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.”
The complete record
Every one of 4,585 lines we hold for Simon Harris, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 31 of 92.
“Perhaps it is a piece that we could get the Irish Government Economic Evaluation Service to look at just to make sure we are meeting the needs of all of our country's communities, urban and rural, but I am pleased this Government is increasing funding right across this country.”
“You did not mention Wicklow, which I appreciate. The point is a serious one because we quite rightly have a Department of rural and community affairs and it is doing very good work. We have a number of schemes as well. There are obviously issues in areas of particularly fast-growing populations and areas of increased population density. Dublin as a city and a county, and I would go as far to say the greater Dublin area, does have particular pressures in terms of population growth as well. There is never an exact science in relation to this. Population is one index, as are need and deprivation; there are a variety of indexes. It is a fair point that the Deputy makes. I will discuss it with both the Minister for sport and the Minister of State for sport.”
“The pace at which we do it will be a matter for each individual budget, but that is how we will get to our programme for Government commitment. From July last year, the amount of weekly earnings disregard was increased to €625 for a single person and €1,250 for a couple. The budget then built on that with further improvements to the means test, which will be introduced from this July. They will see the income disregard increase by 60% for a single person, from €625 to €1,000, and, as Deputy rightly said, from €1,250 to €2,000 for carers who are part of a couple. We intend to build on that and continue to support our carers and fulfil our programme for Government commitment to abolish the means test over the lifetime of the Government.”
“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 Government is well under way. The last budget saw the largest ever increase in the carer's allowance income disregard, so we have taken a very strong and important start in relation to that. We significantly increased the income disregard for carer's allowance and we intend to do that in each budget.”
“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 issues being considered. Conflicts of interest, real or perceived, are important governance issues, absolutely. I think the position adopted by the president of the IFA - have a meeting, ask the questions and then decide - is a far more reasonable and responsible position.”
“I take the point the Deputy makes in relation to the loss of time that a child might experience. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Foley, to provide a timeline for when we intend to progress that commitment.”
“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 the Minister, Deputy Foley, for that too. The issue the Deputy has raised is an important issue because ECCE has been transformational. We all see it. We see it in our own children and we see it in our schools. Children are going into schools so much better prepared, educationally but also from a child development point of view. We do have the commitment in the programme for Government to amend eligibility criteria for ECCE.”
“I would personally like to see an acceleration of the roll out of salaried GPs as one way to make progress. There are other ways and the Deputy may be implying that, in the context of our education system, we could provide more assistance and in return, people could agree to provide a level of service. That is something that should be considered too. I will ask the Minister for Health and perhaps also the Minister for further and higher education, Deputy Lawless, to engage with the Deputy on this.”
“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, is the idea of salaried GPs. When students come out of medical school and out of GP training they want to be a doctor. They want to serve their community but may not necessarily want to be the manager of all that goes with that. They want to actually be seeing patients. There are also some parts of the country where it can be more difficult to be financially viable.”
“Instead, we have a situation where it now goes off for a court review that could take two years. That leaves this grey area now where the European Commission may try to provisionally implement the agreement. Ireland's position and that of the Government of Ireland is clear in opposing the Mercosur agreement in its current form. There was no question of an eleventh hour. We worked, as did France and President Macron, up to the last minute to see what we could get in terms of a good deal for farmers. We never gave up. We kept working but when we did not get a deal that was good enough, we voted against it. We kept our word and I am proud of how we handled that. We will continue, at Government level, to be consistent in relation to it.”
“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-decisionmaking power and the European Parliament also has a vote. What I would have much preferred to happen yesterday, to give certainty to Irish farmers, was that the European Parliament had direct vote in relation to its consent to the trade agreement. I believe if that had happened, a very significant majority of Government MEPs would have opposed the deal.”
“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.”
“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 a pitch I did not want to leave to the malign influences. It is important that we continue to put forward our points but it is a balance call. It is a tough one. The Deputy's specific point in relation to child safety and the posting of children's images on X is a serious one that deserves a response. While there have been changes to the use of that app in Ireland, the broader point she makes is valid.”
“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 best we can all assist in trying to address this issue. Of course, driver behaviour is an issue but the Government and An Garda Síochána will play their part in terms of additional resourcing for roads policing. I will ask the Minister for justice to revert to the Deputy directly with an update on the latest figures in relation to gardaí in this area and on how we believe we can make more progress.”
“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 at it?", is injected uncertainty for up to two years for Irish farmers and European farmers, at a time of enough uncertainty.”
“We need to provide more safe and secure ways to do that by putting in proper walkways and proper routes in partnership with farmers and working with local authorities. Alongside that, we need to take a tougher approach when people do not respect the laws and trespass in a way that causes significant distress. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to revert to the Deputy directly.”
“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 is being done to intimidate people to access their land. We all live in the same country and we try to share this land. We all try to get on with our business in a respectful way. We want people to be able to go out and enjoy the countryside, to walk and to cycle. We want kids to enjoy the fresh air and explore the beauties of our country in all weather.”
“It would be useful - I am trying to think of the best mechanism to bring it forward - to find a way to tease these issues through. Perhaps the Oireachtas justice committee could be a vehicle for this. I will certainly speak to the Minister for justice on that. In principle, I acknowledge that this is an issue that is causing a challenge. It was never right and is even less so when we are making such a conscious effort as a country to provide more opportunities for people to safely and legally enjoy the beautiful outdoors in Ireland. We need to listen carefully to the concerns of our rural community who feel their rights in terms of their own land are not being fully respected.”
“I share these details with the House to be useful. The Criminal Justice (Public Order) Act 1994, as amended, has specific provisions regarding unauthorised entry onto or occupation of land. Part IIA of that Act - sections 19A to 19H, as inserted in 2002 - provides for offences in relation to illegal trespass and occupation of land, including public land provided or maintained by a statutory body or held in trust for the enjoyment of the public, and land covered by water. In that legislation, gardaí are given powers to direct trespassers to leave and to remove objects. It sets out offences, and penalties including fines on conviction of up to €4,000 or terms of imprisonment, or both. The Department of justice, the Minister for justice and the Government are keeping this matter under review.”
“There has been huge investment and there needs to be more to make sure people can enjoy our countryside. It might be that this lessens even further the excuse for people to trespass, in any shape or form, on a farmers' land. We must work co-operatively, as we do, in partnership with farmers. The experience right around the country is that this works quite well. As a country, we need to take a tougher approach on trespassing. As the Deputy said, we are not talking about somebody who accidentally does this. We are talking about the examples we have seen in parts of the country where the actions of people, on quads or anything else, are causing concern, fear and, on occasion, intimidation for people in rural Ireland, farmers and their families. For the record, we have legislation already in place relating to trespassing.”
“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 basis. Yes, there is a balance of rights - of course there is - and we always have to get that right. We all get that and farmers get that too. As a country and as a Government, through our local authorities and our State agencies we are investing an awful lot, quite rightly, in authorised walkways, whether they are greenways, blueways or cycleways.”
“The Deputy can therefore be assured that as we prepare for our Presidency, one of the many tracks we will pursue - the Minister, Deputy McEntee, will be working up our programme for the track in relation to our values in international law - will involve keeping a firm focus on the Middle East, standing up for human rights and international law and ensuring we continue to call out the brutality being shown to peaceful protesters assembling for a better future for them and their families.”
“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 we are militarily unaligned. The principles we have in relation to international law, human rights, democracy, freedom of expression and support for freedom of assembly are not in any way in conflict with our military neutrality. In many ways, they are complementary to it.”
“In principle, Ireland will support any additional sanctions for any violation of human rights and continue to review those proposals. On some of the specific questions, I will ask the Minister and the Department of foreign affairs to come back to the Deputy with any detail. However, I share the Deputy's view. The Iranian community in Ireland wants to see a better future for their country and I want them to know the people of this country stand with them.”
“Sometimes things can seem far away and distant, but there is a direct correlation between Iran providing technology to Russia, which is carrying out a war on the continent of Europe, and all the disruption it is causing and the fundamental violation of rights. In common with the international community, Ireland wants to see a negotiated settlement that addresses worries about Iran's nuclear programme. There are already significant sanctions in place on Iran in relation to nuclear activities, the supply of weapons to Russia and specific human rights violations. The EU continues to review its sanctions policies. I would encourage an active review of the sanctions policy to see what more we can do at a European level.”
“We call on the Iranian authorities to refrain from violence, to immediately restore communications and to uphold the fundamental rights of all Iranians, but we say so knowing this is not a regime that has shown any interest in doing that. That is why the Iranian ambassador designate was invited to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 12 January, for our concerns to be strongly conveyed to the regime in Tehran. We remain concerned about Iran's malign role in the region, specifically its support of armed non-state actors, or terrorists, such as Hezbollah, the militias in Iraq and the Houthis. Ireland is also concerned about Iran's ongoing weapons and weapons-technology transfers to Russia in support of its war of aggression in Ukraine.”
“We stand in solidarity with the brave protesters of Iran and will work at all levels, nationally and internationally, through all multilateral institutions and through our membership of the European Union to continue to shine a spotlight on the horrific brutality of the Iranian regime and the importance of standing in solidarity and support, and looking for demonstrable ways to show our support for those exercising their right to protest. In this country, we stand for freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and access to information and these rights must be fully respected. The brutal regime in Iran can cut the Internet, but the genie is out of the bottle. The people of the world have seen the brutality of the Iranian regime. It is there for all to see. While it has tried to silence the protesters, it has failed and will fail.”
“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 future for them, their children and grandchildren. It is an aspiration shared by every political party in this House and by the people of Ireland.”
“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.”
“We worked through the process with our European colleagues and we managed to get to a situation where additional tariffs were not imposed and managed to calm down the economic situation, so process matters. Allowing the Government the opportunity to sit down with our European colleagues to discuss and tease through a European response to global issues is sometimes a prudent thing to do.”
“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 November in terms of countries genuinely coming together in a board to genuinely try to help move phase 2 of a resolution to the horrific conflict and indeed genocide we have seen in Gaza. Process does matter. I do not want to be argumentative on this but we heard calls in this House that the Government should introduce retaliatory tariffs and hit the Trump administration. Thank God we did not take that advice.”
“She was at the Rafah crossing seeing for herself the impact of Irish humanitarian aid - of funding from the people of this country - but also seeing what more can and must be done. The Taoiseach was right to make the point Ireland is very eager to see how we can play a practical role in trying to help alleviate the most horrific humanitarian situation.”
“It is our expectation that at the European Council dinner this evening of European heads of state and heads of government that this issue will further be considered. I am not suggesting Deputy O’Callaghan is but I would not like to see our position in any way misrepresented. We have not joined the board, we did not turn up at the signing ceremony but we are obviously going to discuss it with our EU colleagues because Europe needs to stand united in supporting the primacy of the United Nations and making sure we get the focus back here to what was meant to be phase 2 of the peace plan for Gaza. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, who is here with us, was in the Middle East last week, I believe.”
“There are very significant governance issues with it as well, including that, as envisaged, the charter suggests the President of the United States – as in the current incumbent – would be the chair and that person would also have the ability to designate his successor and appoint, remove and renew members of the executive, so you could pay the $1 billion and be kicked off the thing. There is a whole range of very serious issues here. What the Taoiseach is doing on behalf of the Government by not turning up at the signing ceremony today is entirely responsible. I was at a meeting of EPP leaders yesterday and no European leader has turned up at the signing ceremony bar President Trump’s ally, if you like, Prime Minister Orbán of Hungary.”
“A country like Ireland can of course bring to that table significant experience in conflict resolution, decommissioning, respect for international law and our long-standing commitment to a two-state solution. That is the context. Let me also be very clear what we are seeing today at this signing ceremony could not be further removed from that original conversation and the Deputy’s comments are right about the lack of reference to Gaza and the very serious red flags. Anything Putin is considering joining with the word “peace” in it does not sit well. The cost of $1 billion to join does not sit well and also anything that in any way seeks to undermine, replace or usurp the United Nations is not something the Government would support and I do not think it is something Dáil Éireann or the people of Ireland would support either.”
“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 comprehensive plan and it was envisaged that as the next stage of that plan there would be the formation of some form of board to assist in advancing it. Of course Ireland and many other countries around Europe and the world were eager to play a constructive role.”
“We need to act and we will act. The committee hearing yesterday was a useful and important starting point. The recommendations of our AI advisory group are also good. These are the experts in this area. That is why we convened our meeting this week. It is why the Minister is due to report to Government. I will ask the Minister to proactively engage with Deputy Kelly and all the Opposition parties because we need to pull together on this and show Ireland can absolutely lead in innovation but we can also lead in protecting our values, protecting children, protecting women and making sure technology is never abused.”
“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 not care where the idea comes from or who has the good idea or the best idea because we all want to do the same thing. What we have seen here is dehumanising, degrading and disgusting. It has had a real, profound impact on many people in the country and across the world. People have been directly impact and there is also the chilling and general disgusting feel people have sensed from the abuse of technology and from AI.”
“My understanding is that under Article 112(1) of the Act, the European Commission must carry out an annual assessment of whether the Article 5 prohibited practices list should be amended and to report its finding to both the European Parliament and the Council - in other words, to try to create a mechanism to keep the prohibited list up to date. Yes, let us work domestically. Yes, let us work to see what legislative changes may be required here in Ireland, and we will work constructively on that. Let us also ask our representatives at European level and, indeed, the Irish Presidency later this year to work to see whether we can amend the AI Act, alongside the work we should and will do in this country to improve our own legislation.”
“It was always envisaged, at both domestic and EU level, that we would have to continue to review laws and ensure they keep pace with technology. That is why the Taoiseach and I convened a meeting this week with several Ministers and also with Coimisiún na Meán and with the Attorney General. The Minister for communications, Deputy O'Donovan, working with the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, is committed to bringing proposals forward to the Cabinet within the next few weeks. I have another suggestion, which I make to be constructive. Under the EU's AI Act, there is a list of prohibited practices. Our own advisory council has suggested that we as a country should seek the amendment of Article 5 of the Act by expanding it to include the prohibition of AI practices that allow users to generate non-consensual intimate images.”
“I want to say a couple of things on the record of the House to be helpful in terms of working out where gaps may exist and where there is legal clarity. I acknowledge the huge work done on Coco's Law by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, during her time in the Department of justice. The sharing of non-consensual intimate images and the production and-or sharing of images, whether AI-generated or not, is illegal in Ireland under Coco's Law. The latest figures show around 99 cases in respect of sections 2, 3 or 4 of the Act have been taken between its commencement in 2021 and the end of 2023. We have seen 23 cases prosecuted on indictment in the Circuit Court. However, the Deputy is right about the technology moving so fast.”
“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 House - as the Deputy rightly says, it is not a party political issue - to come together to respond. I commit today that the Government absolutely will engage constructively with him on his Bill. My colleagues Deputies Boland, Butterly and Keogh are also producing a Bill on this issue. I am sure all parties in the House are considering how best to grapple with it.”
“We have confidence in a process. Process matters. I know process, democracy and all of that are really inconvenient. Kangaroo courts are much easier but actually allowing somebody an opportunity to talk and answer questions and a board to give a considered view is how this Government functions, and that is a stark difference between this Government and our responsible politics and your populism.”
“I have every confidence in our excellent Minister for agriculture to respond to any detailed report he receives from the board.”
“Due process matters. Just because the Deputy has read a headline or heard this or that: what is the purpose of a board of directors if the Deputy does not actually want it to have met this morning. It is meeting right now. Can he wait a few minutes? Can he wait for board members to sit down, have a conversation and then report to the Minister, or does it have to be now, in time for the 1 o'clock news? Come on now, let us have a little bit of fairness here. This shoot first and ask questions later, that the Deputy's party is steeped in, does not serve democracy well. I have every confidence in the process. I have every confidence in Bord Bia to discharge its duty and in the board of Bord Bia to discharge its corporate governance duties.”
“You are at it again, Deputy, and you have done it in this House so many times. You just come in, say somebody's name and call for them to be sacked. Do you remember your leader did that with a former Garda Commissioner and how badly that backfired on your party?”
“Francie Gorman, in relation to that being the correct forum to address the issue is absolutely the right course of action.”
“Far be it from any of the accusations or obfuscation or any of the words the Deputy threw at me or at the Government here, we are going to follow due process. This place is not a kangaroo court where we just come in and say, "Off with your head". We actually have boards. We have legislation. I have confidence in the board of Bord Bia to do its duty in examining any issues, perceived or real, that would arise and then give its view to the Minister in line with how this place operates and how Government operates. I have confidence in that process. I have confidence in the speed at which Bord Bia has convened its board meeting and, indeed, that the chair has sought an opportunity to engage with the board. The comments of the president of the IFA, Mr.”
“That is the way business should be done. In fact, that is not just my view; it is actually the view of the president of the Irish Farmers Association. The Deputy wraps himself in the mantle of speaking for farmers. Their elected representative said in his statement yesterday that the correct forum to address this issue is with the chair and other directors at a board meeting. He also had the decency to say that he was then happy to await the outcome of that meeting to see what the answers were and hear from the chair before delivering his view. That is a responsible thing to do. That is also what the Minister for agriculture will do because the Minister has asked that he would receive a detailed report on all of these matters from Bord Bia directly following today's board meeting.”
“Process is extremely important. Far be it from the Deputy's framing of the situation, this morning, in fact, perhaps while we are in this Chamber, the board of Bord Bia is meeting and considering all of these matters. That is the appropriate, responsible, fair way of considering and examining any issue when it arises, not shouting and roaring at each other on the floor of this House.”