Results 42,121-42,140 of 46,353 for speaker:Simon Harris

Leaders' Questions (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Fianna Fáil is either supporting the commuters or it is not.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The works proposed for the Collins Avenue East area of Dublin 5 are to be included in Phase 2 of flood relief works for the area of the city which are being progressed by Dublin City Council (DCC). The Council, in the first instance, is best placed to provide information on how these works will be progressed. I am advised that Phase 1 of the flood relief works in Donnycarney which...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Relief Schemes (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: As indicated in my reply to the Deputy's previous Questions on this subject, a Feasibility Study to examine the options to address the flooding problem at the location referred to is being undertaken by the Office of Public Works (OPW). This Study is a separate Study to the South Western Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study. Due to resource limitations and...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for bringing this issue to the attention of my Office. The Office of Public Works South West Regional Office will look into this matter directly and assess the situation. I hope to revert to the Deputy once that assessment has been carried out.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Expenditure (22 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is currently being collated. A detailed response will issue to the Deputy directly.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. It has been helpful to have this debate because very serious allegations have been made about the activities on the purchaser side of this sale. It is unfortunate that a number of Deputies have decided to conflate the purchaser side with the NAMA side. A number of investigations are under way regarding these allegations as the Minister for...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Deputies should let the Comptroller and Auditor General carry out his review and show their trust and faith in the independence and the competence of his office. We will all accept the outcome of his review.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: It has been acknowledged, interestingly, by those calling for a commission of investigation that there is no allegation of wrongdoing directed against NAMA. Deputy Kelleher read out a very impressive list of investigations but I am sure that he will acknowledge that none of them is investigating NAMA - not one is investigating NAMA. I also recognise that Deputy Wallace has brought his...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: There are a number of allegations surrounding fixers fees but Deputies must let the investigations take their course and allow the Comptroller and Auditor General to do his job. What exactly would this commission investigate if Deputies concede that there is no allegation of wrongdoing against NAMA?

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Deputy Wallace was perhaps the most honest in admitting that his motivation is to halt Project Arrow. I accept his honesty in that regard but the question must be asked as to who benefits from such a move. I cannot address all the matters raised across this debate, so I will focus on the issues that relate to the motion being discussed. However, I wish to close the debate by clarifying a...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: -----or from any payment by NAMA and that these allegations are being investigated by the UK National Crime Agency.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: Why are Deputies calling for an investigation into NAMA? I cannot see what role or jurisdiction a commission of investigation would have regarding these allegations.

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The minute of the 7 October 2013 Northern Ireland advisory committee meeting, published by NAMA, has been championed as some sort of contradiction of the fact that the committee did not have access to confidential information. I encourage Deputies to read this minute. Discussions at that meeting were of a general and strategic nature and were entirely appropriate for that forum. One of the...

National Asset Management Agency: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The Deputy's party set it up.

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Flood Prevention Measures (21 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: According to the Environmental Protection Agency the environmental impact of using tyres in flood defence works is still unknown. The Office of Public Works does not use tyres on its flood defence schemes and until the evidence supporting the flood defence benefits outweigh the environmental issues, the OPW is not considering their use for future flood defence schemes.

Leaders' Questions (20 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The Deputy just takes people's good name.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Pensions Levy (20 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Senator Kelly, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, for raising this important matter. The public service pension-related deduction, sometimes referred to as the pension levy, applies to the pay of pensionable public servants. However, it is not a pension contribution. The measure was introduced as an emergency measure in 2009 to effect a reduction in the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Pensions Levy (20 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: I agree fully with the Senator that it is a heavy burden on families. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Government are very eager to reduce that burden. I concur with the Senator. He quoted the first sentence of my response. I reiterate that, in legislation, the term "pensionable" is defined as not just membership of the pension scheme but also any payment in lieu of...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Office of Public Works Properties (20 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The policy in relation to non-operational properties held by the Office of Public Works (OPW), such as the former Garda stations, is in the first instance to identify an alternative State use. If there is no identifiable State use, then the option of disposing of the property on the open market is considered, if and when conditions prevail, in order to generate revenue for the Exchequer. ...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Severe Weather Events Expenditure (20 Oct 2015)

Simon Harris: The programming and execution of works for which the Office of Public Works (OPW) is providing additional storm damage repair funding is a matter for the local authority. Clare County Council has been requested to identify and submit to the OPW by the end of 2015 the additional priority areas to which it will allocate this funding, with a description of the works and an estimate of costs....