Results 781-800 of 40,897 for speaker:Simon Coveney

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: That is a series of questions the Deputy probably needs to raise at Question Time with the Minister for Justice. We have an unprecedented budget for An Garda Síochána at more than €2 billion per year. It is the highest financial commitment any Government has ever made to the organisation. We are looking to grow numbers and investing in Templemore. The statistics actually...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: It will not surprise the Deputy to hear that these are decisions that will be taken in the context of the budget in three weeks. The Government is more than aware of the pressure that families and households are under from an energy perspective, including fuel. We will make a decision on this in the context of the budget.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: I will be much briefer on this. The Garda Commissioner is meeting the Garda representative bodies tomorrow and I hope we will be able to make some progress on the roster issue leading from those meetings.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: I would like to respond to that criticism. I am trying to be helpful to the House. This issue is of great concern to a lot of people. The Minister for Health is not here. My understanding is that he will be back and will make himself available on Tuesday, 26 September for questions in this House. In an attempt to provide some clarity in response to some of the questions that have been...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: I would like to shed some light on the issues that have been raised, if I can. I know the Minister for Health is not here. I have been in contact with him. He is more than willing to make himself available early next week, at the earliest opportunity, to take questions in the Dáil. I do not think he will be able to be back by tomorrow, given the commitments he has already given in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: As the Deputy knows, private and most voluntary nursing homes agree the price that they can charge for a fair deal resident with the designated State agency, which is the NTPF. This is not a political negotiation. It is done by a State agency that is there to do that. Maximum prices for individual nursing homes are agreed with the NTPF following negotiations and based on the NTPF's cost...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I have also had a nursing home in my own constituency under an awful lot of pressure. It puts huge strain on families as well when they do not know what the future holds in terms of whether the nursing home is going to stay open. The Government is conscious of the financial challenges faced by the nursing home sector, especially...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: We already tax wealth in Ireland. The people who earn the most pay the most. Every year, we have an independent assessment of how progressive the Irish budget is. Every year we compare well with most other European countries in terms of making sure the people who have the least get the most, and the people who have the most pay the most. That progressive approach will continue this year....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: That is why we already have reduced USC payments in recent years, and widened tax bands to allow people keep a little more of the money they earn. Since about 2015 or 2016, somebody earning €40,000 per year pays about €3,000 less in tax than they would previously. That is because we want people who work hard to be able to hold on to a little more of their own money, while at...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: I am not sure what kind of response the Deputy wants there because he asked a whole load of questions and then answered them. Maybe I will just respond to the overall tenor of what the Deputy is saying. First, the Government more than recognises the pressure that families and homes are under in terms of cost of living increases. We responded in last year's budget and, indeed, had...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: With respect, subsidies already support farmers in more environmentally sustainable practices. They already do that. This is what Pillar 2 is all about. This is also a big aspect of Pillar 1 payments now. It is about ensuring we get an acceptable benchmark in environmental protections-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: What I will not do is let the Deputy try to drive a wedge between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on this issue. We have-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: We met the leadership-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: If Members do not want to hear the answer that is the problem, which says an awful lot.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: If people want to laugh at the impact that changes in the nitrates derogation is having on farmers, good luck to you. The Irish Farmers Association leadership made a reasonable ask of the Taoiseach last Friday. It said that before any decisions were made by the European Commission, it would like to meet, face to face, in Ireland with the key decision maker on the nitrates derogation. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: First, I think the Deputy is misrepresenting the decision to abolish dairy quotas, when that was made as part of a Common Agricultural Policy reform quite a number of years ago. I stand over that decision; it was the right decision at the time and it is the right decision now. Many dairy farms in Ireland were operating in a straitjacket, unable to fulfil their potential in terms of their...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: In regard to the Deputy's last point, homeowners have a right to hear what the Government proposes to do in terms of supporting them, particularly those who are under significant financial difficulty because of interest rate hikes. The day to do that will be on budget day in three weeks' time rather than this evening. The Government will do that. In regard to the broader housing question,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: First, I welcome Mr. Barry Ryan and wish him well with his new role. I also welcome Deputy McDonald back to full health. It is good to have her back. The Government will not support the Sinn Féin mortgage interest relief motion this evening. The day to make a decision regarding how we respond to mortgage holders who are under serious financial pressure is budget day, and we will...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Food Industry (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: My Department is actively pursuing opportunities for decarbonisation in the food sector, we are integrating climate action into all aspects of the Department and its agencies’ activities. I am determined that we can foster strong, resilient businesses, that are successful and sustainable, while meeting our sector’s climate targets. Decarbonising industry and enterprise are also...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Small and Medium Enterprises (20 Sep 2023)

Simon Coveney: Responsibility for the tourism budget lies with the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media. My Department continues to pursue pro-enterprise and pro-competitive policies for all Irish enterprise. Published in December 2022, the White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030 sets out Ireland`s industrial policy for the medium- to long-term, building on Ireland`s economic...