Results 321-340 of 45,281 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy makes an interesting point. As we move beyond what has had to be an emergency response to migration, we need to get a much more sustainable, managed approach, one that involves not just the focus on accommodation but also on rules. That means for people who do not have a right to be here, we ensure they leave more efficiently. For people who have a right to be here, it is about...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is so right and I thank him for the question. This is an important topic for all of society. The programme, “Adolescence”, has provided a glimpse into how toxic influences are filling a void in young men’s lives. I believe it should be compulsory viewing in all our secondary schools throughout this country. Social media has such an influence on young lives....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: Their behaviour is wrong, retrograde, degrading and damaging. They are normalising behaviour that is totally and utterly unacceptable. Everyone in this House should speak with one voice in this regard. They are social media pariahs, not social media influencers.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We can all agree that we want to see our schools fully funded and supported. I welcome the Department of Education’s intervention to advance funding to Sacred Heart Junior National School. My understanding is there has been quite a lot of engagement between the school and the Department going back a number of months. The Deputy is right,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I certainly do not want him, as an elected Member of this House, to have to go down the road of FOIs to try to establish information that should be freely given to him. Working with the Minister, Deputy Foley and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, I will undertake to make progress on this. The sum of €5 million is a lot of money in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: I am so sick and tired of the Deputy misrepresenting my position and demeaning all that we do as sweet words. I would really love - I am not sure I would actually - if some time she were in Brussels with me at some of these meetings where we are working extraordinarily hard on these issues. She could ask any other member state, or indeed the Israeli Government, if they feel Ireland is not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: Sure, the Deputy does not trust me.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: So dismissive.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: It is not in our name.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: It is a disgraceful slur. It is not in our name. How dare you.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: The Taoiseach is entirely correct to meet representatives of the Jewish community, as do I. Antisemitism is disgusting and despicable. There are hostages who have been taken from the people and families of Israel and they need to be freed. The carry on of Hamas is utterly despicable, parading children's caskets like some sort of sick, twisted act of propaganda. Hamas needs to be condemned...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: We condemn it. If the Deputy wants to talk about genocide, read our submission to the ICJ.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: It must be exhausting to think the Deputy, and she alone, carry responsibility and care for this. We care passionately and we are acting. I am proud of the actions of the Irish Government, and so are many people across the country and so is the government of Palestine.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: That is just objectively not fair or true. The Government is committed to further reform of the insurance sector. We have demonstrated this with clear commitments in our programme for Government and in developing a new action plan for insurance reform that would build on the actions delivered in previous reforms. Since the establishment of the Injuries Resolution Board, we have delivered...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: -----and 95% of the actions were delivered by the previous Government under the action plan on insurance reform. That included the strengthening of the Personal Injuries Resolution Board, rebalancing the duty of care, the establishment of an insurance fraud co-ordination office and the introduction of the personal injury guidelines.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: No, we are not.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Callaghan for raising what is one of the most serious issues we face in the public service and in the lives of children with disabilities, namely, access to therapy provision and the process they go through to gain that access. To be clear, the waiting lists for assessment of need are far too long. This is having a significant negative impact on the lives of children and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: That is a fair question but the Deputy would rightly ask me a different question if I came in here and said the State was going to contest the cases, as that would not be a compassionate or decent approach to take on this issue. The law is clear on the 2022 High Court judgment. I am saying three things the parents. First, we need to reform the system, potentially including the law, and the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: That is not what I am saying.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Mar 2025)

Simon Harris: We are not.