Simon Harris

Simon Harris Opinion Ambitious five-year apprenticeship plan puts further education at forefront by offering 10,000 paid learning opportunities to achieve dream job

This time of year marks the annual conversation between parents and their children about their options post-school.

EARLY DAYS: On March 12, Simon Harris (then health minister), Simon Coveney (then Tánaiste) and chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan give an update on Covid-19. Photo: Gareth Chaney

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Simon Harris Opinion Days will be brighter in 2021 as Covid self-sacrifice has taught us to be stronger as a united nation

It was a Saturday night, February 29, when Dr Tony Holohan called me to break the news: we had our first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Ireland. It was inevitable, but it was also clear that we were embarking on a life-changing course. What we didn't know was where it would lead us.

Danger: The presence of Covid-19 will be felt across the country for months to come. Photo: Reuters

Simon Harris Opinion This is now a global war, and our actions show that we intend to fight it head on

Solidarity and community spirit are hallmarks of the Irish character and we need them now more than ever.

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'I want women in this country to know that things are changing'

The image of Vicky Phelan outside the High Court will be a lasting memory in our national consciousness. It was like a collective punch to the gut.

Hospital delays: We need to break the vicious cycle

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Simon Harris: 'I am more than sorry, I am also angry, frustrated and determined'

New figures to be published tomorrow are expected to show waiting list numbers going down and a particular fall in the number of patients waiting longest. Should this give us reason to cheer? No. But it should give us reason to hope.

Health Minister Simon Harris Picture: Frank McGrath

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'I am not going to be paralysed by the past, or afraid of future challenges'

As a new Minister for Health, just 12 weeks in the job, I count myself lucky to have taken on this role in a period where we can begin again to invest in our health service. My guiding principle is to see the fruits of a strong economy benefit our people by improving the public services that we all depend on.

Minister Simon Harris. Photo: Peter Cavanagh

'The State will spend €430m over next five years to tackle flooding threat'

I have seen at first hand the devastating impact of the floods on people's lives, the relentless battle to protect homes, businesses and farms, the exhaustion and despair when destruction cannot be prevented.

Junior minister Simon Harris, a Fine Gael deputy for Wicklow at Leinster House yesterday.Pic Tom Burke 24/6/2015

'Make no mistake - a Brexit is not in Ireland's best interests'

The Irish Government has made clear our position in relation to Britain and the EU: we want to see Britain remaining in the EU and we want to work constructively to assist in achieving that objective.

Pictured is Paddy Cosgrave, Web Summit Founder at the AIB Instagram Mosaic placing the last tile to complete the map of Ireland which is made up of thousands of Web Summit attendee's Instagram photos.

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We've got all the advantages of geography - now nation must kick off the drive into the premier league of Fintech

Recent weeks have seen the business pages of this paper and others peppered with encouraging signs on the financial services front.

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We are now able to deliver overdue financial relief

The result of the election in our nearest neighbouring country was a surprise to many. While we are different countries in terms of political systems, we do, however, have three points of commonality. The first is that both countries have experienced a difficult economic period over the last several years. The second is that the economies in both countries are now growing again. The third is the fact that people in both countries have suffered greatly on the road to recovery.

The future of International Financial Services in Ireland

Yesterday, together with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, I launched a new Strategy for Ireland's International Financial Services' Sector. This sector has grown at an astonishing rate since the late '80, which then boasted an industry comprising three companies supporting 55 jobs.

Scandal could open the door to empower people with disabilities

I have been angered at on many occasions at revelations that have emerged at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over the past three years. This week, though, was the first time I was sickened.

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Simon Harris: When we give to charity we expect that our money will be spent wisely

This has been a bad week for many essential service providers in the health sector and it needs to be sorted.

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Simon Harris: 'Wait your turn' politics squanders valuable experience

POLITICAL students think of politics as government versus opposition. Older politicians remember a time when you had a big block of people on the government benches and across the way, another big block – not quite as big, but close – on the opposition benches.

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Simon Harris: It's the young who will fix this country

Rebuilding Ireland is a task not beyond the young people of this country. It can be done, but what we don't need is sneery, predictable ageism. This country still operates on the basis that ability is directly linked to age. Our generation is being asked to pay the bills run up by our elders; the least we can expect is for our voice to be heard, our ideas embraced. We need to harness our youth and put it to work for Ireland.

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Simon Harris: We give generously, but deserve value for money

Week in and week out we hear about the need to reduce public spending and how much we, as a nation, must borrow just to keep vital services going.

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Simon Harris: 'In the middle of all the roaring, I told committee to chillax'

ON Tuesday evening, I was fed up. The Public Accounts Committee was meeting to look at the issue of overruns in the health budget. Many questions to be asked yet the meeting commenced with grandstanding and stonewalling. Grandstanding from a politician seeking television coverage over answers for the taxpayer. Stonewalling from officials who certainly seemed like they didn't want to be there.

Nation can't afford to lose yet another 1,000 jobs in IT sector

When we talk about the teaching of languages in schools, people obviously refer to French, German, Spanish, Irish and so on. But a crucial "language" of the 21st Century all too often is overlooked or not even considered -- the language of computer programming.