Results 2,561-2,580 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising this matter. I will answer his question in two parts. First, in regard to the horrific death of Josip, I extend my sympathy and that of everyone in this House to his family and friends. I spoke briefly to the Garda Commissioner in regard to this matter. I am conscious that there is an ongoing, active Garda investigation. I do not wish to say anything to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: Only this morning, I read a letter written to me by Parkinson's Ireland. I read it just before I came here, so it is fresh in my mind. I certainly will speak to the HSE and the Minister for Health on this issue. From my time in the Department of Health, I am aware of the incredible work Parkinson's Ireland does. I am aware from my constituents with Parkinson's disease of the excellent...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: That language worries me in regard to pitting one group of people in society against another.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's language worries me, not the issue. We will deal with the issues as a Government and collectively in the Oireachtas. Going back to Deputy Kenny's point, the language of division does not offer healthy debate. That is my opinion. In regard to accommodation for Ukrainian people, it might be useful for the House to know the following. Every day, some 15 Ukrainian people come...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I can sense the Deputy's frustration with the issue regarding the hospital in Clifden. I will speak to the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, and the HSE to see whether I can assist in improving the situation.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I note the Deputy's long record of leadership in this area both at the Oireachtas agriculture committee and in his life before politics. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, to engage with the Revenue Commissioners on the matter and to get back directly to the Deputy. I am meeting with the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, later this week to discuss a number of the challenges...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for keeping in very regular contact with me on this issue. I know the pressure the loss of the hotel has caused in the local community. We need to move away from a reliance on hotel accommodation for asylum seekers. That is what is being looked at in the new accommodation strategy the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, has brought forward. We certainly need to support towns...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for bringing to my attention the situation with the Irish Wheelchair Association service in Cavan and the impact, which she outlined very clearly, on service users. I will ask the Minister for Health to revert to her directly on this issue.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The people will decide the outcome of the elections, not Deputy Collins's utterances in the Dáil. I would never be so arrogant as to tell the people what they are going to do in an election; maybe Deputy Collins should not either. It is not helpful to come at this with a suggestion that there is one way of helping businesses and if we do not do it this way, we do not care at all. That...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government produces a budget in this House each year. The budget is then voted upon by Members of this House and the country lives within its budget. We have done that, and it has provided economic certainty to businesses. It has provided a situation where we have full employment. It has provided a situation-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: -----where we have been able to set surpluses aside and provide €250 million of assistance to small businesses in Ireland today. It is worth saying in this House today that 140,000 businesses are eligible and only 34,000 or thereabouts have applied so far. We need everybody who is eligible-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: -----to get this money in their bank account. The Government is seeking to give people financial assistance and we are saying we will not stop there. We are going to do more around energy efficiency. We have increased the VAT threshold. We have left the gas and electricity VAT cuts in place for the time being. We are also looking at how we can provide certainty. The big thing I hear...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: It just went back up.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I have a screenshot. I will send it to the Deputy. I will text her.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I learned from you.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy very much. I appreciate her pledge not to engage in smart alec comments. With regard to this important issue, I am very happy to meet the families. It is the least I could do. I will arrange to do that. I cannot give the Deputy a date right now, but I will do it in the next couple of weeks. I am very happy to do that; in fact, I think I would benefit from doing it....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I certainly will. I have already had contact with Finola Cassidy from the group, who is a regular campaigner here in Leinster House and known to all of us. I am very happy to have that engagement. As the Deputy said, there was a lot of engagement prior to my appointment with both my predecessors, Deputy Varadkar and the Tánaiste. I have asked to be briefed by my officials on where...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this issue. I agree that climate change is the most pressing challenge for society. The planet is on fire and major action is required. At a European level, and I will make this point in Brussels today, we need to be more ambitious in the EU strategic agenda in terms of its commentary on action on climate. We have some encouraging signs. I will not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: -----but overall will be the better for it. We will have an opportunity to tease through in painstaking detail the EU migration pact at the justice committee and on the floor of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. Far from ceding sovereignty, the people's representatives, including the Deputy, me and everyone else in this House, will vote "Tá" or "Níl" on whether we...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: That is a horrendous slur.