Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The Tanaiste and the new Taoiseach. Alamy Stock Photo

Taoiseach accused of being 'no-show' in Dáil as Harris unavailable due to Sunak and Zelensky phone calls

Opposition members hit out against the new Taoiseach saying it was ‘unacceptable’.

NEW TAOISEACH SIMON Harris has been accused of a being a “no show” in the Dáil on his first day on the job.

Harris was elected as Taoiseach yesterday and concluded his Dáil speech by saying “let’s get to work”. 

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald rounded on those in the government benches today when the Dáil business schedule was being agreed. 

She said it is “wholly unacceptable” that Leaders’ Questions, which is typically held at 12pm on a Wednesday, was not in the schedule today and hit out at Harris for not showing up. 

McDonald said: “We have a lot of work to do, the Government has a lot of questions to answer, and yet the Taoiseach has not shown up – this is wholly unacceptable.”

She added: “That is an absolute disgrace.”

“We’ve shown up to do our job. We are here, we’ve shown in for work; where is the Taoiseach? He ought to be here taking questions and dealing with the issues that matter to the people,” she said. 

Labour leader Ivana Bacik said she was disappointed that changes had been made to the Dáil schedule, stating that it was “unacceptable” that business of the day was not ordered properly.

She said it looked like “made-up business” was in the Dáil schedule over the next two days “when there’s so much important work to be done”. 

Harris’s office issued press releases this evening on his phone calls today with the Stormont first and deputy ministers, as well as the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Harris said that he “felt it was important” that in his first day as Taoiseach that he speak to Zelensky to reassure him of Ireland’s “unwavering support” of Ukraine as its people defend themselves from the “imperialist aggression” of Russia’s Putin. 

“Russia cannot and must not prevail,” the Taoiseach added.

On his phone call with the two Stormont leaders, he said that he spoke about the importance of his role as a co-guarantor of the Good Friday Agreement, including on today,  the 26th anniversary of its signing. 

During the 20-minute phone call to Sunak, the two leaders committed to holding a bilateral meeting in person in the future, and began with a “warm” discussion about their roles and families.

While the Harris and Sunak discussed Northern Ireland, the issue of the Legacy Act didn’t get raised, according to a spokesperson for the Taoiseach. 

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act seeks to halt future civil cases and legacy inquests.

On the issue of the Middle East, they agreed that Hamas should unconditionally release the remaining hostages from the deplorable 7 October attack on Israel and expressed their grave concern over the worsening humanitarian situation and the need for Israel to accelerate the scale of aid delivered to Gaza.

The leaders agreed to stay in contact in the coming months and Sunak said he looked forward to welcoming the Taoiseach to the UK-hosted European Political Summit in July.

‘Facade’

Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said the Business Committee, which decides the Dail schedule, had become a “facade”, while independent TD Mattie McGrath described this week’s running order as a “shambles” and an “absolute insult”.

Government Chief Whip Hildegarde Naughton told the Dáil that Harris was unable to take Leaders’ Questions today as he has phone calls with Sunak, Zelensky and the Northern Ireland leaders.

Cabinet also appointed the new minister of state jobs earlier in the afternoon.

When asked why Harris was not present in the Dáil today, a spokesperson for the Taoiseach said that the usual practice after a new Taoiseach enters office is that the Dáil does not sit for a week but that did not happen this time. 

The spokesperson said the Taoiseach came into the office at 7.50am and had briefings ahead of his calls and meetings with other world leaders as well as being busy with his first Cabinet meeting and pre-Cabinet meeting. 

“There’s a lot of heavy subjects today and you don’t speak to the President of Ukraine without being well briefed,” the spokesperson said.

front-row-new-taoiseach-simon-harris-centre-with-tanaiste-micheal-martin-fifth-from-left-and-green-party-leader-eamon-ryan-fourth-from-right-ahead-of-a-photocall-with-his-newly-appointed-minis Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Harris took to X to outline what he has been up to today, stating that he has a “busy day’. 

Harris is due to travel to Brussels where he will meet with EU Commission President Ursula von Der Leyen before travelling to Warsaw where he will meet with President of the European Council Charles Michel. 

Naughton said Harris will take Leaders’ Questions next week.

The Government won the vote on the proposed changes to the Dáil business.

With reporting from Jane Matthews.

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
89 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Motherofthree
    Favourite Motherofthree
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 8:04 AM

    Beautiful building I hope it’s developed wisely

    164
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerrydone
    Favourite Kerrydone
    Report
    Aug 6th 2019, 12:46 AM

    @Motherofthree: i’d say An Taisce and Dublin Civic Trust will have a field day on this planning application! The developers better have a world class conservation team working for them!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nick
    Favourite Nick
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 8:15 AM

    Beautiful facade hope it’s preserved…

    132
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Caroline Elbay
    Favourite Caroline Elbay
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 8:47 AM

    ‘Plans for the site include 1400 apartments… with more than 100 homes…’ is there not a huge discrepancy with this statement, or are apartments not considered to be ‘homes’? Moreover, it would serve the community better in the long term to build affordable housing that people can actually purchase rather than ‘build-to-rent’ thus perpetuating the phenomena of greedy corporate Landlordism by foreign investment funds.

    140
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peadar Mindyourownbuisness
    Favourite Peadar Mindyourownbuisness
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:03 AM

    @Caroline Elbay: they mean that because there are 1400 homes planned, which is above 100, the application can be submitted to ABP ,rather than the local authority

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Lionheart1
    Favourite Lionheart1
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:09 AM

    @Caroline Elbay: What about rent to buy?

    9
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute noah tall
    Favourite noah tall
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 12:42 PM

    @Caroline Elbay: it means as it’s over 100 homes the application can be sent straight to ABP. Look before you leap!

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute thomas walsh
    Favourite thomas walsh
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 4:53 PM

    @Lionheart1: that’s a mortgage

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerrydone
    Favourite Kerrydone
    Report
    Aug 6th 2019, 1:10 AM

    @Caroline Elbay: agree re foreign funds but still think there is a place for build to rent as long as it’s affordable, and more importantly, properly managed/maintained. The failure of many social housing developments has been the lack of maintenance by local authorities, so the fact this would be managed by a private company is actually a positive in my view. The bother is, this proper maintenance won’t be cheap, and therefore I can’t see the BTR prices here being very affordable.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Whoswho
    Favourite Whoswho
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 9:16 AM

    It would be good to have some history kept in the our country rather than bulldoze every deteriorating building

    81
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Joey Casey
    Favourite Joey Casey
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:05 AM

    Probably the same people that complain about the housing crisis, now dont want apartments built in their back yard.
    1400 new apartments are badly needed. But please build up high in the city!

    70
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Boris Becker
    Favourite Boris Becker
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:50 AM

    @Joey Casey: badly needed yes….but affordable, somehow I doubt these will be for the average joe

    24
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute sVRCsaSg
    Favourite sVRCsaSg
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:34 AM

    @Boris Becker: you know what would make them more affordable? – a huge increase in supply of properties.

    39
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Aug 6th 2019, 8:02 AM

    @Joey Casey: I didn’t hear anyone saying they didn’t want them built – just that the facade of the building was worth maintaining similar to what happened with the recent Boland Mills development.

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Boris Becker
    Favourite Boris Becker
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 9:23 AM

    “Vultures Please”….Feck off (built to rent) shameful if this is allowed to happen

    79
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert Flood
    Favourite Robert Flood
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:17 AM

    It’s a fine structure that represents a profit making institution that gained at our expense which the health system and our taxes are still paying for. I say obliterate it and return the land to the people with a majority of social housing.

    31
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Peter D W Clancy
    Favourite Peter D W Clancy
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:00 AM

    @Robert Flood: Will our taxes pay for the social housing too?

    23
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Nick
    Favourite Nick
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:22 AM

    @Robert Flood: sounds like a dictat. “return” it to the people… Did they ever own it?

    12
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren Bates
    Favourite Darren Bates
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:39 AM

    @Robert Flood: oh give it a rest. I’m a massive anti-smoking advocate but we can’t knock down a beautiful building just because cigarettes were made there once upon a time.

    21
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Darren
    Favourite Darren
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:17 AM

    That’s a great location for workers wanting to live in the city, I don’t see much social housing coming of it but 1400 apartment developments are what we need in around the city centre.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bryen O Murchu
    Favourite Bryen O Murchu
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 12:53 PM

    Apartments in an Irish context are the slums of the future be careful what you ask for

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Mick Scanlan
    Favourite Mick Scanlan
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:32 AM

    The Product made in that building killed thousands of irish people. Bulldoze it .

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Bilbo Baggins
    Favourite Bilbo Baggins
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 11:53 AM

    @Mick Scanlan: Hardly the buildings fault.

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Michael Kavanagh
    Favourite Michael Kavanagh
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 12:45 PM

    @Mick Scanlan:
    You want Guinness gone as well?
    Anywhere that was once a distillery?

    22
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Kerrydone
    Favourite Kerrydone
    Report
    Aug 6th 2019, 1:12 AM

    @Mick Scanlan: ah now mick, An Taisce won’t like you saying stuff like that.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick FitzGerald
    Favourite Patrick FitzGerald
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 3:17 PM

    This site should be developed entirely as public housing to break the cycle of high rents being driven by nothing but greed.

    5
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sean
    Favourite Sean
    Report
    Aug 6th 2019, 8:05 AM

    I would bet now that the apartments are sold as a block to a pension trust or real estate fund before they are completed and subsequently rented out and that they are not sold individually as homes.

    4
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Clark
    Favourite Anthony Clark
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 9:54 PM

    I remember the very strong tobacco making smells as you passed the building…

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith Ellis
    Favourite Keith Ellis
    Report
    Aug 5th 2019, 10:39 PM

    It was also the site of where Red Rock was filmed.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds