Results 1,661-1,680 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: My thanks to Deputy Farrell for raising this issue. She and I agree on the need to reduce the costs of going to college and barriers to education. As she said, we made progress on reducing fees, albeit on a cost-of-living and, therefore, temporary basis. Even as Taoiseach, any announcement in respect of these matters will be a matter for budget day, but I will revert to the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree with Deputy Shanahan fully and I join with him in praising her courage. I thank Ms Bláthnaid Raleigh for speaking out yesterday after enduring the most horrific and unimaginable assault. There are no words to capture what she went through. Her words when she spoke out yesterday, including about the need for men to speak out and the lack of men speaking out on this, are words...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I do intend to make progress on this very shortly. I welcome Finola Cassidy, who has, from her perspective, become an all-too-frequent visitor to this House. It is always good to see her. I thank her for the way she engages. We are committed to the continued support of the health and personal social service needs of Irish thalidomide survivors. I have been engaging with Government...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Shortall. I acknowledge this is the second time she has raised this. She raised it with me last month and I spoke to the then Minister for Finance about it. My understanding is that the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, has done likewise and that the Department of Finance is examining the issue. However, I...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I answered that question the last time. That is not currently the Government's plan. On the specific issues, we do need to have an evidence base here rather than just accept what a waste company, with the greatest respect to it, or any other organisation says. The charges applied by waste management companies are managed by those companies but they are subject to compliance with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I am conscious of commenting on the issue. I thank Deputy Tóibín for raising it but I have no knowledge of it. Obviously, these are very serious matters. If the Deputy wishes, I am happy to correspond with him on the matter and raise it with the relevant authorities.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Truthfully, as recently as yesterday at my diary meeting we agreed to have a meeting with Professor Higgins. I have been seeking to have that meeting for some time and it should now be scheduled. I certainly spoke to my team about it yesterday, and I will be very happy to revert to the Deputy on it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government is not planning to do that. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications is currently engaging with the Irish Waste Management Association and other stakeholders such as Repak to conduct a robust evidence-based process to quantify what substantive impact, if any, the introduction of the deposit return scheme will have on the waste collection system in Ireland...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We can see that best at the Business Committee. We have to get a lot of legislation-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I cannot hear the Deputy.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Well it is up to the Government but -----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We can consider the matter but we need to obviously also look at what legislation needs to get passed here between now and the Dáil recess as well but we are giving consideration-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: That is not a "Yes"; it is a "Let's see". Let us look at whatever things need to get through the House-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: -----next week as well. Deputy Verona Murphy raised a very good piece of work done by the Department of Justice that highlights a real and serious need for reform in a number of areas related to our family courts. The Minister for Justice is very committed to this. In the first instance I might suggest she could respond to the Deputy in terms of the next steps we intend to take and I am...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy voted against the children's referendum and is now referencing it in the Dail.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: They are in the Constitution.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank colleagues. Deputies Shortall and Murphy must be particularly delighted in their decision to retire. theyhave united the House in a very rare moment, which may prove to be another historic moment in their trailblazing careers. Again, on behalf of the Government, we wish them very well. There were a range of issues. Of course, they can all be considered in the context of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising this issue and I acknowledge he raises it regularly, as do other colleagues in County Donegal. I accept a statement of the obvious. The Deputy has rightly said that the Government and I are aware this is not just a Donegal issue. It is important to say that. My note mentions counties Mayo, Clare and Limerick as other areas that have been affected. The...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Pringle for raising two important issues which are clearly intertwined here - the issue of concrete blocks and particularly the devastating impact that is having in his constituency to community childcare facilities. He made specific reference to Ardara but also referred to Raphoe and Letterkenny. The Department of children is aware of the service in Ardara and it is aware of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (2 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: It seems we have the spokesperson for pilots before profit today. I thank Deputy Barry for that intervention. My position is very clear. It is crystal clear and could not be clearer. It is not for me on the floor of the Dáil, or respectfully for the Deputy, though he is perfectly entitled to, to give a view on which side is to blame, to apportion blame or to accuse one side of being...