Simon Harris

When the Deputy uses phrases like “rolls out the red carpet” for the President of the European Commission, the mask kind of slips. It is a sharp reminder that Sinn Féin has opposed every single European referendum, including the one to join the European Union. It is a Eurosceptic party; it has been since its foundation. If it were up to Sinn Féin, Ireland would not be in the European Union because…

I reject the idea that any report has sat on the shelf and gathered dust. I have had many engagements with the Traveller community in a whole variety of roles, most particularly in the education space. Indeed, it was my party in government that recognised Traveller as an ethnicity, which was an important moment for members of the Traveller community. The report is a valuable piece of work. It hig…

I thank Deputy Ahern for that colourful intervention, but on an important matter. The Minister for justice has introduced an 8% increase in criminal legal aid fees payable to solicitors and barristers in both the Circuit Court and High Court from 1 July. This is now a total restoration of criminal legal aid fees cut under the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI. He has also …

I may have to ask the Minister to come back on some of the specifics, but I know that the Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 sets out a clear process for what should happen when a new standard is made available. It requires that a review of the operation of the Act commences within three months of that standard being published. The Minister for housin…

I would be happy to visit Scoil Padre Pio. If the Deputy wants to liaise with me, I will make arrangements to do that in due course in the new school year. I thank the school, based on what the Deputy has told me, for the leadership role it is playing in the provision of special education. I will certainly speak with the Minister, Deputy Naughton, about the school building project. What I would s…

That contribution made me smile to see the positivity, infectiousness and county pride the GAA can bring. I look forward to attending that game because, of course, what the Deputy did not say in her contribution, is that County Wicklow is in the Tailteann Cup final on the same day, just before that match. Wicklow will beat Down and then Louth and Mayo I am not getting involved in, but I wish every…

This a great round of Questions on Policy or Legislation. We have gone from GAA pitches to concert events. The Deputy raises a very important point. It is great to see the level of activity and the concerts going on right across the country and particularly the city and county of Dublin. Deputy Boland is right; the joy can be somewhat taken out of that if there are real challenges in terms of traf…

I thank Deputy Mythen for raising this issue in relation to primary care services in County Wexford and the impact it is having on children waiting longer periods on waiting lists. I will certainly raise this issue with the Minister for Health and ask that she discuss it specifically with that CHO and the HSE to see what more can be done to make progress. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Carroll Ma…

I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this issue in relation to access to occupational therapy for older people. I will speak to the Minister about that broader issue but also specifically the issue she has raised regarding that elderly gentleman who is seeking an assessment and has a number of medical referrals. If she wants to send me the information, I will ask the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill,…

I think Deputy McCormack for raising this issue. I will discuss it with the Minister, Deputy Burke, and ask that he revert to the Deputy. More broadly, the IDA is continuing to deliver very successful results in a very challenging environment and is securing more sites that, as the Deputy said, are able to be accessed because they have the enabling infrastructure to try to keep ahead of the curve.…

I do not honestly know the answer to the question of whether we have one. I have not seen it if we do, so I presume we have not. On foot of the Deputy raising this, I will ask the relevant Ministers to take a look at it because I am conscious he is a doctor as well as a Deputy and there is a very clear differentiation between what he is trying to achieve from an economic point of view and the broa…

I thank Deputy Crowe. I can hear his frustration. From memory, I think the waiting time for driving tests is falling, albeit from a very high place. I take the point that there can be geographic differences in relation to that too. I am not sure of the situation in relation to the Sandyford test centre but on foot of the Deputy raising it, I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who …

I genuinely thank Deputy Whitmore for her work on this. I know her work to get this bus service up and running is sincere. I very much support it. This is where State agencies have to stop with the codology. Deputy Whitmore and I did not make up that this bus was coming to Wicklow. This information flowed from the NTA. She is right that certain bus routes have started and certain other ones have n…

Deputy O'Donoghue is having a busy day. I thank him for raising the issue of the 33 bus again. I take the point that there is always a balance between the reliability of the service and increasing the frequency of it. I know the Minister's aim in the first instance is to improve reliability. The Deputy has put forward some suggestions as to measures that could be taken that would pass the common-…

I thank Deputy Kenny. First, I respect the outcome of the ballot because it is important that processes are respected. I know Fórsa opened a consultation ballot. It is important to say that the union representing SNAs did recommend acceptance of the plan but the members rejected it. That is a statement of fact too and that is how democracy works. In terms of what happens next and what now, Fórsa h…

I thank Deputy McGrath. As is often the case I agree with some of what he says and disagree with some of it also. The establishment of Uisce Éireann, to have one national body for co-ordinating and directing a very significant level of investment in water quality, water services and the water supply we need for housing, is a good thing. I genuinely believe that and I stand over that decision. How…

Absolutely. We should work it out together.

I defended the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's honour but we need to seriously look at this.

As is often the way, there is a lot of logic in what the Deputy is suggesting. We have to consider these matters as part of the budgetary process. I am proud that we are in a Government that has significantly expanded the fuel allowance and made sure that more homes and more people than ever before are receiving it. We have increased the amount of the fuel allowance and took the decision to extend…

I thank Deputy Roche for raising this issue. I will reflect on what he says in respect of the actual process itself. Specifically on the issue of the length of time for appeals, I acknowledge the appeals board is independent but the board does run regional clinics on occasion where appropriate facilities can be sourced and where there is sufficient demand and attendance. For instance, over the pas…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 4 together. I thank Deputy Doherty for his question. An Teachta O'Flynn also has a question. Ireland still does not have a sufficiently diversified savings and investment culture. This is something we largely agree on. Too much of people’s hard-earned savings remains in low-yield deposits, where inflation can erode value over time. Deposit accounts are right…

Sure.

I reject the assertion that the meetings take place behind closed doors. They are just meetings, the door is closed, but there are lots of people in the room. We have had meetings with the Central Bank, the European Commission, and the CCPC. That was a very public event and people will be well aware of it because it was covered widely in the media. I do, however, take the point about getting this…

I am happy to be challenged, and I will also be happy to meet because I do want to get this right. I really do because it is important. What we have done is laid out the principles. The details on specific rates of tax and the like would always be a matter for the budget. There is no Minister for Finance who announces tax rates in advance of the budget, as we all know; however, we have already mad…

We have had very significant public consultation. I reiterate today that if there is any group or body of groups, or set of individuals, with whom the Deputy would like further engagement, he should please let me know. I will provide him with a list of all the people who have been engaged with. I am also very happy to engage with the Opposition.