I say this very respectfully: I am very open to hearing suggestions from across this House and from all parliaments about what actions they believe the Government should be taking that we are not. In recent days people suggested that we join the Spanish ship, for example. I do not say this to be in any way disrespectful to Spain, with whom we are working very closely, but last night the Spanish ship withdrew and Span…
TDs / Simon Harris
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Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them
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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
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Of course I will. As the Deputy knows well, Maroš Šefčovič agrees with that. That is why at the College of Commissioners, President von der Leyen put forward proposals and proposals were adopted. I am not in any way getting involved in politics today on this, but the problem is no longer that the European Commission is not bringing forward proposals; it is that member states are failing to vote in favour of implement…
I join the Deputy in expressing my sincere sympathy and absolute condemnation in relation to what has happened at the synagogue in Manchester. The information is still developing as we are in this House, but I understand that two people have now died. Today is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur. That adds to the horror of an attack and brutal murder outside of a synagogue. I send the solidarity of eve…
I truthfully do not. The facts bear that out. Türkiye, Italy and Spain sent boats. It was not as though their citizens were treated in any way better or preferentially in relation this. European boats were present and available to our Irish citizens in the same way they were available to other citizens of the European Union. We have been working in lockstep with European counterparts in relation to that. That is my g…
They would not have arrived in time. Other countries had boats in the region. I welcome the new interest in investing in our defence and security capacities but other countries had boats in the region that were willing to treat our citizens as their citizens. That is European solidarity.
That is a fair question. I am meeting the sponsor of the original Bill, Senator Frances Black, next week. I hope to bring it forward very shortly thereafter.
It is on the Government's priority publication list for this term. It will be brought forward in this term. I do not want anyone to misinterpret what I am saying here. I am committed to passing the occupied territories Bill, to working with the committee and on an all-party basis, and to considering the pre-legislative scrutiny report which my officials have been doing. I am telling the Deputy, hand on heart, if alon…
My colleague, the Minister for Transport, is currently investigating a number of issues and reports that were brought to his attention in relation to that. There is a very significant logistical issue in terms of what happens in skies well above our territory. The Minister has received a number of issues that were brought to his attention. He is pursuing that and I will ask him to provide an urgent update to the Depu…
When is the Deputy going to outline what proposal he thinks the Irish Government should put in place in relation to this?
The Minister is looking at all the various legal options that are there. I hope that when I next come to this House to set out the need to invest more in defence, security, radar and sonar, we will not be accused of militarisation but will be accused of actually having a better understanding of what happens in our skies and seas.
These are matters for the individual funds. I am not aware of any current proposals in relation to those.
I certainly do not want to see investment in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories, much like I do not want to see trade with them. My understanding is that the Minister has set out the legal position in relation to how that fund operates. I will ask him to provide the Deputy with further information because he has policy responsibility in this area. The Minister for Finance has outlined to the House the com…
The Minister for Finance has outlined the position in relation to that. It is always open to the Opposition to also bring forward policy and legislative proposals in relation to these matters.
The Deputy can bring forward a Bill himself.
I am very happy to answer questions on broader issues than the flotilla but the Deputy can be assured that the entire night and day has been dedicated to trying to protect Irish citizens who are currently detained in the State of Israel and get them home as quickly as possible. That is where my focus is today and has been right throughout the night.
Regarding the airspace issue, the Minister for Transport has made t…
I thank Deputy Healy. I would hazard a guess that there is not been a parliament in Europe that has dedicated more time this week to the issue in the Middle East, though the Chief Whip can correct me. We had a debate on the Middle East for many hours yesterday. We have had the all-party motion and debate regarding the flotilla. We have changed Standing Orders today in a very rare step to suspend normal Leaders' Quest…
I know that Deputy Collins is one of the people who suggested, with Independent Ireland, that we should have a debate on the all-party flotilla motion this week. It proved to be very constructive in being able to tease through some of the issues. That was raised at the Business Committee.
I agree with the Deputy in relation to famine. There is something in our DNA and in our gut in this country. Through our history …
Yes, I do. It is one of the reasons Ireland has tried to be proactive on the issue of the genocide in Palestine. There is always more that can be done. I accept that. The international community in general has been far too slow and far too negligent. That would be the view in this House. I take the point that there is more we can do and I engage in that constructively. It is the reason Ireland moved ahead and recogni…
I absolutely assure the Deputy that we will do that. We will work with our European counterparts, as I said in the statement issued by Ireland and 14 other countries, to see what options are available internationally in seeking accountability in relation to this flotilla.
I join with Deputy Tóibín in condemning the outrageous slurs on our citizens in relation to any reference to Hamas. Our Irish citizens are people in the pursuit of peace and on a humanitarian mission to try to bring food and medicine to a starving population. I agree with the Deputy in condemning that horrific slur on our citizens. That should not be stood for.
I appreciate what the Deputy said about the work of my …
While there is not a specific date for the Bill, because obviously that is not how our legislative programme works, it is on the legislative programme for now. I am eager to move it forward as quickly as possible. I will meet with the sponsor of the original Bill next week and then I will revert to the House.
I can tell the Deputy we are open to considering all legal avenues that currently exist in relation to any w…
I will answer the question but first, Deputy Bacik asked a question about the number of Irish citizens. I want to give the House the best information I have. When I came into this House, we had confirmed that 14 Irish citizens have been detained. I am aware that there are 16 Irish citizens in total but one of them may be a dual citizen so I think that might be where the 15-16 issue arises.
I am reluctant to give tha…
Yes.
The Taoiseach made the point at the UN General Assembly, in delivering the national statement, that we want to make sure Ireland also puts in place exclusionary measures from our country for extremist Israeli ministers. Obviously, we are not in the Schengen area so there is a different way we have to do it compared with how many other European countries did it. My understanding is the Department of justice is leading…
Yes, I am. It should be done in a way that is European in the sense that sometimes, it just makes more sense if there are a number of European countries. Certain countries can have vessels in the area, etc., and speed can sometimes be of the essence, so yes, I am.
I do not wish to speak for other countries at all but my understanding of the purpose for the presence of some of those vehicles was in case the need for …