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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“The Deputy is right to highlight a particular challenge when it comes to our Naval Service. I join him in thanking its members for their exemplary service. We do need to grow our navy and that requires more men and women in our Naval Service. It also requires more than me just saying that at a headline level. It also involves identifying, as the Deputy rightly said, the specialist skills. What becomes very clear very quickly is that a couple of individuals with certain skill sets not being there can result in a ship not being able to go to sea. The pinch points that are there are real. They often relate to very specialist skills. That is why I have asked the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence to jointly produce a plan of action for the Naval Service. I am expecting to receive that very shortly - within a matter of weeks.”
“Our most recent national risk assessment, which my own Department co-ordinates, identified damage to undersea infrastructure as one of the 22 key risks for our country. The focus of the new strategy in its initial phase will be on national security and defence matters and we will develop a strategy that combines an enhanced awareness but also a prioritisation of the protection of our critical infrastructure, especially that undersea infrastructure. The Deputy will be aware of the work that is under way in the development of our sonar capability for the Naval Service and this is a priority project at this time.”
“I agree with that. We will get to it in a second but there will of course be current public expenditure as well, including making sure we have the men and women to operate and implement any such infrastructure and that we grow the size of our navy as well. Last year's defence policy review did recommend a focus on maritime security because of our assessed threat level, our geographic position and our responsibility and commitment to support security and defence of Europe. We are a small island in the north Atlantic. Our maritime footprint, our exclusive economic zone, is seven times our land area and our waters are currently home to a considerable percentage of transatlantic data communication. We have significant energy infrastructure running though our waters, particularly gas pipelines and electricity interconnectors.”
“Analysis of the submissions is ongoing and the input gathered will serve as a critical foundation for shaping a robust and forward-looking national maritime security strategy to ensure Ireland is well prepared to meet current and future challenges in our maritime domain. Regarding the funding of any capabilities or the funding of the strategy as per the previous question, capital funding of €1.7 billion has been allocated to the defence development plan for the period 2026 to 2030. This is an increase of €600 million and a 55% increase on our capital funding from the previous baseline figure. This indicates a significant commitment to continuing to increase investment in our defence infrastructure as well. We will be outlining how we intend to take that forward in our sectoral investment plan in the coming weeks.”
“Approximately 300 submissions were received from a wide range of interested parties and stakeholders, including a number of Departments, academia and industry, but also members of the public. Initial analysis of the submissions has now taken place. I got a note on this the other day. It indicated that there is strong support for a strategy. There is also a very clear understanding from the public of Ireland's most urgent maritime security challenges, particularly the growing threats to critical undersea infrastructure; that came up quite a lot. We also detected significant support for international co-operation to improve maritime security.”
“At the outset, I very much agree with the Deputy. For an island nation, the development of a robust, comprehensive national maritime security strategy is key. Indeed, this was identified as a priority in last year's defence policy review. I am pleased to say that the strategy is now being developed in consultation with national and international stakeholders and it is expected to be delivered to me for consideration before the end of the year. In support of the development of the strategy, my Department held a public consultation over the summer to gauge people’s views and to try to build consensus on the diverse threats, risks, challenges and opportunities that are faced by our country in the maritime domain. I am pleased to say the public consultation got a lot of engagement.”
“As the long-standing provisions in relation to the Defences Forces contributory spouses' and children's pension schemes are of common application across all public service spouses’ and children’s pension schemes, the situation of surviving spouses of deceased military personnel cannot be considered in isolation. Any change here would have significant policy and cost implications for all public sector pension areas if we were to reopen that concept of a spouses' and children's scheme. I will ask the Department of Social Protection to also take a look to see if there is any further advice or information that can be provided to the family. I will also correspond with the Deputy on the issue further.”
“I am sympathetic to the broader point the Deputy is making and I certainly extend my thanks and that of the State to the individual for their service with distinction in our Defence Forces. Neither the Deputy nor I were around in the seventies or eighties but my note tells me that, at the time, detailed information was provided and there were extensive briefings. There was meant to be that firm cut-off of 1978 and then they gave another opportunity in 1985 for people to reconsider their decision. I make that point more broadly than for any individual.”
“Membership of the original spouses’ and children’s contributory pension scheme was compulsory in the case of soldiers who enlisted after 31 January 1978 but it was optional in the case of soldiers already serving at that time. In other words, people who served before 1978 had to choose to opt in or not opt in. Soldiers already serving on 31 January 1978 were included as members of the scheme unless they made a positive option in writing not to become members. It was made clear to all such soldiers that no benefits could be paid under the scheme to their dependants and they would not be afforded an opportunity of joining the scheme at a later date. However, since then a second opportunity was granted in 1985 where people had a further opportunity to opt in.”
“I think that opportunity in regard to the revised scheme would have arisen in 1985. Out of respect to the individuals involved, I will send a more detailed note on the individual's circumstances but, more broadly, my Department would be in correspondence with anybody who has such queries and it would have provided any relevant documents that may have been filled out and showed any paperwork involved where people would have made a decision on which scheme to join or not. I do not wish my answer to sound cold because I of course have sympathy for the situation that has arisen but the factual position is that there is not a legal entitlement or, indeed, an ability to pay a spouse's pension where somebody has not opted in to such a scheme.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As the Deputy knows, public service pension schemes, including for the Defence Forces, provide for the payment of spouses’ and children’s pensions. However, such pensions are only payable where the deceased had been a member of the relevant spouses’ and children’s scheme. I do not want to delve too much into somebody's information but the facts of this case have been examined previously and I am advised that, unfortunately, the individual in question was not a member of the relevant Defence Forces contributory spouses’ and children’s pension scheme. Without personalising it to any individual, people have an opportunity to opt in or opt out of the original scheme and an opportunity to opt in or out of a revised scheme.”
“I have met the Chief of Staff on this issue together with senior officials in my Department. They are now preparing those investment plans. They are doing so from a position of having a lot of extra capital funding, from a low base - let us be truthful. Even with a lot of additional funding there still needs to be that sense of prioritisation and that work is under way.”
“I will check that for the Deputy as I do not have that information in my notes and I do not want to mislead the House. I am not aware that they are not on track but I will check and come back to the Deputy on that today. Yes, we are on track for 2027. As the Deputy rightly said at the outset, I do not want to get ahead of ourselves here in the sense that, in fairness to all parts of the defence infrastructure, we need to go through a rigorous process of which project and when, and that pipeline and prioritisation. We will be in a position to publish the projects we intend to deliver in 2026 very shortly. We will also be in a position a couple of weeks later to publish the sectoral investment plan for defence project by project. That will take us out for the next five years. That work is now under way.”
“That is why investing in its training facilities is really important. In fairness to the Defence Forces and the Department of Defence, I think the work they have undertaken in terms of developing a series of master plans for each installation to future proof them for 20 to 30 years is a sensible way of doing it. It will identify from the outset the infrastructural requirements in line with capability developments for each installation but will also then allow a pipeline of projects to get each of those facilities to where we wish them to be.”
“I largely agree with Deputy Ó Laoghaire. I welcome and acknowledge the fact that there is, broadly, cross-party support and support across the House for increased spending on defence and security. We will have different views and perspectives, perhaps, on where to prioritise that level of spending. However, we all recognise as a militarily unaligned neutral country that we still have to take our own defence and security capability seriously, particularly when it comes to supporting key infrastructures and having a better understanding of what happens above in our skies and below in our waters. To do all of that, we could have all of the shiny equipment we want but we need to have the men and women of Óglaigh na hÉireann to carry out those tasks and keep our country safe.”
“I welcome that; it was badly needed. It is my Department's job, in conjunction with the Defence Forces, to publish sectoral investment plans to show how we intend to allocate those resources against specific projects and we will do that in the coming weeks.”
“On budget day, we will be in a position to publish the projects we intend to deliver on in 2026 so I will have more details that are specific to the Deputy's question then. Also, this autumn we will be expected to publish the sectoral investment plans for the next number of years. The delivery of infrastructural projects outlined in the infrastructure development plan and the master plan programme is being planned as part of this process. This will encompass consideration of the joint induction training centre in Gormanston, Baldonnel, Haulbowline and DFTC infrastructure master plans and will reflect fully on key factors such as funding availability and contractual commitments to inform future infrastructural needs and priorities. To make a long story short, we have seen a very significant increase in our capital budget for defence.”
“The revised capital allocations now provided to defence will assist ongoing efforts at modernising and upgrading our equipment and built infrastructure platforms, and will enable progression on key elements of our commitments within LOA 2 as outlined in the Commission on the Defence Forces report. The Deputy will note that following the conclusion of the process of agreeing overall departmental allocations, all Departments were requested to consider and outline our sectoral priority projects for delivery over the period to 2030. In that regard, my Department is now prioritising within the revised NDP allocations to meet its sectoral targets and obligations. I have two things to tell the Deputy.”
“The revised national development plan capital allocation for the defence Vote group for the period 2026 to 2030 is €1.7 billion. This represents an increase of €600 million, or 55%, on the previous baseline of €1.1 billion. For 2026, the defence capital allocation will increase by €85 million, or 40%, to €300 million. Capital investment in defence primarily provides for the renewal, retention and acquisition of major defence equipment and infrastructural platforms - expenditure which enhances and supports our military capabilities and therefore contributes to a more secure and resilient society.”
“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'Sullivan. I will ask the Minister of State to liaise directly with Deputy Connolly.”
“There are two quick points I would make. Generally, on infrastructure delivery including water, the reforms that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, introduced in his Department included the establishment of the new infrastructure delivery unit. The people there are responsible not just for counting the money but also for asking where a particular project is at. Irish Water is involved in that. Second, particularly in some smaller towns and villages, including those the Deputy referenced, we have to look at allowing developers to get on with putting in place the necessary infrastructure to Irish Water's standards. If a developer is willing to build eight, ten or 12 houses and we are prepared to allow that developer to do the internal infrastructure, why not let them do the external infrastructure as well?”
“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 gate. These are the things Government has to be pretty ruthless on. If there is a reason for something being there, grand, but if there is not, we need to move it on. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, the Taoiseach, and the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and I are having conversations around the issues the Deputy highlighted. We are going to see a significant increase in capital spending, but how do we then ensure that delivery is as swift as possible?”
“The task force will look at issues in respect of structure, funding, functions, governance, accountability, local government and, importantly, the role of councillors. It will also consider how to further strengthen the framework and powers of municipal districts, including the Clonmel borough district. It will also consider the role of a small number of town-focused bodies that could be introduced again. I am proud to be a former town commissioner for Greystones so I know the benefits these commissions and councils can bring to a community. The Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, will bring the recommendations of that task force to Cabinet in due course. I look forward to considering the matter at that time. I will keep in close contact with Deputy Murphy.”
“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 development fund, URDF, funding, the plans for a college of further education, the regeneration of the old barracks site and the new Garda station. As he will know, there is a commitment in the programme for Government. We have established a local democracy task force. The purpose of this is to look at how to strengthen local government.”
“I am always calling out the far right. The Minister for justice is working with the full support of Government and I thank him for the work he is doing to make our migration system more efficient and more effective in advance of joining the EU asylum pact next year. Yesterday, I met with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and had an opportunity to brief him on the work this country is undertaking with regard to refugees and the work we do to support displaced people at an international level.”
“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 believe that. I think all of us in this House, or certainly most of us, believe that as well. Immigration is a good thing and we have benefited from people coming to our country but there must also be rules. We have to have an efficient courts system and a deportation system that works. We also have to ensure the costs we apply are the same as or similar to those in other European countries. It is about a balanced migration system that works.”
“This will give an opportunity to students who have previously been offered a HPV vaccine another opportunity to receive that vaccine. It is estimated that approximately 75,000 students could benefit from this, which is not a small cohort at all. Those aged 16 and older do not require parental consent to receive the vaccine as part of the catch-up programme. The uptake of the vaccine will be closely monitored. In parallel, the Minister is exploring opportunities to identify a suitable delivery model for those aged under 25 who have left school. In the meantime, it is important to have as many children of schoolgoing age as possible vaccinated. We are fully committed to this programme. The Minister intends to start it in the way I have suggested. Some 75,000 students will benefit.”
“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 commitment to extend the Laura Brennan HPV catch-up vaccination programme to anyone under 25 who missed the initial vaccination. When I mention Laura Brennan, I always think of her and her family, whom I acknowledge today. As a first step towards fulfilling this commitment, the Minister for Health told me this morning that she has decided to introduce a schools-based HPV vaccine catch-up programme without delay.”
“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 course, we all want to see more gardaí. That is why Templemore is working at full throttle again and why we are looking at options for a second Garda college. Where gardaí are allocated is a matter for the Garda Commissioner but I will certainly pass the Deputy's views regarding Limerick city and CCTV for the Garryowen area on to the Minister for justice.”
“I know the Minister of State and the Minister are giving consideration to all of this. Specifically on the issue in Dungarvan, I will ask the Minister of State and the Minister to raise it with the RSA and come back to Deputy O'Connor directly.”
“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 driver tests is important. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, are working very hard on this. They are working with the Road Safety Authority. We need to look at how we reform the RSA. I do not say this to be critical of the RSA. It was set up to promote road safety. We all think of the late Gay Byrne, Lord rest him, and the very good work done. There is also an aspirational side that is quite separate and distinct.”
“There is a recommendation in the report of the commission on the future of the Defence Forces on using the development of what it calls Defence Forces RPAS, or remotely piloted aircraft systems. We will be looking to progress this as quickly as possible, depending on national development plan outcomes and other funding matters.”
“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 many ways it means we are more required to invest in defence. I think we are going to see a step change in investment in defence and security over the lifetime of the Government. We are really committed to looking at how we can transform the Defence Forces into a modern, fit-for-purpose organisation to meet the challenges of today and the future. The specific issue Deputy Ward has raised is correct.”
“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.”
“In the meantime, with effect from Thursday, 3 July, the income disregard did increase and this is important. All of these improvements mean that more carers can now avail of the carer's allowance payment. We are all very clear on what we want to do here. The means test for carers is mean and we want to abolish it in a way that is sustainable over the lifetime of the Government.”
“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 lifetime of the Government. We are all determined to see meaningful progress on the means test through the lifetime of the Government and as part of the upcoming budget. I will not speculate on the upcoming budget as it would get me into all sorts of trouble, other than to say it is important that we show a roadmap for how we intend to get there and that we work together to achieve it.”
“We will continue to work and engage to make sure we can deliver on the commitment to have a sustainable post office network and to support our postmasters.”
“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 for Government we have agreed states the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. My understanding is that an amount of approximately €10 million per annum is being provided by the Government over a three-year fixed term to An Post, which then disperses the funding across the post office network.”
“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 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 to be treated with dignity and respect and consular services should be provided for any Irish citizen abroad.”
“Therapy services will be provided in the schools. This will start with speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy. We are also looking at how we can use private capacity for assessments of need. We have seen a very significant increase in the number of people accessing assessments of need this year compared with last year. We are also increasing the number of college places, with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, to train more people. I accept that this is a very challenging area but we are taking a number of measures to try to get to a better place on it.”
“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 that goes beyond any particular geographic challenges. I do not dispute that at all. We are taking a number of steps to try to get on top of this. One is the establishment of a national education therapy service, led by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. This will apply to parents who have a child in a special school, in the first instance, and then spread out to special classes and mainstream school over time.”
“It is important that any decisions the Oireachtas takes are done with our eyes wide open and having scrutinised and considered all aspects of the Bill. A variety of people have appeared before the committee, some I absolutely agree with and some I do not. The Deputy can probably guess who those are. It is important to have had that engagement. I expect to get advice from the Attorney General over the course of the summer recess, receive the report from the committee and then advise Government on the next steps. I am happy to work constructively with the Opposition once I have received both of those.”
“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 respectful engagement. Some of the language used by others, which the Deputy referenced, does not help the debate or discussion on policy in any way. The Government's position on the occupied territories Bill is as I have stated it on many occasions. I thank the foreign affairs committee for the good scrutiny it has done on it. It is important that the committee hears all views.”
“The tourism function has been moved to the Department of enterprise. This creates real synergy in terms of policies. There is an opportunity for the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, and the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Dillon, to consider what can be done. Clearly, there are examples of price gouging and the like. There is a role for the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission and the Minister and the Minister of State intend to engage with the CCPC on this matter.”
“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 perspective, I believe that all politicians, on all sides of the House, work bloody hard in the interests of their constituents. We will be back doing this hammer and tongs again soon but, in the meantime, despite sitting beside a Meath woman, I wish Donegal well in the final after the team's victory at the weekend. The Deputy is right to highlight the issue of prices that people are experiencing.”
“I am pleased to hear the Deputy use the word "investment" because we talk a lot about how much things cost. This is an investment in people's health and health reform because capital can be a huge reform enabler for our health service. The decisions will be taken under the national development plan next week.”
“I genuinely believe, like the Deputy does, that the master plan has the potential to be a game-changer for the health service in Galway and the western region. I am also taken, from a policy point of view, with the division of acute and elective services. That is how we address the challenges that patients and clinicians experience with overcrowding and access times. We all say our health service is great when you get into it. We need to improve the ways of getting into it and decoupling acute emergency care from elective care is a game-changer. It is a Sláintecare direction and the Saolta group in University Hospital Galway has done a huge amount of work to prepare for that. The Minister for Health is passionate about delivering on elective hospitals, one of which is earmarked for Galway.”
“I met some of the medics who were involved in the proposal for the cancer centre when I was in Galway in the recent past. I acknowledge the huge amount of work being done by them in good faith with the Saolta group, the HSE and the Department of Health. I am aware of the new master plan for the hospital. It is an exciting proposition. It could be a game-changer for the west. The statement of fact at the moment is that we are working on finalising the national development plan. We expect to be in a position to bring it to the Government on Tuesday. It will provide a significant uplift in capital investment for our health services and will provide the Minister for Health, the HSE and the Saolta group with the certainty they need to decide on their next steps.”
“Seventy-six additional staff were allocated to University Hospital Galway under the national cancer control programme between 2017 and 2022. However, the Deputy is right to highlight the issue of capital investment, which is at the core of his question. We have seen some recent capital investment in cancer services in Galway, including the new state-of-the-art radiation oncology centre, which opened in 2023 and was a €72 million investment in cancer services. It has allowed the development of new stereotactic radiotherapy programmes to commence in January this year. As the Deputy said, a number of major capital projects are under consideration now for Galway, including a new cancer centre alongside a new emergency department, replacement laboratories and inpatient ward blocks.”