Results 28,601-28,620 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on Project Ireland 2040, our plan for our country until 2040 but particularly, for the purpose of this statement, our capital spending plan for the next ten years. I am particularly pleased to speak about the very significant increase in capital funding for the health service as a result of this plan. Capital funding for our health service...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Heydon for raising this important matter. Preliminary work has begun on that Bill, and I will ask the relevant Minister to give the Deputy a more comprehensive update. As the Deputy is probably aware, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Naughten, and the Minister for Justice and...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: My understanding is that the Bill became an Act in 2017 but, considering the importance of the issue Deputy Munster has raised, I will ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, to revert to her directly.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: That is a matter that the relevant Minister would be best placed to answer. The Government is committed to continuing to increase our budgetary spend in this area. I will ask the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to revert to the Deputy.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I will certainly bring that to the attention of the Minister of Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I will endeavour to respond. The Citizens' Assembly has taken place and made recommendations. Our colleagues in this House, people whom I respect regardless of what jersey they wear or do not wear in terms of their politics, have carried out a process and soon every citizen in every county will get their say on this issue. The job of work we have to do is to give the people their say at...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: We have absolutely nothing against it and that is why the-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: That is why the national planning framework specifically recognises not just the economic need for a house but also the social need. It is an issue that my party colleagues pursued very extensively, as did the Minister, Deputy Ring, as this issue was going through Cabinet. I can let the Deputy know that the population is growing in rural Ireland under this Government-----

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Deputy cannot have his own facts. He can have his own opinion but not his own fact.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The population is growing and under this Government we are going to invest more in rural Ireland, including Kerry.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The best thing is for me to ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to reply to the two Deputies directly. Our hearts go out to anybody in Brú na Sionna or anywhere else who has found deficits with their houses. We have taken a number of measures including the introduction of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 and a number of other steps. I will ask...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: There has been a huge increase in the number of discretionary medical cards. I made the figures available to the Oireachtas health committee. Certainly there is no review or change of policy in any way, shape or form that should alter that fact. A number of years ago we introduced a provision such that every child who has cancer automatically gets a medical card now. I will certainly take...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: While I cannot comment on individual cases, in respect of cataract procedures - the Deputy mentioned eyes - in July of last year there were 6,060 people waiting on the cataracts list. That fell to 3,753 in December and is now 3,273. We now have nearly 55% of people receiving a cataract procedure in less than six months and I expect that to continue to improve. If the Deputy sends me the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, is introducing a number of schemes to assist people in building and purchasing their own home. I will ask him to look at the issue Deputy Cahill has raised and to revert to him directly.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Donnelly. I understand that this is priority legislation for the Department of Justice and Equality this session. I expect the Deputy will see progress on it in this session. It is an issue which my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Kevin Boxer Moran, has been progressing through the programme for Government. The court and land conveyancing Bill is a priority for this session.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Doherty. The Government has made very clear its preference for continued customs union between Britain and Ireland. The best way to protect the interests of the people of Northern Ireland from Brexit is to re-establish the institutions in Northern Ireland. I know this is a view that the Deputy and I share, as do the Government and the Deputy's party. I note that the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising that important matter. Obviously the ordering of business is a matter for the Business Committee. I have no difficulty with further debate or discussion in this House. There has already been discussion at the Joint Committee on Health, in which I participated. There was also discussion in the Seanad yesterday in which my colleague, the Minister of...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this specific issue. If he wishes to provide me with the details, I would be very happy to look into the case. On fulfilling the commitment in the programme for Government, measures we have taken in recent months have included a significant increase in funding for respite and home help, more special needs classes around the country, an automatic entitlement...

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: I am happy to answer if the Leas-Cheann Comhairle wishes me to. On this matter, it would be entirely disingenuous to try to conflate the issue of a referendum on the eighth amendment with the issue of the error on the part of RED C.

Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Feb 2018)

Simon Harris: This error affected a discussion on climate change rather than abortion. I do not know why the Deputy fears letting the people of Ireland have their say. That is all I want.