Results 621-640 of 46,232 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Healy for raising this matter. I know from what he said the stressful impact the situation is having on people who require eye care services in south Tipperary. I have been assured of two things. One is that the HSE is actively trying to fill the post. I take the point the Deputy made about the gap between someone who gives due notice of retirement and filling a vacancy. I...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We do not just provide words; we provide a significant amount of money, including through UNRWA, to the Palestinian Authority and in aid. We do not just say words. We have joined with South Africa on a case in the International Court of Justice on the genocide convention. We have worked to try to build a majority at the European Union, which now exists, in terms of the association...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We are working at an EU level because that is how sanctions are introduced. I do not disagree with the Deputy's analysis of the situation, but Ireland is taking practical actions and doing everything we possibly can.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: We are doing everything we can do.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy in many ways on the description she has given of the horrific situation in Gaza, but the reason that is happening is not because we have not passed the occupied territories Bill; it is because Benjamin Netanyahu's Government is engaging in war crimes, and it needs to stop. It needs to stop right now; it needs to stop today. The aid, including aid funded by Irish...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Flynn for raising this matter. I assure him that there are structures in place between our Department of Justice and the Home Office in the United Kingdom in terms of the monitoring of the integrity of the common travel area. Obviously, we do not overly discuss all of those matters publicly for obvious reasons, but I can assure the Deputy that there are very good links at...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Muirí very much for raising this issue. He is right; the rationale, for better or worse, is around state aid rules. They are intended to ensure that subsidies provided by member states operate in accordance with the same basic rule book and, in the context, grants provided under the Common Agricultural Policy are intended to support farming activity. There is a...

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for her question. Her taking us through that is a reminder of the scale of challenge and crises that not just Ireland but the world has gone through. If any one of these things had happened in somebody's lifetime in the past, it would have been viewed as extraordinary. We have had financial crises, the global pandemic, the impact of Brexit on our country, very...

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I accept the challenge that Government must always do more on communication and talking to communities because if we do not, misinformation and disinformation spreads mostly by elements of the far right who come to our communities, spread their lies, spread their fear and sow division. We have all seen that happen. I, as a centrist politician, have always believed that the centre must get...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is right to highlight housing, which is the biggest domestic challenge we face. There are many young people, both here in Ireland and Irish young people abroad, who want to see and need to see more progress made on housing. I would point out some progress has been made. The Deputy quotes headline figures which are perfectly acceptable to quote. However, of course we have put in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I join the Deputy in absolutely condemning Hamas and Hezbollah, which offer no future positivity to the people of Palestine. That is not just my view on that; the President of the Palestinian Authority has been clear that the future of Gaza needs to be a Hamas-free future. I am also Minister for Defence. I have seen the utter destruction and death Hezbollah can bring to members of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Does Deputy Tóibín know why I am in my job? It is because we had an election and I got elected. Some 458,000 people gave their first preference votes to my party. An overwhelming majority of people gave votes to the parties and Independent Deputies who make up this Government. It is called a democracy. Aontú ran and got two seats. Congratulations. The Deputy does not...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: -----of course the buck stops with me. Does the Deputy know what else-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am going to tell the Deputy what it means. Calm down. He asked his question and I get an opportunity to answer it. It is how this place works. The Deputy asked a question about the children's hospital. I am responsible, of course. I am responsible for bringing the proposal to the Cabinet and for recommending that we proceed. The easiest thing to do in politics if you do not want to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I will just point out first of all that the Deputy is very well paid himself. This country spends roughly €110 billion on its annual budget. We made a decision to invest €2.2 billion over several years in a project that will transform children's health and deliver a world-class children's hospital that will not just serve people for the lifetime of this Dáil, the next...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Pardon the pun. Not only is this children's hospital not the most expensive in the world, as the Deputy has said in the past, but it is not even the most expensive children's hospital being built on the island of Ireland per square metre according to the budget office of this Parliament.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy can shout me down if he wants, but we are going to transform children's healthcare. The Deputy can keep correcting the homework and we will get on with doing the business.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is right; this is genocidal activity. There are no two ways about it. The Israeli Government is rather upfront and blunt in outlining its military and political objectives for Gaza, which are abhorrent and clear breaches of international law. As I have been saying, and as I want to continue to say, the Irish people have, through their taxes, sent a significant amount of aid to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ward for raising this matter. I had the pleasure of meeting the Raphoe Community Playgroup during a relatively recent visit to Donegal. It keeps in touch with me directly, as I know it does with Oireachtas Members from Donegal. I see the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, in the Chamber as well. I know it also keeps in contact with the Taoiseach, the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I take the Deputy's point and his position with regard to the broader mica scheme and whether it can be changed. The Deputy knows the programme for Government includes a commitment to review it. The Deputy may correct me if I am wrong, but my sense of it when I meet playgroups and others affected is that they just want a solution. They are understandably less fussed on how that solution...