Results 41-60 of 44,332 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I am sorry, I am allowed speak if that is okay. That is the first point.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The second point is the Deputy says she has not met these people. She must not be listening to the radio because there have schoolchildren on the radio talking about the benefit in their schools. I referenced a school principal there from De La Salle College, Churchtown. On Tuesday, 5 November an article by Ken Foxe referenced six different schools contacted about their experience of...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: It is not mandatory; it is not obligatory. It is Government listening to teachers and principals and providing them with another option. It is €20 per kid to help support their mental health if the school wants it.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I would never age a colleague, but I do not think there is that big a difference in our ages so I am not sure how I have been a Government Minister almost all the Deputy's adult life. Leaving that aside, she likes to portray this Government's record in a certain way. That is fine, it is her job and I look forward to debating that on the campaign trail. This is the Government that steered...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy McDonald for raising this issue. I will make a number of points. First, when the Deputy talks about the state of our economy in terms of the use of taxpayers' money, she leaves out a number of facts. She leaves out the fact that this is a country running a budget surplus and that we have managed to put aside billions of euro to protect people from future economic shocks....

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: A Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions 2 and 4 together. On 25 October I received Prime Minister of Lebanon, Najib Mikati, for a bilateral meeting at Government Buildings. Prime Minister Mikati briefed me on the deeply concerning escalation of violence in Lebanon and the challenges faced by his government in managing the humanitarian consequences, including the needs of the very...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Capital Expenditure Programme (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The Department of the Taoiseach does not have any capital budget.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Departmental Inquiries (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 to 9, inclusive, together. The COVID-19 Evaluation Panel will commence its work in January with preparations continuing in the interim period. The Panel should submit a final report to the Taoiseach in approximately 12-18 months. The Panel may submit interim reports on specific modules on any matters where evaluation points to immediate policy, system or...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Capital Expenditure Programme (6 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: The Government continues to prioritise and progress the Shared Island initiative, working with all communities and political traditions to build a shared future on this island, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement. Shared Island investment commitments and allocations are taken forward by Ministers and their Departments, working with Northern Ireland Executive and British Government...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I will ask the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to take the two questions on transport if that is okay. I will respond very briefly on the other matters. I thank Deputy Griffin very much for raising the issue of the posthumous pardon for Sylvester Poff and James Barrett and for his role in that campaign. His suggestion as regards Ballymullen Barracks is appropriate and I will certainly follow...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and wish Dr. Hillery all the best with her retirement. I take the point he made about the gap in service provision and the anxiety that is causing for people who need ophthalmology services. I will raise it directly with the Minister and the chief executive of the HSE and ask them to come back to the Deputy urgently.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which I acknowledge she has raised on a number of occasions. I can only tell her what my understanding is. My understanding is this was not a funding issue and that there was a challenge in identifying people, but I take the point the Deputy has a piece of paper from the HSE that does not fully align with that. I personally undertake to raise the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. His idea is a sensible one. I will certainly ask the Minister for sport and suggest she and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, ask Swim Ireland to assist with that. I know from my constituency that can be helpful in mapping this out. We have seen an improvement in the availability of swimming pools and public pools. We need to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the anomalies or the need to maybe tweak the power up grant and grants and funding around solar panels. This is something I will speak directly to the Minister about, but he is aware of it. In years gone by, we allocated a lot of funding to support small businesses. Sometimes it has even been hard to get all that funding drawn down because of the rigidity of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue and I accept the sincerity with which he does so. We have obviously seen a number of very considerable enhancements for eligible homeowners, including 100% grants subject to that overall maximum grant of €462,000 per dwelling, which we increased only last month from the original figure of €420,000 and also keeping the grant...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this important issue and for the constructive way in which she has done that. I know of the strength of feeling in the community of Ballaghaderreen which she is bringing to the floor of the Dáil here. I want to assure the Deputy that we take the safety of people living and working in rural Ireland very seriously. Preventing crime does not just mean...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Bacik for raising this important and sensitive issue. I can only imagine the pain that the Plunkett must feel as they still look for answers and information all these years on. I take seriously the point she makes about that anomaly and the importance of the rights of victims' families and I will raise that directly with the Minister for Justice. I want to be careful to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Cairns very much for raising the question. The Government set the parameters for the housing targets for the next number of years out to 2030 today. That was a sensible thing to do because it does anchor the debate and discussion we will have no doubt in this country in the coming weeks. We also did that alongside the national planning framework because without a draft...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I absolutely would. I join with the Deputy in offering my sincere condolences to the family of baby Mihai on their tragic loss. Children Health Ireland, CHI, have advised the Department that a review has been commissioned in relation to Mihai's care which is normal process under the HSE's incident management framework. It also says that it will engage with the family on the terms of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Canney for raising this matter. We had an update from the Minister, Deputy Burke, at the Cabinet today. I do not have the figures in front of me but from looking through the table, local authority by local authority, it looks to me that around 60% of those eligible so far have applied for the grant. We will certainly keep under review the deadline for that grant. I think it...