Harris is open to processing asylum seekers in countries outside EU
Phillips O'donovan Clonakilty, Simon Cllr Harris Picture: Noel Cork, Canvassing Co With Fergal Saturday On Taoiseach In
The Taoiseach has said his party has “an open mind” on processing asylum seekers in countries outside the EU.
However, Simon Harris has said this would have to be done through the EU migration and asylum pact, which Ireland has already opted into.
Asked about the fact that other countries, including the UK, are now examining a system that would see international protection applicants processed abroad, Mr Harris said: “We are working in real time to build the system to make sure that we have a robust migration system.”
He added that he would be open to third-country processing, but it would have to be done in a way that is “fully compliant with European values, fully compliant with human rights and fully compliant with international law".
The Taoiseach has also strongly defended an SSIA-style scheme for parents, which has been published in the Fine Gael manifesto.
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However, he did say that he "tossed it about" in his own head, before agreeing to have it form part of his party's pre-election document.
Mr Harris said a new state-backed savings account, which parents could pay into until a child turns 18, would encourage a “saving culture”.
Speaking in Tipperary, he admitted that those who are wealthy enough to put money aside are already saving, but hopes the new scheme will “foster a culture of savings and preparing for the future,” for middle-income earners.
He added that it would be positive for the economy as “we're talking about setting aside money for our future, this is money that will be set aside for the future spending in the Irish economy as well".
“I obviously think it's a sensible idea. That's why I'm proposing it."
The Acorn Savings Account will see a managed savings account set up for each child, with the government lodging €1,000 into it when a child is born.
A child from a family receiving child support payments would receive €1,500. This account would have an interest rate of around 4% per year.
However, parents would also be able to lodge up to €2,000 of their own money into this account each year.
This would mean the account would have more than €53,000 in it by the time the child turns 18.
The Fine Gael manifesto claims that this fund will “help tackle inequality, support future generations and promise a culture of saving, while empowering families to invest in a better, more secure future for their children".
Mr Harris confirmed that Fine Gael will not increase the entitlement of sick leave days and instead will retain it at five days for workers.
“This is a change in approach,” Mr Harris said, acknowledging that previous policy had been to increase this to 10 paid sick days.
- Cap childcare costs to €200 per month, or €600 for a family with more than three children and an extra hour of free preschool under the ECCE scheme;
- Set up a new Department of Infrastructure, Climate, and Transport to streamline and unify all aspects of infrastructure delivery. The OPW will also be subsumed into this new Department;
- Deliver around 300,000 homes by 2030, and increase the first-time-buyers grant to €40,000;
- Launch an online third-level hub to provide information on third-level pathways, supporting students from both sides of the border;
- Phase out student fees;
- Increase the number of publicly available EV charging points to nearly 10,000 across the country;
- Provide funding to recruit 6,000 gardaí over the next five years;
- Expand free GP care for children to all individuals under 18 and lower the maximum monthly cost of prescription drugs and medicines to €50;
- Introduce a permanent double child benefit payment to each August;
- Work to retian the nitrates derogation for farmers post 2025;
- Permanently reduce the Vat for food and catering services, as well as entertainment, hairdressing, and beautician services to 11%.