Results 1,261-1,280 of 45,495 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: Me too.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Programmes (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, together. The Government continues to prioritise and progress the Shared Island initiative, working with all communities and political traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. I nclusive dialogue with all communities and political traditions is central to our approach. Last month, I launched a new Future...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 8, inclusive, together. The Cabinet Committee on Government Co-ordination will meet again in advance of the next Government meeting.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 to 15, inclusive, together. I visited Washington D.C. on 8-10 October to mark 100 years of diplomatic relations between Ireland and the United States. This is an especially important landmark, as the United States was the first international partner to recognise the fledgling Irish State. My planned programme included a meeting at the White House and a...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: European Council (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 20, inclusive, together. I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 17 October. On 16 October, I participated in the first EU-Gulf Cooperation Council Summit. The situation in the Middle East was high on the agenda in both meetings while Ukraine and migration featured heavily in the meeting of the European Council. At the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I have had a number of recent engagements with Leaders at which the situation in the Middle East was discussed. On 25 October, I welcomed the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, to Government Buildings. The Prime Minister briefed me on the situation on the ground in Lebanon and the very significant challenges faced by his government. We agreed on the urgent need for an...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Inquiries (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 56 and 64 to 67, inclusive, together. Terms of Reference for the Evaluation of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic The Terms of Reference for the Evaluation of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic are available on: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/924d6-government-appoints-chair- and-agrees-terms-of-reference-for-evaluation-of-the-response...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Programmes (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government continues to prioritise and progress the Shared Island initiative, working with all communities and political traditions for a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. Since the launch of the Shared Island initiative in 2020, over €500m has been committed to a range of major cross-border projects and programmes, delivered in cooperation with the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach’s purpose is to help the Taoiseach and the Government to ensure a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland’s interests abroad, to implement the Government’s Programme and to build a better future for Ireland and all her citizens. The Department achieves this by building and sustaining a dynamic, agile and responsive...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Staff (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table below. Year Staff, by grade, on career break longer than 5 years Total staff, by grade, on career break 31st December 2023 Total: 1 Executive Officer (1) Total: 9 Clerical Officer (1) Executive Officer (2) Administrative Officer (4) Assistant...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Civil Service (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I am satisfied that the provisions of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform Circular 4/2013 are being properly implemented by the Department of the Taoiseach. The Department engages with all staff approaching the end of their career break with a view to facilitating their return to work.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Equipment (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach has a contract for the supply of mobile phones and associated services. Mobile phones are provided to staff in the Department where a defined business need has been established e.g. where staff provide on-call services; where staff are required to work off-site regularly; and where staff regularly take calls/work outside of standard working hours, etc. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will do my best. Starting with the question from Deputy Conway-Walsh, I thank her for raising this issue concerning the lack of autism places in County Mayo. The Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, meets weekly with the National Council for Special Education and I will ask her to raise at the next meeting the specific issue of the situation in County Mayo and revert to Deputy Conway-Walsh...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank colleagues. To Deputy Ó Murchú, I will seek an update on our ongoing engagement on the case of Private Seán Rooney. It is a case we take an active interest in and on which we continue to keep in close contact with the UN and the Lebanese Government. I also take the Deputy's point, which he has made before in the House, on the need for support schemes for renewable...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I will answer that as well because the Deputy gave me a petition on it from many of our constituents, and it is an important issue. I acknowledge the Deputy's good work on it and the meeting we had with the Delgany community council. I will work with the Deputy and the National Parks and Wildlife Service to see if we can make progress on that issue. While it is a local Wicklow issue, it is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: Our report card, was it?

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I have outlined the progress we have made on climate change, accepting there is a lot more we need to do in the time ahead.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 to 13, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on children and education and disability oversees programme for Government commitments relating to children, education and disability and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, education and the reform of disability services. Disability services are a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Climate Action Plan (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 to 6, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on the environment and climate action oversees implementation of the ambitious programme for Government commitments in environment and climate change, including the implementation of the climate action plan. The committee has met on 22 occasions since July 2020, most recently on 10 June. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (23 Oct 2024)

Simon Harris: I met the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk, in Poland on Thursday, 5 September following my visit to Kyiv in Ukraine. I took the opportunity to thank the President, as the former President of the European Council, for his enormous solidarity, personal commitment and support to Ireland during the process of Brexit. We discussed bilateral relations between Ireland and Poland as well as...