Results 3,121-3,140 of 46,522 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is doing an excellent job, as, of course, is the Government on many issues and we look forward to putting that case to the people in due course. On the important point that the Deputy has made on national parks, the progress that has been made and the need to look at legislative underpinning, I will speak directly to the Minister of State,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I cannot do so but I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I will raise it with the line Minister and get an up-to-date answer for the Deputy on the date.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I share Deputy Carthy's view that we should have statements in this House next week with Palestinian representatives and with the flag flying. I note that the Ceann Comhairle has indicated that is his intention, and I welcome that fact. There will absolutely need to be justice and accountability in respect of the atrocities and the humanitarian catastrophe that is unfolding in Gaza; of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. When it was raised with me recently, I committed to reaching out to some of the doctors and oncologists concerned who have voiced views on this as I would like to hear from them directly. We have allocated significant resources for additional new medicines in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and this has seen the introduction of 61 new cancer medicines. A...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I share Deputy Tully's view that the staff are excellent and I also share her view that there are not enough of them. The relatively good news is that we have just completed phase 1 of a recruitment campaign into our child disability network teams which will see more therapists, more speech and language therapists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. We are about to see the HSE...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: We will certainly look at any good ideas in advance of the budget. Obviously, we should all exercise. I include walking around your local park and exercising in your community in that. We have introduced a number of important measures, including the bike to work scheme. It is a novel idea that is certainly worthy of consideration. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McGrath, to consider it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: People in Wicklow are very interested in the sports capital programme as well. I inquired about this myself only the other day. My understanding is that the sports capital funding allocations are likely to be made in the autumn, probably in September or October. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, to confirm that to the Deputy. As...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: This will be the benefit of a directly-elected mayor for Limerick because this sounds like something the local authority and LDA should work together on. I will certainly ask the Minister for housing to follow up on Deputy Quinlivan's suggestion and revert to him.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am not sure whether he has charts-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: -----but I can sense the Deputy's frustration in trying to get an answer to this question for her constituents in Kildare. I will ask the Minister for Health to revert to her directly to clarify the issue.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The entire reason the Government provided the HSE with a budget that allows it to expand staff numbers by 2,200 in the HSE and by more than 3,000 when disability services are factored in was to ensure that service delivery issues like this could be considered. I will certainly ask the Minister for Health and the CEO of the HSE to revert to the Deputy directly on the specific query he has raised.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I fully agree with Deputy Stanton. As I travel around the country, I see many projects that have benefited from the fund. I am sure there are many in his own county of Cork. I do not have the specific date but I will ask the Minister for housing to revert to Deputy Stanton directly.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kelly for raising this issue regarding temporary higher appointments. I will not pretend to have been aware of it because I was not. I do not doubt what he has said. I will ask the Minister for Health to come back to the Deputy on the matter directly. I have a note here that shows the very significant increase in staffing at the hospital. I will send it to the Deputy but I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. I genuinely welcome that the Government and the Opposition in Ireland speak with one voice on this matter. It is important for the people of Palestine and for Ireland that we recognise the state of Palestine. I acknowledge the Deputy's long-standing support for that. I assure her and the House that we will continue to work at every possible opportunity for an immediate...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I can. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I fully agree with him. I am aware of the size of Swords and the population expansion being seen there. I am of the view that if there are challenges in the delivery of any such primary care centres, we will have to come up with alternative ways of progressing them. I accept the need for the people of Swords and south Fingal to have that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: If that is an unwritten policy, it has not been approved by the Government and somebody would need to scrap that policy pretty quickly because we are in urgent need of more additional autism classes. What the Deputy outlined has not been my experience in a couple of projects I worked on in my constituency, but that situation must be very frustrating if a school puts up its hand to say it is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I do not want to be overly argumentative with the Deputy, but I want to check. She did not say that Israel does not have the right to exist?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: To be very clear, it is the Government's position-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: -----that there is a State of Israel and a state of Palestine, based on the 1967 borders.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may not agree with that. I am articulating the Government's position on what recognition means today and that both states have a right to exist in peace and security, as do the Israeli and Palestinian people, their children and their children's children. We intend to keep diplomatic relations with Israel.