I thank Deputy Kelly for his leadership on this issue. I acknowledge his Bill and thank him for the role the committee he chairs is playing in this regard. I, too, commend Gráinne Seoige on going before the committee. In recent times, what we have seen in relation to Grok and the use of AI to undress and produce nudified images is dehumanising, degrading and disgusting. There absolutely is an onus on all of us in the…
TDs / Simon Harris
0
questions asked
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
566,209
words spoken in the chamber
566,201 as a minister, 8 as a TD
140
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From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
Members of the Government answer parliamentary questions rather than ask them, so this page lists none of theirs.
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Contributions to debates 2,972 in all
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| Month | Contributions |
|---|---|
| December 2024 | 4 |
| January 2025 | 4 |
| February 2025 | 255 |
| March 2025 | 42 |
| April 2025 | 83 |
| May 2025 | 249 |
| June 2025 | 175 |
| July 2025 | 144 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 79 |
| October 2025 | 214 |
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| March 2026 | 187 |
| April 2026 | 226 |
| May 2026 | 119 |
| June 2026 | 127 |
| July 2026 | 93 |
| August 2026 | 2 |
| September 2026 | 83 |
| October 2026 | 53 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 2,685 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Wicklow 29 November 2024 to now
- office Taoiseach 29 November 2024 to 22 January 2025
- party Fine Gael 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister for Defence 23 January 2025 to 25 March 2025
- office Minister for Foreign Affairs 23 January 2025 to 25 March 2025
- office Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade 26 March 2025 to 18 November 2025
- office Minister for Defence 26 March 2025 to 18 November 2025
- office Minister for Finance 18 November 2025 to now
Just in case there is any confusion I am agreeing with the Deputy in principle entirely that the responsibility here has to be on the company. The way that has been transposed into national legislation has been under the infrastructure of the AI Act. This Government will work constructively with the Deputy, with his party and with his committee on any improvements or changes we can make to Irish legislation. I too do…
I thank Deputy O'Callaghan very much for raising the matter. Just to remind all of us, including myself, the original idea in relation to a Board of Peace – I will get to what I think are the very serious issues with it – arose from the comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conflict which on 17 November received support from the United Nations. On 17 November the United Nations voted to adopt a resolution endorsing the …
Unlike some governments around the world I do not stand up and single-handedly make decisions and announce them without engagement with colleagues. My personal view and the view of Government colleagues is that we cannot see any scenario in which Ireland can participate in the so-called Board of Peace as currently constructed. Of course, it would be a very different situation were we back to where the UN was on 17 No…
On the occupied territories Bill, the position is as outlined by the Taoiseach. The Minister received the Attorney General's advice just before Christmas. She has gone back with further questions and we will engage with the Oireachtas on it in due course.
I agree with the Deputy. I am also grateful to him for raising the issue of Iran. It is not raised nearly often enough in this House. The brutal, disgusting repression we have seen of the brave Iranian protesters should be called out, as should the heroism of those protesters, who are standing up for their future and the aspiration they rightly have to live in a free, safe and democratic country and to have a better …
Absolutely. I forgot to say in my first answer that I will take a look at the wording of the European Parliament resolution because I am not familiar with it. However, the Deputy is right that when we talk about peace and stability in the Middle East, it is hard, or almost impossible, to have that conversation without also looking at the situation in Iran. While Ireland is neutral and will remain neutral, that means …
I thank Deputy Nolan for raising this issue and for the constructive way in which she has gone about it. It is a serious issue. I represent and have lived in County Wicklow all my life. I remember vividly the incident in 2023 when a farmer, Pat Dunne, was beaten up on his own land. I remember meeting with the IFA at Wicklow level and national level. This is a real issue that farmers are grappling with on a constant b…
There is an issue here, and potentially a legislative one. That is why we should keep the laws under review. We will engage constructively on the Deputy's Bill, and on any views from the Minister for justice, the Garda and others around the law. There is also an issue of enforcement because we are seeing - I am certainly hearing it more and more - attacks on sheep and the likes. There is a sense that sometimes this i…
I know what side the Government is on. The Deputy is engaging in what our counterpart across the Atlantic Ocean would call "fake news." This Government opposed the Mercosur agreement.
No, Deputy. You had your say. Allow me to speak too. In a democracy, allow me to speak too.
This is not a kangaroo court. You speak and I speak. Thank you. You made an assertion and I am going to answer it very clearly. The Government voted against the Mercosur agreement. There was no vote yesterday in the European Parliament on the Mercosur agreement. Do you know what there should have been? There should have been a "Yes" or "No" vote.
What people have done by saying to the courts, "Will you have a look a…
Do you know what vote I would have liked to take place yesterday? A "Yes" or "No" vote.
I have never needed, as a parliamentarian, the courts to tell me what way to vote.
I wanted a situation where MEPs of all sides had a chance to vote "Yes" or "No", not run off to the courts for the next two years.
Do not misrepresent our position. We know exactly where we stand. This Government has the backs of farmers but it does not believe in performative politics.
I thank Deputy Ahern for raising this issue. We are going in the wrong direction in relation to road safety. The Deputy's comments are fair. There is a whole multitude of reasons including a level of increased distraction in the car as well as more cars on our roads but there are also legitimate issues around enforcement of existing legislation. It might be useful to find a way very soon in this House to explore how …
It is a very fair point that the Deputy makes and I will certainly speak with the Minister in relation to it. We are all trying to grapple with this in real time. I very much respect, genuinely, Members of this House, public bodies and others that have decided to leave the platform. I can understand why they have done that. Equally and currently in this space, I have decided for the moment to stay on it because it is…
I thank Deputy Healy for raising the matter of ophthalmology in south Tipperary. I acknowledge it is an issue he has raised in this House previously. I will speak directly to the Minister for Health and ask that she examines the matter with the HSE and reverts to the Deputy.
I have consistently said on the public record that the people's democratically elected representatives across the European Union should never be taken for granted in relation to Mercosur. I have consistently said that. There has been a misrepresentation by some, although not by Deputy Lawless, that it was all about the European Council. Yes, the Council had a vote and Ireland voted "No" but there is a co-decisionmaki…
I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this issue. I would point out that we have made a number of investments to try to assist GPs in making their practices more sustainable in recent times, including a relatively new revision to the GP contract and assistance in terms of staffing for GP practices. One of the models that I am personally quite favourably disposed to, and which is allowed for in the programme for Government…
I thank Deputy Currie for raising this issue. I acknowledge her work as a vocal advocate for parents and providers and for getting this whole area of childcare right. I think that with all that went on in the world, perhaps it did not get as much attention this week as it merited. We took a very significant step forward this week with the capital investment for public facilities in relation to childcare and I thank t…
I think the Sinn Féin proposal might be to disband Bord Bia and just let you lads run the organisation. We have a board at Bord Bia and the way State boards work is very clear. They meet, they look at different issues in relation to corporate governance and then they can provide a report to the Minister. That is happening in real time. It is happening as we meet today.
I believe in due process. I believe in these is…
I thank Deputy Callaghan for raising this issue and bringing people into this debate because this is a real issue and we want to support carers right across this country. Carers are doing incredible work. They are also saving this State an absolute fortune and I acknowledge that as well.
I am pleased to say that the programme for Government commitment we have given to abolish the means test over the lifetime of the …
You mentioned a lot of counties there. Deputy Clendennen nearly jumped over the seat when you said Offaly.