Simon Harris

I join the Deputy in thanking all of those who work on the Leinster House campus to make this place work efficiently and effectively on behalf of the people of Ireland. I thank all the people who the people watching at home may see on their screens and the many hundreds who work in the background to make sure we have effective democracy. To everyone in this place, regardless of political perspecti…

I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. I had a very constructive meeting with the US ambassador to Ireland this week. We discussed a variety of issues and I welcomed the opportunity to talk to him about the Irish people's very strong, almost guttural, view of the horror of what is happening in Gaza. I thank him for that respectful engagement. It is always important to have respe…

I remember the day Deputy Cairns raised the issue and I remember that the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was here at the time. On the issues in Cork-Kerry, my understanding was that there were recruitment challenges for funded posts. Let me refresh my memory on that and come back to the Deputy directly. The Deputy is correct that there is a nationwide challenge with access to therapy services t…

I did not, but I am very happy to receive the details from the Deputy. It is probably likely that our consular services and embassy are aware of the case. I am very happy to receive any information from the Deputy on the matter and to follow up on it. As I would be expected to say, the migration policies of any country are a matter for that country. However, we would always expect Irish citizens t…

I welcome the Deputy's guests. I hope they have a pleasant visit. I thank the Deputy for highlighting this issue, which is something everyone is trying to get on top of, but getting on top of it correctly, as the Deputy highlights, is very important. I will ask the Minister for communications to engage with the relevant authorities and ComReg and come back to the Deputy directly.

I thank Deputy McGrath. He is entirely right. The postmasters have, quite rightly, been vigorously engaging with us. This is an issue of concern for them and I assure the House and the postmasters that the Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and a sustainable post office network. We see it as a key component of economic and social infrastructure throughout the country. The programme …

I thank Deputy Roche for raising this matter. I know he is a vocal advocate for carers and those being cared for. As he rightly said, the programme for Government includes a number of measures to support carers, including a commitment to phase out the means testing for the carer's allowance by increasing the income disregard in each budget, with a view to phasing out the means test during the life…

I thank Deputy Kenny for raising what is clearly a serious matter. Out of respect for the seriousness of it, I will speak directly with the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Butler, and see whether the meeting requested can be progressed. I will also apprise myself of the details because Deputy Kenny has raised it in the House previously.

I am very happy to follow up and come back to him on it.

Deputy Ward is entirely correct. This is a very important issue and we have to start taking national security very seriously in this country. We need to see a step change in our investment in the capability of our Defence Forces. I am very proud of the work done by all parts of Óglaigh na hÉireann but just because we are militarily neutral does not mean we do not invest in defence. In fact, in man…

The Taoiseach likes to think he takes care of the cheering for Cork but I very much look forward to attending the Cork and Tipperary game. I am looking at my Tipperary colleague, Deputy Murphy. I wish Cork and Tipperary very well at the weekend and I look forward to a very good final. I also wish Donegal and Kerry the best of luck on the following weekend. The issue Deputy O'Connor raised on driv…

I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this issue in respect of Limerick city, which he raises regularly. I am pleased to remind us all that Limerick was one of the first areas in the country to get bodycams as part of the pilot roll-out. We also saw the first conviction as a result of bodycams in Limerick. I have no doubt that measure is supporting gardaí in the work they are doing in Limerick. Of …

I sincerely thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this very important issue. We have an opportunity to effectively eliminate cervical cancers in our country. One of the ways we can achieve that goal is by increasing HPV vaccination rates for girls by age 15 to the WHO target of 90% by 2030. The Deputy is correct that there is also a need for catch-up programmes. The programme for Government contains a…

We have to start. Some 75,000 people will benefit from the catch-up programme.

I believe and certainly hope we are all united in calling out the far right. We have all had experiences in our constituencies and communities of people trying to sow division. For the Government to effectively deal with that, it must not leave a vacuum. It must put in place the policies required for a functioning rules-based migration system. Immigration is a good thing. All of us in government b…

Does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle have an interest in this? Is the Deputy from Clonmel? I jest. I thank Deputy Murphy. He represents his community with pride and dedication. I thank him for raising this issue on behalf of the people of Clonmel. I have been delighted to be in Clonmel with him on many occasions recently to see all the work that is going on, the benefit of urban regeneration and develop…

The Bulmers analogy is important. We should always be asking if there is any added benefit from a particular layer. If there is not, it should be got rid of. For example, the Minister, Deputy James Browne, brought a proposal to Cabinet recently that there were four gates to get through social housing. That is not the case now. We got rid of the fourth, third and second gates. There is now only one…

We spar in this Chamber on many occasions and do not always agree on things. On a purely personal level, I wish the Deputy well. It takes guts to put your name forward for any election.

Specifically on the infrastructure in Galway, the national development plan will be an opportunity to significantly increase investment. We will be considering many projects. We discussed some of the health projects for Galway earlier. On the Corrib Estuary issue, I will bring the Deputy's comments to the attention of Senator Noonan's successor, the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sulliva…

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for again raising this issue which, as he said, he rightly raised at the Oireachtas committee in recent weeks. The Government remains deeply concerned by the conflict and the real humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Since April 2023, the situation has continued to deteriorate and the consequences are now clearly devastating. It is estimated that over 14 million people have fl…

The first thing to say is that we will at least match the level of humanitarian aid to Sudan this year that we provided last year. We have already provided €7.7 million this year. We provided €14 million last year and we will at least match the €14 million this year. That is an additional commitment from the Government to do more with regard to help for the most appalling humanitarian situation. …

I am not certain whether we have raised them directly, or not with those individual countries, but we have certainly raised them through the European Union. I would point out that we now have an EU special representative for the area, Dr. Annette Weber, who is doing very excellent work. We raised Sudan at the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, …

I thank Deputy Gibney for the question. As she will be aware, the Government carried out an extensive analysis and review of the occupied territories Bill 2018, as it was then, late last year. The Government’s analysis, shared with the Oireachtas at the time, was that substantive amendments would be required to most, if not all, of the provisions of that Bill in order to bring it in line with our …

I have not had engagement with anybody recently on the new Bill but given the significant level of public interest in it, several international partners, including the United States and a number of European and like-minded countries, have expressed an interest in the Bill and the Government’s approach more generally. My officials have engaged with them on the matter, including briefing them on the…

Sure, absolutely.