Results 1,961-1,980 of 45,281 for speaker:Simon Harris

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Nash for raising this important matter. I am very eager to meet with that group. I am very happy to do so and I intend to do it in the month of June. Shona McManus introduced its members to me last week and the Deputy has rightly raised this issue on several occasions as well. I thank him for doing that. I am very eager that we invest more in Drogheda. We have a good...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chair. We are very much looking forward to debating it because of the position held by those Deputies who believe we can go it alone in a global migration crisis. It is a legitimate position for them to hold; it is just wrong. I look forward to debating it with the Deputies and explaining to them why we believe operating at EU level makes sense. When it comes to migration,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I would appreciate the Deputy not laughing at me because I raise this on behalf of the people of Ireland very regularly, including at every single engagement I have with the President of the Commission and EU leaders at the European Council and in every possible forum. Our position is that the human rights clauses in the trade agreement are not in it just to expand the text and should mean...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I will begin with Deputy Wynne's question. We are very happy and eager to have statements in this House in respect of UHL. When I last responded on this issue, I suggested the opportune time may be when the Frank Clarke report is received by the Minister this month, but I am in the hands of the Business Committee on this. The Government is happy to allow time. I just believe it would be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Every time ten people used electricity in Ireland last year, almost four out of ten times that electricity was generated from, in general, onshore wind. This is playing a major part in all of our constituents' and citizens' lives, particularly when they boil the kettle, turn on the light, open the fridge or turn on the television. Ireland is very dependent on this form of energy. Let us be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is giving me awful flashbacks to sleepless nights. If I do not get one tonight, I will know he has jinxed me. I thank him very much for raising this important issue. He does not need to tell me or anyone in this Government about listening to people. His language suggested that he listens and the rest of us do not. That is unfair to people who listen to communities all of the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. Obviously, people and communities absolutely matter. That is why it is important to say on the record that there will be an opportunity, before the draft guidelines are finalised, for further input and consultation, including with CEPA. I have no difficulty at all in meeting with CEPA. I just have to arrange it in my diary. I am very happy to make sure that happens,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: First, we are not waiting for any targets. We have a target for this year. It was always very clear what the target was going to be for this year.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I believe we will exceed the target for this year. I accept that the targets need to significantly increase. There is a political consensus in relation to that. There is a body of work under way for quite a period of time and, for clarity, the revised targets will be published this year. That is the position. I hope that the draft national planning framework, which I believe is due to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: There are a hell of a lot of people in this country who still want their son or daughter to be able to buy a home. Social homes matter, affordable homes matter, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the builder building private homes as well. We need that mix and that composition.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Canney for raising this issue today on behalf of his constituents. I passionately believe in renewable energy. I believe it is absolutely essential to get to where we need to get to in terms of our own energy independence. We are living through a climate emergency. I know we share that view. The question the Deputy raised is about how we do it and how we try to bring...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: It is important to be fair, as the Deputy generally is. The Minister for housing, I believe, received this report on 8 May. That is 13 days ago, so let us not say that people have been sitting on reports for weeks. That is not fair.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: It was 8 May, which I think was 13 days ago. Deputy Bacik's party has been in government. When one gets a report of over 400 pages, 83 recommendations and over 500 actions and subactions, one generally likes to consider them, work with one's team and develop responses. I do not think that 13 days is a long period of time to elapse. This is what a responsible Minister would do. We will...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: We should not misrepresent what the Housing Commission was asked to do. The Housing Commission was asked to come up with recommendations about how to move forward with housing. That is what we asked it to do. We asked it to come up with recommendations. It has done the work and we thank it for that. We now consider the recommendations. The first thing we should do is publish the report....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: I am very pleased that we have an opportunity today to discuss one of the largest and biggest social issues we face in this country, which is the housing challenge and making sure everyone in Ireland can have a roof over their heads, the young generation can aspire to own their own homes and parents can see their adult children move out of the box rooms in their homes and into homes with the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: Then, take actions. That is a good idea too, Deputy Collins. Does the Deputy know what the Government will do this week? It will publish the report. What the Opposition might do is read the report. Then, we might come into this Chamber and debate the report to see how we can actually make more progress. This Government is making progress when it comes to housing supply and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: We are standing here today in a vastly different place when it comes to housing supply from where we were only months ago, and in a very different world when it comes to housing supply from where we were years ago when my party first came to Government, which Deputy McDonald referenced.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services which oversees implementation of Programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy and public services was re-established when new Cabinet Committees were put in place following the appointment of the new Government in April. The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services last met on 20 November and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Climate Action Plan (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach prepares progress reports on the delivery of measures committed to under the Climate Action Plan. These progress reports provide a detailed breakdown of completed and delayed actions and are published online, once considered by Government. The final progress report for the 2023 Climate Action Plan (CAP23) was published on the 5th of March this year. It...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (21 May 2024)

Simon Harris: As the House will be aware, the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the situation in the Middle East is of great international concern. Since my election as Taoiseach, I have had many discussions on the situation with my international counterparts. The issue was discussed at the special meeting of the European Council in April, when Leaders committed to working with partners to end the conflict in...