Results 1,621-1,640 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will certainly undertake to look into it because I know a little about it from my time in that Department. I was down in the Cork College of Further Education and Training and made aware of the horticultural course. I am trying to remember if I visited the actual facility in Skibbereen. I am not sure. I could have, because I was involved in a number of discussions about horticulture in...

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

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue, and I thank the media committee for the work members across parties have put into the RTÉ issue over a sustained period. I look forward to reading their report and recommendations. I particularly thank the Chair, Deputy Niamh Smyth. I assure the Deputy that there is action on this. The Tánaiste, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and I met...

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

Simon Harris: I am sorry to hear about those job losses and my immediate thoughts are with workers and families affected, as I know are the Deputy's. I will of course work with him on this, as we have done in the past. I think the Minister for State, Deputy Higgins, was in Drogheda this week with regard to the regional enterprise plans. We remain committed to doing everything we can to support the town....

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

Simon Harris: I take the point about the bad news received in Drogheda today. I am happy to meet with the Deputy. As he knows, I am scheduled to meet shortly with the group of enterprise stakeholders who have come together in Drogheda. They have a plan and a view and I will follow up to arrange that.

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

Simon Harris: I am reading a note on this. I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this serious issue. I am told, specifically with regard to CHO 4, which is Cork and Kerry, that the HSE has advised that data showed an increased referral rate across the region of 63%, specifically for primary care psychology waiting lists. There seems to be a particular challenge in this region that I do not believe is...

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

Simon Harris: -----but I will speak with the Minister and come back to the Deputy with the response.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Let me start and see where I can agree with the Deputy. We need more gardaí; that is a statement of fact. That is why we are putting a huge focus on Garda recruitment and retention. He will also see more measures from us this month on that. Regarding roads policing, I have met the Garda Commissioner and the assistant Garda commissioner with responsibility for roads policing and of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Let us not just say everything is down to the gardaí. When getting behind the wheel of a car, we all have individual important responsibilities. The second issue on which I agree with the Deputy is the issue of sentencing. While we might not agree on how we get there, we have set up the Judicial Council under the Judicial Council Act 2019. A body of work is currently under way on...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Collins for raising this important matter. I note he raised the issue of the horticulture course in Skibbereen with me previously in this House. I have done a bit of research on which I will engage with him in a moment. There is huge importance in investing in talent and in our people. We need to have an education system that has multiple pathways for people to reach their...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree that this is not sustainable. There is no one in this House, and I doubt there is anyone in Waterways Ireland, who would not like to see the barriers removed. It just needs to be done in a way that is safe. I am conscious that Waterways Ireland is having to monitor that. A whole variety of safety issues need to be considered. We are seeing some examples around the country of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We take it extraordinarily seriously. The Deputy's constant misrepresentation of the position of the Minister for Justice, time and time again, and indeed some of his commentary on some of the changes she has tried to make and the introduction of wokery into public debate, has certainly not helped, quite frankly. If we are deadly serious about creating a zero-tolerance approach to domestic,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I suppose when you are Taoiseach rather than leader of the Opposition it is not good enough to just define the problem. You have to tell the people of Ireland the actions you are taking. Let me absolutely agree there is a huge body of work that we need to do in relation to Dublin city centre and I will tell the Deputy eight things we are doing. We are putting bodycams on our gardaí....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I acknowledge it is an issue that she rightly raises on a regular basis, as one would expect, because it is a major issue and one of challenge. I assure her and the people of her constituency who are experiencing the barriers issue and the people more broadly across Ireland that we are endeavouring in real time to move from an emergency response to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I have to begin by acknowledging that since we last met as a Dáil only yesterday, four lives have been lost on our roads. I know that communities in counties Mayo and Westmeath have been devastated by the news of this loss of life. I know that I join with everybody in this House in sending our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died. Tragically, this brings the...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cross-Border Co-operation (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 26 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. Shared Island investment commitments are taken forward by Ministers, working with their Northern Ireland Executive and British Government...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Ukraine War (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I attended the Summit on Peace in Ukraine hosted by Switzerland on 15/16 June, together with over 50 other world leaders and over 100 countries and international organisations. The Summit agreed a joint Communiqué, signed by most countries participating, which makes clear that any just and lasting peace must be based on the principles of the UN Charter, respecting Ukraine’s...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Data (3 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: From 2020 to 2024, there has been an increase of 39% in Voted allocation for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The below table details the net Annual Funding provided for Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions 2020–2024: Year Estimate Provision €’000s 2020 43,968 2021 44,704 ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Child Poverty (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Alan Farrell for raising the school meals programme. This is fundamentally important in tackling child poverty and child hunger but it is also a measure above and beyond that for all parents. It is an assistance in respect of both cost and convenience. People are time poor as well. It is also enables us, because we link it to our healthy eating guidelines, to make sure a...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Bodies (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will start with that issue. The short answer on that is that I agree. I met with ICTU last week at the Labour Employer Economic Forum. It is not for me to speak for the unions but it is fair to say this was a very pressing issue for them. They are right to be. It is important that when unions are good enough to come to the table, some of the issues they highlight as a priority do get...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: State Bodies (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will raise that and particularly the issues it raised with the Deputy about some of the changes it needs. I am happy to revert in writing. On Deputy Barry’s question, yes, I would encourage a company to take seriously the recommendations and findings of an OECD body and a national contact point as well. I will make inquiries with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and...