Results 42,601-42,620 of 46,353 for speaker:Simon Harris

Seanad: Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2015: Second Stage (22 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: I am very pleased to be in the Seanad to deal with this legislation. I respectfully say it is a constructive use of Private Members' time to debate such issues of substance rather than the behaviour in which we can all engage from time to time. As Senator Mary White said, there is a substantial amount of money being spent in the public procurement of services. Breaking down the figure to...

Seanad: Public Services and Procurement (Social Value) Bill 2015: Second Stage (22 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: May I respond?

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Water and Sewerage Schemes Status (22 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: Following initial repairs and security works, it is proposed to provide a new Sewage treatment plant and 3 Phase electricity system. A planning application will be lodged shortly for the treatment plant and the works to the electrical system will proceed over the next few months. The order of cost for these works is €70,000. Further minor repairs to the doors/windows are ongoing.

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Operations (21 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: Every action taken by the Government and the Minister for Finance has been taken with the aim outlined by Deputy Murphy: to minimise the cost of bailing out the bank to the Irish taxpayer and to restore our banking sector to a functioning reality so it can continue to serve the Irish economy. We may disagree on this, but it is the reason for the efforts undertaken by officials in the...

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Operations (21 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: -----on behalf of the Minister of Finance on the frameworks he put in place, and this tallies very much with the information Deputy Murphy has received. The Minister is working very hard to reduce the cost to the Irish taxpayer of the bank bailout imposed by the previous Government.

Topical Issue Debate: IBRC Operations (21 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Catherine Murphy for raising the issue. I am grateful to have an opportunity to place some information on this matter on the record of the House. On 15 March 2012, the board of IBRC met and approved the sale of Siteserv. Under the relationship framework that was in place between the Minister for Finance and the bank at that time, which had been place since July 2009, the...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: Group 1 comprises amendments Nos. 1 and 6. I am pleased to be back in the Seanad, where we had a good hearing of this Bill and made a number of improvements to it based on suggestions from Senators on all sides of the House. In the Dáil we made one more improvement based on a suggestion by Deputy Sean Fleming and I need to bring that amendment to the House. There are also a number of...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: These are very technical amendments. In regard to amendment No. 2, the wording of the Bill was referring to a subparagraph (b) of paragraph (13) of Schedule 2. There is more than one subparagraph (b) and paragraph (13) of Schedule 2. This amendment makes it absolutely clear where the new clause (c) is being inserted. On amendment No. 4, section 44 referenced section 30(1). For clarity,...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: Amendment No. 3 is a simple technical amendment to renumber a paragraph. Since the Bill was passed in the Seanad, there has been amendment to Schedule 4 of the Valuation Act 2001 to insert a new paragraph (21). Therefore, the new paragraph that this Bill is inserting to exempt not-for-profit child care will now be paragraph (22). The citation is being updated by amendment No. 5 to reflect...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: I too am very proud that, in both Houses but particularly in this House on a Seanad-initiated Bill, we had a debate that made a number of improvements to the valuations system and to the Bill as presented to the House. I acknowledge the constructive role played by Senators, including Senator Byrne, in that process. I believe the situation we have ended up with for sports clubs is now more...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: That is absolutely my understanding.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: Yes.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: The Senator is correct that body of work will have to be done. We are giving an undertaking that it will be done so we are ready to go for 2016. The Senator's comment on the length of time it has taken to pass the Bill is valid on one level. This is a Bill that has, for want of a better word, been hanging around since 2012. However, since I became Minister of State in July, it is also fair...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: We are not in the business of trying to take on an extra body of work as we have a massive amount of work to get through. The purpose of passing this Bill is to get through it as expeditiously as possible. We are in the business of trying to see what relief can be afforded to clubs that have been paying rates but which may no longer have to pay rates on the entire entity they had to pay...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: The bar and the commercial areas as defined in the Bill.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: I always try, when I sit in this seat, not to be in any way partisan during the passage of legislation but the Senator is provoking me at this stage. I would make the point that my party, when in opposition, was in the other House proposing amendments that would have provided relief a number of years ago to these sports clubs along these lines. It was rejected by the previous Government....

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: We do not differ on this. I have given the Senator the assurance I received from the Valuation Office. I do not believe we have watered down the provision but have arrived at an effective measure which will make an improvement for these sports clubs. If the Senator sees any evidence to the contrary, it is an issue which I would happy to explore with him. However, I do not expect that he will.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: The wind farm issue is one on which we had a lengthy discussion in the other House. It was interesting that no Member in the other House proposed any amendment. That is a recognition of the fact that it is more complex than it looks.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: The wind energy sector is not seeking a complete exemption from rates but it has proposed amendments, which have not reached the floor of either House, to reduce its rates liability. The Limerick revaluation, like all revaluations, redistributes the rates burden based on contemporary property values. A revaluation can cause significant shifts in rates liability between different sectors,...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Coastal Protection (16 Apr 2015)

Simon Harris: The identification and carrying out of necessary coastal protection works is a matter for each Local Authority. Local Authorities may carry out such works using their own resources. They may also apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding under the latter's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. The Scheme's eligibility criteria, including a requirement that...