is the view of all members, echoed by the CEO, that we could free up capacity and get people in and out of the hospital a lot quicker if we had an additional MRI scanner. I get that. There is need for consideration of how best to achieve that and there is a funding...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2011)

Simon Harris: I welcome amendment No. 16 and echo the comments of Deputy McGrath about political accountability. We all remember when the last Minister - I mean no disrespect to the individual - was reduced to going on national television to coax the HSE to give him documents that he did not have the legal powers to demand. Once the Department of Children is established, it is important for parents to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Overview of Financial Sector: Discussion with AIB (3 Sep 2013)

Simon Harris: I would like to return to an issue that was pursued by Senator Barrett. I refer to the voluntary sale for loss case study that is outlined on page 18. I echo the Senator's comments in this regard. It could be a question of needing to educate the bank's customers. Indeed, public representatives may need to be educated as well. If people in these circumstances sell their homes and AIB...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Third Level Education (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: ...board for the technological university for the south east, TUSE. I have met the presidents of WIT and IT Carlow and I commend, on the record of the House, both institutions. I acknowledge and echo the Deputy's sentiments in regard to the excellent work being done in WIT and its excellent record of achievement. On capital funding for Waterford IT, it was €1 million in 2018,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Coast Guard Service (23 Nov 2022)

Simon Harris: ...That sounds like a very reasonable suggestion. I will convey it to the Minister of State and his officials in the OPW to see if they can link with him on when such a meeting could be arranged. I echo the Senator's comments about the vital work being carried out by the Coast Guard. It is only right and proper that the Government supports it in its vital work by providing it with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: General Scheme of the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Minister with responsibility for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (8 Oct 2020)

Simon Harris: I think as a political system we have shirked our responsibilities on this for far too long. There is a sense of "is there anything to be said for another report?"; that seems to be the echo that comes from this place from all parties. Mr. Cassels did a very good body of work. An all-party committee met and decided to refer it for an economic evaluation. My predecessors have now commended...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Meeting on Health Issues (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Harris: ...problems. We know we need to do better in terms of building more hospital capacity and more community capacity in the coming months and years. Basically, it is a call out to the system, and I echo that call again today. If a hospital manager or a hospital group manager believes that he or she can open capacity, that there is a space in the hospital, that staff can be recruited or that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Technological Universities (15 Dec 2020)

Simon Harris: I echo Deputy Burke's comment that the establishment of MTU is the beginning of the journey. There will be expansion and additionality as the university grows. Deputy Ó Murchú is entirely right. When one goes to the dance but does not pick a partner and everyone is partnered off, one is left alone. We have two institutes of technology, both of which are excellent, namely DkIT...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (2 Dec 2021)

Simon Harris: ...forward. In fairness to the HEA, it has a really good track record on this. It has had a very busy year of assessing technological university applications. I thank it for that. My final point echoes the important point the Senator made on the shared island fund. I will be spending Sunday and Monday in the North having conversations about greater collaboration. There may be no...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Health Screening Programmes (15 May 2019)

Simon Harris: .... I reiterate the call for time to seek a legal opinion. I make the point to all patients, particularly women, that our screening programmes are continuing and are safe to use. All Members would echo the fact that people should continue to use them. A stakeholder forum is a very good idea. I have been considering it in consultation with my medical advisers and we have been trying...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Meeting on Health Issues (11 Dec 2019)

Simon Harris: ...; Ríordáin, and has been championed by the Minister of State, but, sadly, others are delivering literature, tweeting and adding to the stigma for the sake of trying to get a few cheap votes locally. I echo the calls that have been made to end the stigma and shame on those politicians who are involved in NIMBYism. They should come along to the briefings at this committee, meet...

Written Answers — Department of Health: EU Investigations (14 Dec 2017)

Simon Harris: ...practice in public hospitals. Sláintecare also set out an ambitious vision for the future of healthcare in Ireland, including a shift to Primary and Community-based care. The State of Health in the EU report echoes this vision by stating that with strengthened Primary and Community-based services, unnecessary hospitalisations could be avoided. The report goes on to note that the...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Simon Harris: ...his leadership on the matter. I look forward to engaging with him intensively this week on it. I sincerely thank him for his kind words about my officials in my Department and the HEA, which I echo. In particular, I thank Mr. Ian McKenna in my Department, who has done much work on this. As complicated and as challenging as this is - Brexit solutions will always be imperfect - I can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Reopening of Further and Higher Education Institutions: Discussion (22 Jul 2021)

Simon Harris: ...in the postgraduate fee grant and in the fee threshold for postgraduate students has also made a significant impact on applications. SUSI forecasts a 133% increase in grant approval this year. I echo what the Deputy said on the PUP. What she said and how she said it is correct. The way the change of circumstances review works in SUSI is if you have been receiving a fund, income or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Sláintecare Implementation Strategy: Discussion (3 Oct 2018)

Simon Harris: ...the comment that the HSE is not fit for purpose, it is reassuring that it is not just me, as Minister for Health, who is saying that. The director general of the HSE also said that. I am happy to echo the Deputy's point that there are many brilliant people working in the health service, such that saying the HSE is not fit for purpose is not a jibe by me or any political at the staff of...