Results 1,881-1,900 of 45,373 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions: Urban Development (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 to 16, inclusive, together. On 7 May 2024, the Government agreed to appoint a task force to take a holistic view of the measures required to rejuvenate Dublin city centre, north and south. The goal is to make Dublin city centre a more thriving, attractive and safe cityscape, and a desirable location to live, work, do business and visit. The task...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues. Obviously, Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, were about when the Cabinet Committee on Health will next meet, so Members will have to excuse me if I must come back to them on some of the specifics because quite a few of the questions strayed very significantly, I would imagine, from the Standing Orders, although they are valid and important...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 10, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on health last met on 12 February 2024 and is scheduled to next meet on 1 July. In addition to the meetings of the full Cabinet and of Cabinet committees, I meet Ministers on an individual basis to focus on different issues. I meet regularly with the Minister for Health to discuss progress and challenges...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am listening.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue with passion. It is an important issue, as is planning reform. Everyone on this side of the House, like everyone on that side of the House, wants people to be able to live in this country and wants young people to know that their future is in this country. That is why we are working so hard on housing and why we are seeing 350 new homes go...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as he has sincerely on a number of occasions. The best way to proceed on this from a policy point of view is via the Oireachtas joint committee that will consider the outcome of the Citizens' Assembly on Drugs Use. That was an honest and genuine effort to get civil society together to debate what is a difficult and important issue. There are real...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Road safety is a priority for me and the Government. Since becoming Taoiseach seven weeks ago, I have chaired two meetings on road safety, we have allocated an additional €3 million to public awareness campaigns and we are working with local authorities to see what more we can do on road safety. We all have to amplify the message around killer behaviours, especially as we approach...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am pleased the Cavan-Monaghan drugs unit was able to recommence. I share his view and that of everyone in government that we want to see Garda numbers increase. We are seeing progress on that. The college is back open and busy. The fair distribution of new Garda recruits is important. I will share the Deputy's views with the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Truthfully, I am not across the detail of it. It has not been brought to my attention, but I will speak directly to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, about the issue. Any such matter would have to comply fully with competition law and other laws of the land such as employment law and an impact assessment should be considered. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of Newpark School of Music. I am pleased that there will be time in the Dáil for a topical issue debate on it tomorrow. The Deputy has been constructive in flagging it with me today and I will certainly ask, in advance of that debate, relevant line Ministers and agencies to see what role the State may have in this, in order to be able to give...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I will get him a specific answer from the Minister for Transport on this but the Government is very eager to take steps to increase the number of taxis and hackneys available nationally, particularly in rural areas. For a variety of reasons, these steps have not yielded the numbers so further actions are planned and some are under way. I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. This is a great initiative. It is great for the island of Ireland, for the north west in particular, for medical education and for opportunities for young people. The Minister for further and higher education is in Ulster University, on the Magee campus in Derry, today. We are willing to expand this. Obviously, there has to be two partners and a willingness to do it,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am sure what the Deputy definitely does not tell Seán is that if Sinn Féin was in government it would get rid of the help-to-buy scheme for first-time buyers-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: -----and the first home scheme as well. I am sure he did not mention that to Seán. It is very hard to comment on the floor of the Dáil without knowing people's specific financial situations but this Government is seeing, every week, 500 people buying their first home. Every working day we are seeing 350 new homes being built. That is the progress we are making. That is what I...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: -----I would be very happy to come back to him with more comprehensive reply for his situation.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for making that important point for his constituents in north Cork in terms of access to GP services. I will certainly discuss the matter with the Minister for Health and the HSE. We are now seeing a very significant increase in the number of training places for GPs. We are also now looking at other pathways that we can put in place in universities but I do recognise...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his constructive suggestions with which I agree. I am very clear, and I said it on the day that I launched the Dublin city centre task force, that this is going to come back with a list of practical actions and a list of responsible owners for those actions. Then there will be a requirement for government, both national and local, to fund those initiatives. This is...