Simon Harris: Welcomes By-election Win and Sets Policy Agenda
Simon Harris welcomed Sean Cain's by-election victory and previewed a busy Cabinet meeting where he will present an update on the national financial literacy plan and related measures. He outlined plans for personal investment accounts, a youth online safety forum, continued support for Ukraine, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories Bill to express Irish solidarity.
By-election and welcome
Simon Harris opened by celebrating the Fine Gael by-election success, welcoming Sean Cain back to Dáil Éireann and congratulating Daniel Ennis on his election. He noted the significance of reversing the usual by-election trend for government parties.
Financial literacy and investment
Harris said he will bring an update on the national financial literacy plan to Cabinet, including the rollout of personal investment accounts intended to help savers build economic resilience. He highlighted existing funding for financial literacy projects across Ireland and plans to launch supports nationwide.
Youth online safety
The leader praised Minister Patrick O'Donovan's proposals for a youth online safety forum and emphasised the importance of hearing young people's perspectives on safety online. He described the forum as a key step to strengthen protections for young people in the digital space.
International solidarity and legislation
Harris reaffirmed Ireland's support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression and called for more regularised, consistent support, including measures to return some hotels to accommodation use. He also welcomed Minister McEntee bringing forward the Occupied Palestinian Territories Bill, calling it an act of solidarity with the people of Palestine and support for the work of the ICJ.
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Hello, good morning everybody. Busy Cabinet agenda today, but I must say I'm really looking forward to welcoming Sean Cain to Dáil Éireann today, to welcoming him back to Dáil Éireann today. Government parties tend not to win by-elections and I'm really pleased that Sean and the Fine Gael party booked that trend this weekend. I look forward to welcoming him and also I look forward to welcoming Daniel Ennis and congratulate him on his election as well. But of course the work of government continues. Today I'll be bringing an update on our national financial literacy plan to Cabinet as part of the rollout of personal investment accounts that I want to see as part of the budget to help people who are trying to save to build up their own economic resilience. I also want to make sure that we have financial literacy supports in place across the country. We have funding to roll out financial literacy projects across Ireland and I look forward to launching that plan too. I'm really pleased with proposals from Minister Patrick O'Donovan to hold a youth online safety forum. We've got to do more in the space of online safety and the plans the Minister has to bring together young people to hear their views and their perspectives about safety online I think is very, very important. I'm pleased that we'll hear proposals today in relation to Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine. We stand with Ukraine in the face of brutal Russian aggression and illegal war. We have I think shown huge solidarity in this country and we want to continue that. But we also need to get to a more regularised situation in terms of a consistent level of support and we do need to try and put some hotels back into hotel use. So I look forward to hearing from the Minister on that. And I'm pleased that today Minister McEntee is bringing forward the Occupied Palestinian Territories Bill. This is an act of solidarity with the people of Palestine in the face of the brutal genocide that they have encountered and occurred and it's Ireland speaking to our values and also speaking in support of the work of the ICJ.
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