Results 5,441-5,460 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Inquiries (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I cannot imagine the grief or pain of the O'Farrell family on the loss of their son. I again express my condolences and those of the Government to that family. I know the Deputy is not impugning anyone's integrity but we did ask a retired judge, a person of integrity, to do as the Deputy has suggested, that is, to examine all of the circumstances and to advise me as to whether there are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Inquiries (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which he rightly raises on a regular basis. What I said, and now repeat, is that the Government made a decision to proceed with the scoping inquiry as a response to the views of the Oireachtas. That was a decision made by the then Government. I know everybody in this House will join me in sending our condolences to the O'Farrell family on the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I fully agree. We must and will always support people overcoming addiction. I welcome the establishment of the Citizens' Assembly on drugs. As a former Minster for Health, I know the importance of a health-led approach to supporting those going through addiction and their families. That is not what we are talking about. What I am talking about is the so-called social use of drugs, as it...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this important matter. I begin by extending my sincere sympathies and those of the Government to the family of the late George Nkencho on their very sad loss. While events of this nature are thankfully extraordinarily rare in this country, that is of no comfort to his grieving family. My thoughts are with them. The circumstances must be fully...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I am very conscious that there is a grieving family in all of this. It is important that this matter is fully investigated by GSOC. I cannot comment on the ongoing investigation. It is important to note that this House decided that GSOC must be independent in the exercise of its function. I am advised, and I can only relay to the Deputy the latest information that I have, that the report...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies. I fully agree that this matter needs to be fully investigated. On that, there is no disagreement. I can only relay the answer as truthfully as I have been given it, which is that there is now a draft report that is out for internal and external peer review and legal review. I have been assured by GSOC that it is not a matter of resourcing. If it was, I would ensure...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smith for raising this matter. I have spoken to him about it in recent days and am acutely conscious of the devastating impact that illegal drugs and drug dealing have on communities across the country. I have discussed these concerns directly with the Garda Commissioner and his senior team working on this issue since my appointment as Minister. Tackling drug dealing and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely correct and I want to build on his last point. I am very concerned about the growing social acceptance of drug-taking in this country. Let me be clear, I am not talking about people with drug addiction and the pain and hurt associated with that. We need to support people in overcoming addiction. They need our help, not stigma, and they need a health-led approach but...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Drug Dealing (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: Any conversation we have about drug use cannot ignore this reality. There is a direct link between snorting a line or taking a pill and murder, assault, criminality and misery. Drug use on a Friday or Saturday night is funding and supporting violence, crime and murder the next week. Those using drugs are helping to line the pockets of criminals who are inflicting misery and pain in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Burke for raising this matter. Zero tolerance is the Government's third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. It was published by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, last year. The strategy has been widely accepted by stakeholders as an ambitious five-year programme for reform to achieve a society which simply does not accept domestic,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is entirely right. While we need to pass legislation in this House, the education piece is key. My colleague, the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, is leading on a number of actions in that area, including overhauling the social, personal and health education, SPHE, curriculum, effective from next September, and work on age-appropriate primary school education in this space....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I will do that. We have also significantly increased funding for groups working with victims and survivors of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, as is right and proper, to help those on the front line respond in communities. The roll-out of safe homes, alongside the roll-out of refuge spaces, is a key element in making sure of this. I do not want anyone listening to this...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The best way we can keep our gardaí safe is to pass laws in this House that help ensure they have the legal powers to keep them safe. When they take criminals off the street there should be adequate sentencing in place and we should give them the technology and resources they require. Front-line gardaí are asking us to provide them with body cameras to keep them safe. They have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is right. We should always follow data and check that we get what we want. To take a point in time, since 2015 over 880 Garda members who were doing back office duties - I am not suggesting that is unimportant but they were not able to do front-line duties - have been freed up to do front-line duties. That is 880 more gardaí. Taking the global picture from 2015 to now,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: There are more gardaí now than there were in 2015. We went through a global pandemic in that time which saw our Garda college close on a number of occasions.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I will get to Deputy Tóibín's question in a moment. I have to deal with one Deputy at a time here. Interest in joining the Garda is high and strong. We see that every time we run a Garda recruitment campaign. We will get 1,000 new gardaí into Templemore this year, which will be the largest intake in a long time. We will get to over 15,000 gardaí in the country. That...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: We will work with the AGSI and the GRA to give them the tools and resources and to hear their concerns.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I start by expressing my sympathy to the members of the O'Farrell family on their desperately sad loss. Shane was clearly a wonderful son and brother with a bright future ahead of him and I know his loss is felt acutely by all those who had the great benefit of knowing him. As the Deputy will be aware, retired District Court Judge...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Gino Kenny and I again reiterate my absolute sympathy and condolences to the O'Farrell family and all those who knew Shane. The report is a substantial document and my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, rightfully carefully considered its contents and, indeed, legal advice that was sought and received on foot of the report. Once I have concluded my consideration of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Public Inquiries (16 Feb 2023)

Simon Harris: I fully accept the Deputy's absolute sincerity on this issue. As the Deputy quite rightly said, the report has not been seen yet because it has not been published. He is asking me a direct question as to when it will be published. I am conscious of the substantial nature of the report and that there was a meeting between the family, the then Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, and the...