Results 1,441-1,460 of 46,036 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and I thank Tina for raising the case of her son, Michael Joseph. While I am pleased to hear he is doing well in playschool and so on based on what the Deputy said, he rightly used the word “hurdle”. As a mother she has got over one hurdle in the assessment of need and now there is the worry of the next thing. We need to do much better at breaking down...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I was very grateful to have an opportunity to meet those people in Clonmel. The sincerity of their feelings was very clear to me and I fully accept their bona fides. A pause needs to be placed by the Department on the situation regarding Ukrainian accommodation. I made this very clear. What I mean is the idea of uprooting children in the middle of the school year is not acceptable....

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I do not wish her to think that my inability to reply today is in any way disrespectful. I just want to get her an accurate answer. There have been a number of meetings of the interdepartmental group, which is based in the Department of the Taoiseach. I think, from memory, it met as recently as last week. We eagerly await the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. This is my first time interacting with him so I offer my congratulations on his election. If the Minister had done anything other than what he did yesterday, it would have been irresponsible. Establishing an external review is exactly how to achieve what the Deputy wishes to achieve in terms of clarity in the roles of the Department and the Arts Council, and the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and welcome his colleagues from Cork North Central to the Dáil. The Government is proud to be in a position to invest significantly more money in sports infrastructure for all the reasons outlined by him, including the importance of health and well-being of our people, and the great progress we are seeing in competing in international events such as the Olympics. I...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I have heard of the concern the issue is causing in his community and in County Offaly.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: It is causing concern in Laois and Offaly. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, as the Minister with responsibility for this area, to engage directly with the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and for his persistent work on the matter on behalf of the people of counties Longford and Westmeath. Last year in Longford and Westmeath, more than 660,000 hours of home help were delivered. That was more than 51,000 hours ahead of target. Funding has been provided for this year to at least maintain that level of service. I am pleased to tell the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. This Government is determined to work on an all-island basis on many issues. It makes sense to do that. I have already been to Belfast and met the First Minister, Deputy First Minister and other political leaders. The programme for Government specifically commits very substantial additional funding to grow shared island projects in the years...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Certainly, nobody on this side of the House in any way laughs about such matters. The Deputy is entirely correct. They are extraordinarily serious matters. Men and women get up every morning, go to work, do a hard day's work and pay their taxes, and they want to see those taxes spent well to deliver for them and their families and communities. It is also fair to say, however, that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I accept the Deputy's passion on this matter. Perhaps I speak in a calmer tone than he does on occasion, but I ask that he please not misunderstand that. There is absolute fury on Government benches in respect of this situation. The people we represent - the people who voted for us and the mandates we have received - are extraordinarily annoyed about this matter. The Deputy is right....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: That is what a responsible Government does. A responsible Government also garners the facts. Let us do that. We do not need faux outrage. What we need are the facts. Gather the facts and then Government will make a proper determination when it has the information. That is what some of the Deputy's colleagues on the Opposition benches have rightly called for. We need to go through this...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I have already said that I believe this issue is very serious. I believe we need to get to the bottom of it. I believe people in well-paid positions in public bodies should be expected to deliver and to be cognisant of the public sector spending code. I believe the arts community has been let down. I also believe that as we have an external review, there are legitimate questions about...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Doherty. The long and the short answer is yes, we will be engaging with the ESB. We will also, in line with our programme for Government commitment, be engaging on the issue of energy costs overall. I can point to a number of measures the previous Government took and that this Government will be taking in respect of assisting people with their energy costs. People will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: A Dáil debate would of course be useful. I agree with Deputy Bacik that if we had committees established - and I hope we will very shortly - I am sure there would be very serious questions asked of the Arts Council. Breaching the public spending code cannot be a consequence-free zone. It simply cannot. These issues are, quite frankly, absolutely alarming. People can make mistakes in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I have already said I think that would be a good idea. The Minister has been in the post for approximately two weeks. I am not sure he could have acted much more quickly at all. In fact, it would have been impossible to have acted more quickly in terms of bringing this issue to Cabinet. To be very clear, because Deputy Bacik has said it twice, this issue was not brought to the attention...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this important question. There is no doubt this storm has caused significant chaos and hardship in many parts of this country, and disproportionately so in the west and north-west of the country; the Deputy is right in that regard. We are all collectively relieved in Ireland, most particularly those communities, that the power is finally back. I know that...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued the passport to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice delivered an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The Court’s principal conclusion was that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory was unlawful and that it must be brought to an...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Official Engagements (13 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The Irish Defence and Security Association (IDSA) was established in 2021 with a mission “to ensure Ireland develops appropriate, leading edge and trusted defence and security capabilities in the land, sea, air, space and cyber domains, in order to protect our society, create jobs, drive research and enhance Ireland’s economic growth”. National Defence Industry...