Results 1-20 of 43,883 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for raising a range of issues. I appreciate Deputy Boyd Barrett's point that we need to do more and do better when it comes to children’s disability services. The Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, wrote to me specifically about a number of cases in Dún Laoghaire. There seem to be particular concerns with the scale of the teams, and the Deputy has...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: -----is a significant cause for concern. There is some encouragement. We ran a recruitment campaign that concluded a little while ago. At the end of May, 160 offers were made to successful candidates. I am going from memory here, rather than my note, but I think approximately 53 job offers from the figure of 160 have now been made and processed. There is another recruitment campaign...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: There is an interesting discussion to be had about that, particularly regarding master's level degrees. I am a big fan of reducing fees; I did it twice. At master's level in particular, there is a conversation to be had, especially if the person is willing to work in the Irish health service, about whether that is an intervention that could be made. That is under active consideration. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: -----who is due to retire on Monday but has no wish to retire on Monday and neither do the people of Dundalk wish to see him retire. I will ask my colleague, Deputy Dillon, who is the Minister of State with responsibility in that Department, if anything can be done. There is obviously a role for the local authority there but I do not wish to speak for it. The Deputy’s office might...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: It is an important point. What we have to look at as well as the funding of our children’s disability services is how we can use technologies and reform the delivery of services. I hear that from parents and that is one issue that is being supported.

Post-European Council Meeting: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I attended a meeting of the European Council on 27 June in Brussels which dealt with an extensive agenda. Leaders agreed a package on appointments to key EU institutions following the European Parliament elections and adopted the EU’s strategic agenda for the next five-year institutional cycle. We also took stock of EU enlargement, and agreed a roadmap for internal reforms to ready...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank colleagues for raising a variety of issues. First, Deputy Boyd Barrett and I do not agree on a lot on foreign affairs, but I have said in this House recently and in the European Council, as well saying it publicly at the peace summit on Ukraine, that I do believe there is an inconsistency in the approach being taken by many countries in relation to conflict, and not this one. I said...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 and 11 together. The Cabinet committee on children and education and disability oversees programme for Government commitments relating to children, education and disability and receives detailed reports on identified policy areas such as child poverty and well-being, local area disadvantage and the reform of our disability services. In addition to the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I agree.

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: Not that I am aware but I will double check for Deputy Murphy. I thank Deputy Brendan Smith for the point he made today and has made on a number of occasions about the importance of the opportunity for Ireland and Britain to engage at a senior level. In my initial conversation with the Prime Minister, we spoke about the importance of getting the structure for engagement right, for the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Council (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. I attended a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 27 June. I was delighted to travel to Brussels with my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. At the meeting, which had an extensive agenda, leaders and heads of state and government agreed on a package of appointments and nominations to top...

Ceisteanna - Questions: British-Irish Co-operation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5, inclusive, together. I attended the 41st British-Irish Council summit, hosted by the Isle of Man, on 21 June. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, represented the Government at the summit dinner the night before. The council welcomed the restoration of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Executive and the North-South Ministerial Council and the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kenny for raising the issue of the community hospital in Ballyshannon and the fact that there are unoccupied or unused beds in that new facility.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: It is. I will speak directly to the Minister of State, Deputy Butler. She is obviously familiar with the situation because she was at the opening with the Deputy. I will ask her to come back to him directly and to see what can be done.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We are all almost duty-bound to name our local radio stations now. Not for the first time in this House, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae seems to be more familiar with the detail of some matters than I am. Let me assure him and, more particularly perhaps, radio broadcasters and the like that the Government has not yet made a decision. The Government intends to make a decision this month in regard...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I have two quick matters to raise. I am conscious that not just my colleague but my friend Deputy Simon Coveney, the former Minister, has announced his intention not to seek re-election to the Dáil. As in the past in this House, when people announce their retirement, I want to thank him for his service to his constituency of Cork South Central, to his party but most importantly to his...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Smith for raising this issue. None of us can comprehend the agony the Tighe family must be experiencing since Jean went missing in Portugal on 17 July 2020. She was reported missing, I think, by her boyfriend at the time. The family had not been contacted regarding her disappearance and in March 2021 they lodged a missing persons report with An Garda Síochána. I...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I acknowledge on the record of this House Deputy Kerrane's work on Ms Towey's case and helping to bring her home. She contacted me and the Department of Foreign Affairs directly and worked diligently behind the scenes. Gabhaim buíochas léi. On the issue of home care, I will get a specific update from the HSE on the situation the Deputy is seeing in her constituency and ask the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I was listening to some discussion about this matter on the radio the other day. Growth in the sector can clearly be seen. I recently attended the announcement of Diageo's climate plans with the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke. The company wants to make its plant carbon-neutral. Diageo was talking about the substantial growth it has seen in the non-alcoholic beer sector. It makes sense from...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (10 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will try to help because I have heard the Deputy raise this issue in the Dáil before and am conscious that it cuts across the remits of a number of Ministers and Departments. When I was answering on this matter in the Dáil the last time, I quickly became aware that it did not come down to any one Minister. Perhaps my office and I can play a part in trying to compile an update on...