Results 3,861-3,880 of 45,291 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Expenditure (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The amount paid by my Department to external legal teams, HR specialists, accountancy firms and consultants in 2022 can be found in the following table: - Amount Legal Teams € 3,716.05 HR Specialists Accountancy Firms € 27,137.50 Consultancies € 183,314.53

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (30 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 806 to 809, inclusive, together. Significant engagement is ongoing between my Department, the Department of Health and the Higher Education sector to develop a joined-up approach to address system level demand in allied health disciplines. Healthcare programmes are, by their nature, complex in delivery. There are some fundamental issues, which are in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I express my solidarity with those members of the Prison Service whom Deputy O'Sullivan referenced. Of course, prison officers will be covered by this change, as will those providing medical assistance, those working in the National Ambulance Service, the Defence Forces, and members of An Garda Síochána and of the fire service. We are referring to people who are currently termed...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I will reflect on the point the Deputy made as we take the legislation through the Oireachtas. We did look at the issue of maximum and minimum sentences. There can be constitutional concerns around the issue of mandatory minimum sentences, but there is quite a bit of evidence that where maximum sentences are increased, it results in an upward pressure or trajectory in terms of sentences...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I very much respect Deputy Smith and his strong views and, indeed, his significant experience in this House and in the Border region, so I take seriously what he says. He will know that I have to say respectfully that the deployment of gardaí and management structures is, as it should be, a matter for the Garda Commissioner. What we can do, as a Government, is make sure that we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O’Dowd. I am pleased to hear of the increasing garda numbers. As we continue to see more men and women enter Templemore and more gardaí come out, I can assure him the direction of travel will be upwards in terms of Garda resources, with a focus on community gardaí. At the core of all that gardaí do and have done so well is policing by consent and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising this matter today and previously, and for his support for what I think is a practical, common-sense measure that we can take in this House to show solidarity with the men and women of the Garda Síochána and to show solidarity with their families. Those families worry when they hear the door open at an early hour in the morning, and maybe remain...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with Deputy Ó Ríordáin. As I said earlier, the act was vile. It disgusted our country and it is not reflection of who we are as a people or who our communities are. It is not a reflection of how this country overwhelmingly has responded to welcoming new people to our country. Deputy Ó Ríordáin and most of the House have supported many communities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: There is no contradiction. The country needs more gardaí and the Government is actively recruiting more gardaí with the Garda Commissioner. This is happening alongside a scenario where the Garda Commissioner says, to use his phrase, he has the operational integrity to police protests. There has been in Dublin city alone well over 125 protests, or so-called protests on occasion,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: A number of different issues have been mentioned and people have been good enough to acknowledge this. They are quite different. I have dealt with the issue of the burning of a tent which was somebody's home. This was an utterly vile and disgusting act that rightly appalled and sickened people in this country. There is an ongoing Garda investigation into this situation, as there rightly...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----a flag that represents peace, inclusion and welcome. The Ireland people should be seeing around the world is one that has welcomed more than 100,000 people to our country over the course of just over 12 months. Those people do not speak for Ireland. They have no democratic mandate. There is no part of this country that can be in any way lawless. There are very clear laws for this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smith for the question. He and I and the Government are committed to working to make sure we build strong, safe communities and that we support the Garda and resource it properly. Everyone, no matter where in the country people live, deserves to be safe and feel safe. This is central to all that we do with regard to our community safety policy. As Deputy Smith is aware,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Offences Against the State Acts constitute our primary counter-terrorism legislation, which has served the State well over many years in tackling the threat posed by subversives and organised crime gangs. I can confirm that the independent group appointed to review the Offences Against the State Acts, including the Special Criminal Court, has completed its work and I met the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Deputy O'Dowd reminded us of a number of occasions where the Special Criminal Court has served this State well. I believe the Special Criminal Court continues to have an important role to play for the reasons I outlined. I again thank the review group. This is a comprehensive body of work - two years worth of work. There was an opportunity for significant civic society input for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Courts Service (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The people of County Louth know all too well the risks members of An Garda Síochána face. I had the pleasure of meeting the father of Garda Adrian Donohoe at the weekend when we had the memorial day for the 89 members of An Garda Síochána who were murdered in the line of duty and taken from their families and communities. These were attacks on democracy. When the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Berry for this important question. The Government is committed to doing all that we can to build stronger safer communities. A key part of that has to be supporting An Garda Síochána, increasing the numbers, resourcing and equipping it properly. That is why we have given the highest allocation ever to An Garda Síochána in budget 2023 of €2.1...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The aim is to recruit 1,000 new gardaí this year. The exact net increase depends on a number of variables, such as how many people retire or resign from the Garda this year. The high-level target I have set is that by the end of this year, it will be the first year since the Covid pandemic that Garda numbers are back growing. This should be the first year that recruitment begins to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I will certainly take that away and look at it because I see the logic in what the Deputy is saying. The Garda Reserve has a very important role to play alongside growing Garda numbers, which we are now back growing with an annual recruitment campaign. Recruiting Garda staff is important. I have met many staff in Garda stations across this country in recent months. They are doing sterling...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy that he is entirely correct and the security assessment entirely tallies with his view that it is a statement of fact that there are a number of small, right-wing, far-right actors who move from community to community to stoke fear and division and, on occasion, engage in criminal activity. We should not overstate the number, nor should we tolerate their actions....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (25 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I absolutely believe in democratic oversight and oversight structures with regard to An Garda Síochána and our justice system - of course, I do. However, I am also conscious that when we talk about this subject in the House, we are talking about pieces of information we see. An Garda Síochána has a helicopter view of information and of intelligence and in terms of its...