Results 5,041-5,060 of 46,260 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy does not need to speak for the Minister of State, Deputy O'Brien; he can speak for himself. He is already working very hard on making a real difference in regard to this. Deputy Cairns implored the Government not to play politics with this. I respectfully suggest the same.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Lads, I do not need any help. It is not fair to suggest that moving from 4,700 people seeking protection in our country to 100,000 people is a seamless transition. That is not fair. I am aware of the questions I was asked. I was asked questions in regard to the community engagement plan. I said it has gone to tender in the past two weeks. I was asked questions about how we will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Connolly for raising these issues. Everybody in the House appreciates the beauty, benefit and importance of Galway as a city not just to the west and north-west regions but as a city of strategic importance to our country. Some of the issues are, quite frankly, related to the local authority and there is no getting away from that, but I accept that not all are. Of course,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Of course it has to comply with its obligations under climate change. Even in discussions at Cabinet yesterday and announcements by the Minister, Deputy Ryan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, make it very clear that it can no longer be about Government, be it national or local, telling other people that climate change requires them to change. There is a significant programme...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: This is why we will not bring in a plan that is bad for the economy-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----bad for households and bad for the climate. The only people who would benefit would be the energy companies. Instead, what we will do-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I was shouted down. What we will do instead is legislation for a windfall tax to hit companies where it hurts-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----in the pocket and on their profits.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: There is a very simple answer to this-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----and it is that we are going to introduce a windfall tax.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Deputy Clarke and her party were in favour of this a couple of weeks ago and still are now I think, but I am not sure.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: We are going to introduce a windfall tax.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: We worked at a European level under the leadership of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, in November. We published legislation in March, which we referred to the relevant Oireachtas joint committee. With the co-operation and support of the Deputy and her party for the windfall tax, I hope we will pass it before the summer recess. We will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: This is what we are going to do. What we are not going to do is Trussenomics, where it is decided to put in price caps that-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputies opposite do not care what I say, but the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, has suggested this would benefit disproportionately highest-income earners. Did the Deputies see this? It was also suggested that it would actually encourage energy companies to "jack up" their prices, that it would be bad for the climate, bad for energy supply in the European Union-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: -----and that it was tried in the nearest country and it did not work. We will stand with those families mentioned. We have extended the fuel allowance and we have done the lump sum payments. We will continue to support those families. The Deputies opposite can continue to do their sound bites. Unfortunately for them, we saw how this approach worked in the UK.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising an important issue and one I think is on the minds of people right across this country this week. We had an opportunity in the House yesterday to reflect on the horrific scenes in Dublin and the Deputy is rightly raising the issue in County Clare now. First, I wish to be clear that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, is leading an incredible effort to address...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: Some issues are more important than shouting at each other across the Chamber. This is a very serious issue. I assure Deputy Cairns that the entire Government and the Cabinet committee chaired by the Taoiseach are co-ordinating the effort concerning this issue. For the information of the House, I confirm that the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, now intends to open 350 additional beds this week....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. She is absolutely correct on one matter: the cost-of-living crisis is real for households and families in urban and rural Ireland. That is why it requires action, not just at budget time but from this Government on a regular basis, which can be seen in a range of measures. In advance of Christmas, there were more than €4 billion...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 May 2023)

Simon Harris: During that time, I do not know whether she stole Mary Lou's homework or Mary Lou stole hers but we ended up-----