Simon Harris

It is a Republic that your party worked to undermine. They collected the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe from the gates of a prison. Do not dare present yourself as a defender of the Republic.

There are gardaí dead in this country as a result of the actions of the army wing of your party.

You know nothing about defending the Republic-----

-----and here you all are with your Hamas buddies.

Jean McConville. Jerry McCabe.

You had a party for the people who collected the killers of Jerry McCabe-----

-----and you should apologise.

There are gardaí in their graves-----

-----because of your IRA movement.

Ask Jerry McCabe's family about your defence of the Republic. Give me a break.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue about BusConnects. I will ask the Minister for Transport to engage with him directly. Perhaps I could also arrange through my office for the National Transport Authority, NTA, to engage and sit down with the Deputies for the area, including Deputy Smith. I am conscious, particularly in his part of Dublin, of how reliant people are on public trans…

Yes, we will. I am not aware of the background as to why statements did not take place. They should have taken place and it is important that they do. I genuinely take the Deputy's point about symbolism and flags and accept it. However, this year more than ever, at a time when people across the world are speaking in more hushed tones about inclusion, it is important that this weekend Ireland march…

I absolutely will look into it. Will the Deputy send me the specific details today? I am conscious that I have answered a parliamentary question on the case, but if the Deputy could send me the specific details, I will personally look into the matter today. We are planning changes in one of the forthcoming defence Bills. There are powers available to the Garda Commissioner that I believe the Chie…

The Deputy will understand that I cannot comment on a decision of An Bord Pleanála because of its quasi-judicial nature and where things may go next. I do not want to comment on the specifics. On the broader point about housing in Ballina, I will certainly ask the Minister for housing to engage with Mayo County Council and the people the Deputy mentioned. Housing is in an emergency situation. We …

I thank Deputy Clendennen very much for raising this issue. I have just been talking to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who also has responsibilities in this area. I wish everybody well in Ballybritt with the tractor run. I also assure the Deputy there are no plans to do anything that would discommode our farmers or farming community in relation to this issue. As part of the Government's roa…

I thank Deputy O'Hara. My understanding regarding Portumna Forest Park is that this is something at the very early stages and that there will be extensive engagement. I will take his feedback in relation to Coillte and its need to engage and listen. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has also updated me on this matter. Regarding the former Shannon Oaks hotel, I have heard about it directly in r…

I thank Deputy Cahill very much for raising this issue. It sounds like a very stressful situation for the school principal, the teachers and the parents and students involved. I will certainly ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, who has special responsibility for special education needs, to engage with the Deputy directly and to look into the issue…

I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this issue. Indeed, I was talking to the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, who has responsibility in this area. Let nobody be in any doubt: this Government remains fully committed to a sustainable An Post and to a sustainable post office network as a key component of our economic and social infrastructure right across the country. The programme for Government…

I sincerely thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this case on a number of occasions and for the positive engagement that we have had. I want to put on record today my sympathies to the McNeela family and, in particular, to John McNeela on the loss of his wife, Kathleen, and, indeed, their son, Michael, who died while on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon. He served the State with distinction and I want t…

I thank Deputy O'Gorman. I do not want to bluff; I have not read that report but I will make myself aware of it now that the Deputy has brought my attention to it. I will also discuss the matter with the Minister for the environment. The Deputy's suggestion is a constructive one. On foot of the Deputy raising it today, I will ask the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to consider that request t…

We do not disagree on this, because it is possible to do quite a number of things. As Deputy Gannon will be aware, and I will not tell him about his own constituency, the GPO is a massive site. Many people, when they walk down O'Connell Street, see the GPO as the historic piece and as the post office. The GPO site goes significantly far back. This recommendation flows from the Dublin city centre …

I thank Deputy Ó Fearghaíl for keeping in touch with me on this. Let me say to anyone who wishes to illegally camp on the Curragh Plains that it will not be tolerated. We went to the High Court this week in relation to the situation. The Garda has been there. Bailiffs have been there. If you come there illegally, you will be moved on. That is absolutely crystal clear. I thank my officials, the De…

I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising this matter. The Deputy is so right too because one of the big findings that emerged yesterday from the Women's Aid report - I thank it for the great work it does - is the stark need here to act on the domestic violence register and what is often called "Jennie's law". I had the honour of meeting Jason Poole, an incredible man, in relation to his sister, Jennie. …

The depth of feeling there quite rightly is around this country about the genocidal activity by Israel and support for the Palestinian people is real, guttural and heartfelt. There should always be a very high bar before interfering on anybody’s clothing. In the first instance, these are always matters for boards of management. In light of the Deputy bringing this information to my attention, let …

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I do not have much detailed information before me so I will have to get the relevant Minister to come back to him. I will arrange for that to happen. My understanding is there are two priority deliverables under the strategy for this, 5f and 5g. The first is the development of planning guidelines to support the local authorities, as the Deputy suggested,…