Simon Harris
Wicklow · Fine Gael · Ireland
“There are more than 10,000 routes and thousands of buses involved and the number of students using the services is not a million miles away from 200,000. The current terms of the scheme are going to continue to apply for the 2026-27 school year.”
“I thank Deputy McDonald for raising what is genuinely an important issue. I do take the point that when we talk about this in the abstract or from a process point of view in here, that for people watching this is their real lived experience.”
“There number of children who have been supported by means of the school transport scheme, as Deputy Fitzmaurice knows and has alluded to, has grown significantly in recent years. Since 2018, the number increased from 120,000 in 2018 to more than 181,000 now. Included in that figure are 24,000 pupils with special educational needs.”
“I knew the Deputy would have to mention the GAA, especially with Galway and Limerick playing at the weekend. I wish everybody involved the best of luck. We are very committed to the school transport scheme. If the Deputy wants to see our commitment, he should look to our budget.”
“An ageing population, increasing healthcare needs, the transition to net zero and the need for continued investment in housing, energy and infrastructure will place a significant demand on public resources.”
“There is also a legitimacy to the point the Deputy made about how it is a legitimate form of transport for some people. We see this working in other European countries. We see it in our nearest neighbours. I do not want to get the regime wrong, but I think they have registration at the point of purchase that allows people to track this.”
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“On the cost of changing the standard rate of CGT, and this is a legitimate issue people highlight, each 1% reduction or increase is estimated to amount to around €87 million in a full year, assuming no behavioural change. We always have to assume that, although it is harder to factor in. Therefore, a 5% reduction in the standard CGT rate in a single budget would have an Exchequer impact, at least in that budget, of €436 million, assuming no behavioural change. There are also costs to the Exchequer associated with extending the level of relief, as suggested in the question. I put that out to be helpful as people consider budget options. The programme for Government commits to maintaining a broad tax base to guard against the need for countercyclical fiscal policy in the event of a downturn and to prepare for future budgetary challenges.”
“The increased lifetime limit should significantly assist entrepreneurs to grow and scale their businesses or to begin new ventures building on their previous entrepreneurial experience. As with all taxes, there are options for amending the scope of the tax, including changing the rate of the tax, amending or abolishing existing reliefs or exemptions or considering the introduction of new reliefs and exemptions. However, a narrower base of a tax regime with significant exemptions often requires a higher rate to generate an appropriate yield. A wider base may facilitate a lower headline rate of tax as it applies to a wider set of economic and commercial activities, reduces reliance on any one activity and potentially maintains a more sustainable yield.”
“I thank the Deputy very much for the question. The rate at which capital gains tax, CGT, is charged has varied both upwards and downwards since its introduction in 1975. The current standard rate of 33%, which applies to most gains, has been in place since 2012. However, a number of reliefs are already provided for business assets, including retirement relief on the transfer of business or farming assets, revised entrepreneur relief and participation exemption relief. For example, the revised entrepreneur relief provides a reduced rate of CGT for qualifying business assets. The lifetime limit of €1 million of gains on which the relief can be claimed was increased to €1.5 million with effect from 1 January this year.”
“That is a fair point. I will correspond directly with the relevant European Commissioner in the first instance, following up on the official engagement and reflecting the view of the Oireachtas committee on the prospectus regulation. I also do not rule out having further political engagement with EU counterparts on this. What is clear, and I know there are strong views on this issue in this House and in this country, is that sometimes there can be a grey area and we can debate how much is in compliance with EU law and how much we can do domestically. On this matter, solidly, the EU treaties and the obligations of member states seem to necessitate any change happening at an EU regulatory level. In the first instance, I will personally correspond with the European Commissioner and will update the Deputy when I receive a response.”
“We need to respect EU law, but I take the point that we also have a role in shaping it. There are different views across the EU on this matter, although I really hope it can be addressed, particularly after the horrors we saw in relation to the flotilla. It should not have taken that at all, nor should it have happened. If that is how Israel treats European citizens, it gives a real insight into how it must treat Palestinians.”
“I agree with that. What I will do is raise it at a political level as well. We have been raising it at an official level. I have directed my officials on a number of occasions on back-and-forth engagement with the Commission on this. I will speak to the Taoiseach as well because I know he has rightly sought a conversation at the European Council on foot of Israel's egregious breaches of international law. That is due to be scheduled for 18 and 19 June. I have examined whether Ireland can do something domestically because I know we have had debates in this House on the matter, but the clear, solid view is that national measures could not allow for the Central Bank to refuse a prospectus because the requirements of the EU prospectus regulation have to be met, including the standards of completeness, consistency and comprehensibility.”
“Our Taoiseach also wrote to European Council President Costa on 20 May reiterating Ireland's position on EU trade with Israel and requesting an urgent discussion of these issues among EU leaders at the next meeting of the European Council. Perhaps on foot of this question, I will brief the Taoiseach on the committee recommendation before that Council meeting.”
“I do not need to remind the Deputy, because he said it, that the Central Bank has no role in the review and approval of the 2025 prospectus for the State of Israel. Ireland is continuing to press for appropriate action at EU level. I support the proposal of the committee, and also the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in response to the egregious Israeli breaches of human rights, international law and democratic principles. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy McEntee, indicated in the Dáil last week that she will advance the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory Bill in the coming weeks, and she secured Cabinet approval on that today.”
“We formally conveyed that as the view of the Oireachtas to the European Commission. This engagement reflected my view that the European Commission should have regard to the report, its findings and recommendations. Officials outlined, in their engagement, recent developments in Ireland and sought the views of the Commission on the possibility of a legislative initiative by the European Commission to address the Oireachtas committee's recommendation. In its response, disappointingly, the EU Commission indicated it currently has no plans for a review of the prospectus regulation. My officials have also engaged with the Central Bank since the report was published. The Central Bank has also reviewed the report's recommendations. It has on a number of occasions, both before the committee and elsewhere, set out its position on the matter.”
“I thank an Teachta O’Callaghan very much for the question. I have read the report of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure, Public Service Reform, and Digitalisation and it has also been reviewed by my officials. It was published last August. It sets out 15 recommendations, some directed to the Central Bank of Ireland and others to the Government. Chief among the recommendations made is that the Government engage at EU level with a view to amending the prospectus regulation. I directed that senior officials in my Department engage with the Commission on this matter. Department officials subsequently liaised with their counterparts in the European Commission, drawing attention to the work of the Oireachtas committee in its report and, in particular, the committee's recommendation that the prospectus regulation be amended.”
“The question of whether we can transform healthcare through the use of AI, for example, points to one area where I believe we could see real productivity gains. At the moment, all of the conversation seems to be about productivity gains in the private sector and just being aware of the risk in the public sector. We have got to do a bit better than that. The other point is that, up until now, every technological revolution has resulted in more jobs at the end of it than at the start. That merits close monitoring. What we do know is that training and upskilling comprise an immediate issue, and we have to take that very seriously.”
“That is right; we need to take it deadly seriously. I do not mean this about Deputy O'Connor but about me. I always think that speaking with great authority on something that is fast evolving is challenging because we are all learning about this in real time. That is not an excuse or a reason not to take it extremely seriously because the countries that work out how best to respond to this are the countries that will do the best. We have only to look at the Future Forty report, which my Department published. It refers to the huge demographic challenges this country is going to face. One of the great ones is that everyone is going to live to be much older, on average, and the population is going to age.”
“The research and development tax credit is now being used by more and more SMEs, but making this as simple as possible for smaller companies to access is important too. On AI, the approach of the Government and country has to be to maximise the opportunities and minimise the challenges. I know both Ministers, Deputy Burke and Deputy Lawless, are working on how we can address the skills deficit that interacts with those two Departments. The Industrial Development Agency, IDA, and Enterprise Ireland, EI, are supporting companies as well. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is looking at how we can train more people in these areas. There are also huge opportunities for the Irish economy, for both indigenous and FDI-supported companies, in terms of productivity if we can get AI right.”
“I thank the Deputy. He said he wanted to put something on the record of the Dáil so let me do that as well. While the Deputy is right that we should always be cautious about our economy and never take economic stability or growth for granted - sometimes that seems to be the case in our discourse - I contend that the country has structurally learned a lot of lessons in terms of plans and actions from the crash. That ranges from the fiscal rules we have in place to our level of indebtedness, both at a national level but also at a business level, being a lot lower too. The Deputy's point about the indigenous sector is right. It is still a statement of fact that the greatest number of people in employment in Ireland are in Irish-owned SMEs. This is a sector we have to really support.”
“The development of the investment account is a key part of that roadmap, as is consideration of the existing taxation regimes for investment. I expect to be in a position with the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, to publish that roadmap this summer.”
“We want to make investing simpler, clearer and more accessible for ordinary people. In designing the model that best fits the Irish economy and the needs of Irish households, the views of relevant experts are being considered and we are learning from international best practice. That is not about picking up something from another country and saying that we will take exactly that. We will learn from best practice and find what is the best model for our country too. Many countries have implemented similar schemes and they have reported that investors tend to have a home bias in their investment choices. Budget 2026 included a commitment to publish a roadmap for the taxation of retail investment in 2026.”
“Deposit accounts are appropriate for many people and for many needs but as inflation can erode their value over time, they should not be the only practical option. Investment in capital markets by retail investors can offer another path to long-term financial well-being while also supporting growth and competitiveness in the wider economy, as has been identified in the EU’s focus on the savings and investment union, SIU. I acknowledge the work the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, is doing with me in this key area. An important aspect of the SIU is the European Commission’s recommendation on increasing the availability of savings and investment accounts in member states. At the recent savings and investment forum, I announced our intention to introduce a legislative framework for an investment account in Ireland in the next budget.”
“I thank the Deputy for this important question. A number of tax incentives that are in place are intended to encourage investment in indigenous businesses, particularly in our small and medium enterprises. These measures include the employment investment incentive, the research and development tax credit, the start-up capital investment and the relief for investment in innovative enterprises, also known as angel investor relief. The research and development tax credit is another tax relief that is now making a significant contribution to Ireland's competitiveness. Ireland still does not have a sufficiently diversified savings and investment culture. This is a real issue in our country.”
“We have provided significant financial assistance to families and businesses. We will be doing more in the budget to help people with the structural costs they face in their lives. We will continue to keep all matters under review.”
“It is also important to note, as the Deputy referenced the last time, that when the temporary solidarity contribution was brought in, and this is already facing multiple legal challenges in the Court of Justice of the European Union, the actors questioned the legality of the measures and the actors questioned the retroactive elements of the measure. Claimants are arguing that the EU incorrectly adopted the levy under Article 122 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, TFEU, as emergency measures rather than requiring unanimous agreement. The last time this was done, it was subject to legal challenge. The Government is working at a European level because we believe in a single market for energy. That is where we are all working to get to. There is an interconnectedness to this.”
“This is my time. I am allowed to speak. I might be allowed to suggest the Deputy might tell me what the purpose of it is if he does not believe it is for that. Last week, he wanted us to use the surplus. The point is we have put in place one of the largest energy support packages in the European Union. We are working at an EU level because a co-ordinated approach matters. Being isolated and not working at a European level does not work for this country's economy.”
“The angry routine is not working. Just let me speak. I thank the Deputy. I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. The transcript will show that Deputy Doherty talked about bringing in a windfall tax measure that could help to provide supports families and businesses.”
“I fully accept that it is the very clear position of the Government that if we were to act on windfall taxation, we would do it at an EU level because of the interconnectedness of the EU market. That is the position of the Government. This week, Deputy Doherty wants to fund the new measures he would like to do outside of a budget with a windfall tax.”
“In this context, potential solidarity measures and broader energy market developments continue to be a central focus and Ireland continues to engage with our EU partners, in colluding during our forthcoming EU Presidency. The Government is conscious of the increased financial pressures on households and businesses, which we have discussed in terms of the temporary and targeted measures we have introduced, one of the largest packages in the European Union. Alongside this, work is ongoing through the national energy affordability task force to identify further measures to enhance energy affordability. The ongoing conflict shows the need to accelerate the deployment of renewables at domestic and EU level.”
“The TSC formed part of a co-ordinated European response, reflecting the highly interconnected nature of EU energy markets - when we acted, we did so at an EU level - and a view that an emergency intervention to mitigate the effects of high energy prices at the time could not be sufficiently achieved by member states individually. It continues to be the Government's view that tackling the energy crisis in a co-ordinated way between EU member states is preferable, given the interconnectedness of EU energy markets. We will continue to engage constructively with EU partners on these matters and aim to ensure that any joint European response to these challenges is co-ordinated and effective.”
“As the Deputy is aware, the European Commission's AccelerateEU communication addresses the EU's rising energy costs and volatile fossil fuel markets and aims to accelerate the clean energy transition and strengthen EU energy resilience. While the communication notes member states may take domestic measures, no EU-wide approach has yet been agreed. The temporary solidarity contribution, TSC, was introduced in line with Council Regulation 2022/1854 of 6 October 2022 to tackle windfall gains being made in the energy sector at the time, following the commencement of war in Ukraine.”
“The European Union does not work in the manner in which the Deputy described. It is not about forcing anybody's hand. We are members of the European Union. The Deputy's party did not support joining the European Union, but we are members of it and sit round the table and make decisions together. It clearly makes sense in a single market that if you are introducing a taxation system around energy, you would endeavour to examine the measures available at European level and try to move in concert. That is the position of the Government. We certainly have not ruled out acting on a windfall tax. We have said it would make sense that we do that at a European level.”
“The new living-over-the-shop relief is an important step in terms of trying to bring life back onto our main streets, tackle dereliction, but also the whole safety and security issue that can create in a positive sense as well. Having no building age rule for the conversion of commercial into residential will facilitate greater access to the relief for living-over-the-shop or mixed-use developments. I will follow up with the Deputy in relation to that workshop concept.”
“As I say, I am positively disposed to that. We passed a law in this House to make this living city initiative available to five more regional towns, including places such as Drogheda and Dundalk. We all want to see it succeed now. We have tried to show flexibility as a Department and as a Government in terms of enhancing the scheme. In the previous Finance Act, there were a number of enhancements. First, the scheme was extended to the end of 2030. Second, it is now available to residential properties built before 1975 instead of 1915, as the Deputy said. Furthermore, if the work is carried out by an enterprise, the maximum relief has been increased from €200,000 to €300,000. Of course, the big announcement, from the Deputy's perspective, was it was extended to five regional centres, including Dundalk and Drogheda.”
“In the first instance, I would encourage at a local level the local authority and other stakeholders, who I am sure will, to get the word out there. Should that be happening, if we can supplement that with Revenue or the likes, I will certainly engage with the Deputy positively on that to try to make that happen. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and we will both revert to the Deputy.”
“That is a fair point. Truthfully, I do not know whether Revenue went out and marketed the scheme previously. From my recollection, it is generally the local authorities that promote the scheme and obviously the Revenue Commissioners that administer the scheme. On the Deputy's broader point as to whether we should have roadshows or workshops, absolutely we should. On foot of the Deputy raising this here this evening, I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Browne, from the local authority perspective, and my own officials and Revenue, and see what can be organised here. We set up these schemes because we want them to succeed. We set them up because we accept that the issue of dereliction is real. Dundalk and Drogheda won the argument in terms of the need for that scheme to be expanded and now we want it to be a success.”
“For reasons of taxpayer confidentiality, Revenue will never give the exact number but just under ten is an indication. In only a month of the scheme, I see that as somewhat encouraging. I will continue to monitor this. I am happy to provide the Deputy with further updates as they become available.”
“We took a decision in the last budget to expand that as well and the Deputy was eager that that would happen. Indeed, it was expanded to five more areas, namely, Athlone, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny and Sligo. I appreciate the speed at which the local authorities worked. I acknowledge Louth County Council in getting in the maps that my Department was then able to get independently assessed. The scheme, as the Deputy says, now has opened. I am advised by Revenue that it has recently received information from Louth County Council in respect of the number of requests for letters of certification received by the local authority. Revenue understands that Louth County Council has received fewer than ten requests between 8 April 2026, when the scheme was opened, and 20 May 2026. As the Deputy says, it is a short window.”
“I appreciate the Deputy's support for the initiative. The living city initiative is provided for in Chapter 13 of Part 10 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. It offers income or corporation tax relief for qualifying expenditure incurred in the refurbishment and conversion of qualifying residential and commercial buildings located within special regeneration areas. Often these are inner city or central town areas where there is above-average unemployment and which demonstrate clear evidence of dereliction, perhaps neglect and under-use. There are four types of relief available under the initiative: owner-occupier residential relief, rented residential relief, commercial relief and living-over-the-shop relief. As the Deputy will be aware, we introduced this in 2015.”
“We had a good conversation of Government and Opposition at the oversight committee on this today. We have to be very careful that anything we do does not chase inflation because things that we do that could in the temporary moment seem like we are trying to assist people could end up pushing up prices for them and nobody in this House, I presume, wants to achieve that situation too. We have taken measures. The people of Ireland get this. It is one of the largest packages of support in the European Union to help people. We will work in the annual budget cycle but if we get into this situation of mini-budget here and mini-budget there, it is a dangerous spiral that will not serve the people of this country well.”
“The Deputy is doing it again. The Deputy is speaking for the people of Ireland. We both went to Galway and we put our cases to the people. The Deputy said, "Send a message to the Government on the cost-of-living crisis - vote Sinn Féin", and the people of Galway West said, "Now, hang on a second here. We can see through this." The Deputy should have a little humility in terms of coming in here speaking for the people of Ireland and that the Deputy is in touch with everyone and I am out of touch. We just had an election. That is the first point. The second point is, we need to be very careful we do not chase inflation. The Deputy's budget proposals last year would have put up inflation. The Deputy knows that too. We have to get this balance right.”
“We have to try to make sure we can have a well-considered package for how we assist people, families and business not in a temporary way, but in a way that looks at structural change. I am open to positive and constructive engagement. We had a discussion about this in the budgetary oversight committee today. What can we do structurally on energy? What can we do to make it easier for people to make their own homes warmer? Are there measures we can take there? However, getting into that annual budget cycle is to the benefit of citizens in this country.”
“I am not sure that the Deputy's take on the Irish people is where they are at. The Irish people get the fact that this Government responded with one of the largest packages of support in the European Union, so nobody has been asked to wait at all. We reduced excise on diesel and petrol and put in place measures for key sectors. All of that benefits every citizen in this State in terms of trying to put some downward pressure on what the Deputy rightly said was rising inflation. The Department of Finance estimates that the overall package will reduce inflation by about 0.5% on what it otherwise would have been. We are taking proactive measures but I have to be honest with the Irish people - the winter could be very challenging.”
“Around €1 in every €6 paid in tax comes from about ten firms in the country. The vulnerability around what we refer to as windfall tax receipts is real. We are highly exposed to any deterioration in the global economy and there are structural changes on the horizon that must be prepared for. That is why it is important that we get into that annual budget cycle. I accept the Deputy’s point. People are feeling the pressure and, as a result of the war in Iran, inflation is higher this year than it was expected to be. The focus in the budget will be to see what measures we can take in a rounded way to try to assist people, including in a structural way, with the charges that families and businesses face.”
“We are also delaying the scheduled increase in carbon tax and introducing a support subsidy schemes aimed at key productive sectors of our economy, both haulage and agriculture. We have shown we are not afraid to act when the circumstances demand action but we have also been clear that the best way to manage the State's finances is as part of a carefully considered annual budget process. I emphasise that the Government’s response has been made possible because of the resources we have thanks to the careful management of our public finances. We have run surpluses for consecutive years. Running surpluses has not always been popular, but it has given us the flexibility and agility to respond swiftly and forcefully to this shock. The resources of the State are not infinite. There are still vulnerabilities in our public finances.”
“As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has already intervened to help absorb the impact of rising energy prices for households and businesses with two packages of measures worth over €750 million. The first package of measures introduced in March reduced excise on fuel, cut the National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, levy to a nominal amount and enhanced the diesel rebate scheme. We also extended the fuel allowance season by an additional four weeks. This meant that 470,000 households received additional financial support, an extra €152 in total. A further package of measures was introduced in April. Excise on fuel was cut further, bringing the total reduction in diesel to 32 cent per litre, 27 cent per litre for petrol and 7.4 cent per litre for green diesel.”
“I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I hope the agencies have looked in on today's proceedings. He does his very best to chair these proceedings, and I do my very best to answer as best I can the questions put. It is fair to say there is clear concern across this House about the lack of responsiveness of several unelected heads of agencies, which needs to be reflected on. Both this Oireachtas and the Government should consider how to ensure that because this is not about us; it is about the people we serve.”
“People are good and decent; they want to work with us. We need to challenge ourselves as to how we can help them make that transition, and HVO is an important part of that conversation. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is familiar with that, and we have had some conversations with the sector on that too. On foot of the Deputy raising it, I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy directly.”
“I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this issue. First, as the Deputy knows, we have worked hard to try to support the haulage section and I praise the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, for his leadership on that and the engagement we have had with the Irish Road Haulage Association and others, which is right and proper. However, the Deputy's question is also quite important because it is harder for some industry sectors to transition, and what they do not need from us in this House is a lecture and attitude they get sometimes from the left and far left who are not here to hear this. They are a crucial part of our supply chain and economy. We need them to work and we need them to function. Our policies need to get more sophisticated in recognising that, whether that is incentivising people to be able to make that transition or better support.”
“I thank Deputy Collins. We are now on the third example of an elected Member of the Oireachtas being frustrated by their inability to get answers from those who are accountable to the democratically elected Members of the Oireachtas. I thank him for raising the issue. The staff in SouthDoc in Clonakilty do fantastic work but I am aware of the issues the Deputy has raised in this House. I will speak directly with the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, and ask that she inquire with the HSE and come back to the Deputy directly.”
“I thank Deputy Burke for raising the matter. I know the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is committed to working with him on this issue, as am I. Significant investment has been made at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital in recent years. The annual budget has increased significantly and staffing has grown significantly, with the former by more than a third and the budget by more than 64%. We have seen several significant capital projects completed with the relocation of the ophthalmology outpatient department from CUH to South Infirmary in 2022. However, there is clearly a need for those new developments and projects that were expected. On foot of Deputy Burke raising this today, I will engage with the Minister who will work with him closely on this.”
“I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising the issue. He is right; there are good, international railway practices as to why they bank holiday upgrades. He gets that, as do I, but there is also that important thing called joined-up thinking and the NTA, Dublin Bus and others need to work together to make sure that if one service is going to be down, another service is ramped up. It is not rocket science. It is not splitting the atom but it needs to happen. I will follow up directly with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on foot of the Deputy raising this today.”
“Again, I am annoyed and irked to hear about this. I am not annoyed with the Deputy or Deputy Whitmore. State bodies have to be accountable to the Oireachtas and the democratically elected people. That does not mean they are always going to give us all the answers - I get that - but you have to at least feel as an Oireachtas Member of the Government or the Opposition that you are getting a proper flow of information. I will certainly take that away. Uisce Éireann was raised a few minutes ago, and we have the NTA now. I do not work for the NTA or Uisce Éireann and I do my very best to answer questions but the fact people are having to come into this House and raise these issues because they cannot get those answers from a State body is not acceptable. I will personally pursue this at every opportunity.”
“I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising the issue. I have heard the annoyance, to put it mildly, of our constituents regarding this issue. On foot of the Deputy raising it today, perhaps we could convene all the Wicklow TDs with the Department and the NTA to try to get some facts on this. I will certainly play any supportive role I can, and I will link in with the Deputy's office to set that up.”
“I can quote a lot of statistics but that is not going to fix the challenge. We are increasing the number of people working in CDNTs. We are funding more posts and training more people but there are clearly real challenges in terms of fully staffing some of these teams. The Deputy mentioned specific issues with regard to the four teams in County Wexford and the inability - perhaps for very good reasons, I do not know - to cross cover. On foot of the Deputy raising this issue, I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, to take a look at that to get an update from the HSE and to come back to the Deputy directly.”