Results 1,601-1,620 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: The Spanish Prime Minister is clearly a socialist.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Let us not have a debate on the meaning of socialism. We can have that discussion another time. I am pointing out that across the political spectrum represented at the European Council, there was backing for President von der Leyen. There is an important democratic point to consider in regard to the lead candidate system. Ursula von der Leyen was the lead candidate for the European...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will do my best to be quick. It is fair to say at this stage that the conversations that are happening at a European level on security and defence are in the provisional and preliminary space. By that I mean we are yet to see proposals tabled. There are a lot of views, particularly from countries in eastern Europe, which are much closer to the front line in terms of Russian aggression,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 13, inclusive, together. I had a telephone conversation with President Biden on the evening of Monday, 17 June. He congratulated me on my recent appointment as Taoiseach and I thanked him for his enduring friendship to our country. We spoke of the deep and growing co-operation between our two countries, built on deep historical and ancestral ties,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I will personally look into it and come back to him on the matter. As he will know better than most, a lot of work was put in post Brexit to ensure that cross-Border healthcare could continue. We believe in it. We believe in being able to access healthcare right across the island of Ireland. I will make specific inquiries and come back to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Harkin for raising this matter. I can hear her palpable frustration on behalf of her constituents. I want to assure her first of our commitment to the development. The note I have in front of me says that a feasibility study is currently under way - as the Deputy knows - in relation to a new four-bay renal dialysis unit. A capital submission will be made in quarter 3 or...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Cannon and acknowledge that he has been a very strong advocate for road safety for long years. I thank him for that. I join with him in wishing the Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, very well in his new role. I absolutely will sit down with him. In the 12 weeks I have been Taoiseach, I have chaired two ministerial meetings on the issue of road safety with the Road Safety...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. As colleagues will know, I attended an informal European Council meeting on Monday, 17 June in Brussels that largely took place over a working dinner. At this meeting European leaders took stock of the outcome of the elections for the European Parliament, and we began discussions on the key positions in the European Union...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this serious issue, which is one I discussed with the Minister for Health on Monday, I think, at the Cabinet committee on health. There may well be a particular challenge in Carrigaline and in parts of Cork but the Deputy is right to suggest that it is a more national challenge. I know the Minister for Health and his Department have given consideration to what...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. No one likes the idea, by any manner or means, of any person, but particularly an older person living in isolation, being in any way fearful in their own home. The home should be a safe haven for people. I will certainly pass on the Deputy's specific comments about Roscommon and Galway and the importance of a Garda presence in rural areas to the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I know the Deputy's particular area of expertise in this area, both as a constituency TD and before his political life in this House. I take seriously what he says. This is a Government that will always support farmers. I am very conscious of how horrific the weather has been for them this year and the huge stress that has created. I have visited a number of farms with the Irish Farmers...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for allowing me to give consideration to this issue. I saw the report from the Department of Finance. I have also had a series of meetings with the banks this week at which I discussed the issue of development financing and how, when anyone reads the Housing Commission report, which is often misrepresented by people in this House for their own political ideology, it is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, which is concerning to me. I have a number of concerns related to University Hospital Limerick and so too does the Government. That is why we have asked the former Chief Justice Frank Clarke to look at a number of issues. Let me specifically talk with the Minister for Health - I an conscious the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, is sitting behind...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I doubt that many people in this country favour strike action and I think most people, as the Deputy said, want to see an end to the disruption. I am very conscious the least helpful thing anyone in this House, most of all me, could do is wade right into this while Labour Court hearings are under way today. A huge amount of work has gone in to get to this point. I thank both parties for...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: There is no need to be provoking or rubbing salt in the wounds of Dublin Deputies, but I congratulate Galway on their win at the weekend. The Deputy raises a very important issue. The last time I raised it there was a lot of tut-tutting from top brass in the GAA and they were very disappointed with my comments, but I would say this to them, respectfully. Far more people are disappointed...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: In fairness to Deputy McGrath, he was good enough to send me a note today to say representatives of the Tipperary spina bifida group are in the Dáil and I would love to get a chance to say hello if I can. I will be here for quite a while yet. I wish them well and thank them for being here, along with the Irish Wheelchair Association. There are two issues. I understand that the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I was just speaking to the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, on this matter while the Deputy was speaking. I will discuss it further with him and the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman. My understanding, though, is that these are transfers, as opposed to evictions, whereby people are being asked to transfer to other locations, but-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Okay. I will take a look at the specific situation the Deputy has raised and discuss it with the Minister of State and the Minister. What we are doing, and we have to be honest about this, is that the number of people coming from Ukraine has fallen and we are reducing our footprint in terms of leases and contracts-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I accept that this has to be done in a way that is careful and compassionate and I accept that a number of communities across the country are, rightly, highlighting the sensitivities around this. I am not familiar with the specific situation relating to Galway but I will make myself familiar with it today.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: First, I acknowledge the very good and important work Deputy Ó Cuív has done in this area over many years and appreciate the great support he has been on occasion in a variety of roles. In regard to the individual case, he will understand, not that he is asking me to, that I am not going to comment on the rights and wrongs of it here without full knowledge, but I will certainly ask...