Results 161-180 of 43,181 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Cabinet Committee on Northern Ireland was established on 10 April 2024 to oversee implementation of Programme for Government commitments regarding Northern Ireland, and ongoing related developments. A previous Cabinet Committee on Brexit and Northern Ireland met four times since June 2020, on the following dates: •29th October 2020 •4th March 2021 •27th June...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cabinet Committees (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Public Services (previously known as the Cabinet Committee on Social Affairs and Equality) met 6 times in 2023, 3 times in 2022, 1 time in 2021, and 2 times in 2020. To date this year, the Cabinet Committee has not yet held a meeting but it is expected that one will be planned in the coming months.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Advertising (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach incurred expenditure on advertising of €1,784,925.93 in 2022 and €4,808.23 in 2023. The bulk of the expenditure in 2022 relates to the dissemination of information related to COVID-19 public communications. Advertising expenditure was also incurred relating to judicial and Director of Public Prosecutions appointments and Easter Sunday...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Contracts (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach has not provided funding to the company in question and has no record of any engagement with their personnel.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Chairman for the invitation to attend and for the opportunity to appear before the select committee to consider the 2024 Revised Estimates for Votes 1 to 3, inclusive, and 5 and 6. A detailed briefing document for each of these Votes has been supplied to the committee in advance of the meeting. While I have certain responsibilities for the Oireachtas for the administrative...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I do indeed. Should I respond to Deputy English in a minute?

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I will come back to Deputy English in a minute. To Deputy O'Callaghan's direct question, my understanding is that in February of this year, the commission submitted its 17th interim report, which noted that it had prepared a draft final report based on the evidence it had received. It also noted that the commission had commenced the process of circulating the draft final report to relevant...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I do, actually. I am thinking back to my time as Minister of Health and the CervicalCheck scandal emerged. I recall there was an initial call in these Houses for a commission of investigation, for very good reasons. It was seen as a mechanism to establish the truth. We engaged a lot with women and patients affected. I am going from my memory now, and I do not wish to say there was...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: This is a very important question. As a newly appointed Taoiseach, I am very committed to an independent Covid evaluation. I would go so far as to say it is essential. I am very proud of a lot of the work done by a lot of people in the public service, the health service, etc. at that time. However, I am also absolutely clear that we need a look-back. The approach of Deputies English and...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I entirely agree. Let me be blunt. I was Minister for Health at the start of the Covid pandemic. I am very proud of some of the decisions that were made. I am also very much aware that as I look back on some decisions, such as the advice on the use of face masks and antigen tests, there absolutely is no doubt that there are learnings and lessons and things that might have been done...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: A review is an essential process that nobody should fear. It should be embraced. We will do our country some service if we get it right.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: If the current trend continues, that will be right.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: Yes, it is. In recent weeks and months, there have been a number of additions to the list. The formula the Minister came up with and brought to Cabinet yesterday is an intelligent way to proceed. It possibly is more agile than just naming one or two countries. It allows for accelerated processing for whichever country is number one on the list at any time. At the moment, that is Nigeria....

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: We have to do more in this space. This was not always the way and, in fact, this is a relatively recent phenomenon whereby the trends have changed. There has been a lot of focus on the airports and I am pleased to say a lot of that focus and resource directed towards checks at the airports has yielded positive results in terms of a reduction in the number of people arriving without...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: I have a private email address but I do not use it for Government business. I have a Department of the Taoiseach email address.

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 1 - President's Establishment (Revised)
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Revised)
Vote 3 - Office of the Attorney General (Revised)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Revised)
Vote 6 - Chief State Solicitor's Office (Revised) (24 Apr 2024)

Simon Harris: No.