Results 301-320 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The following table sets out the details of my Department's expenditure on media training in each of the years 2015-2025, those contracted to provide training and the position of those benefiting from the training. Year Company Nature of Training Cost 2018 Carr Communications Office of Emergency Planning staff ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The information for the years 2015-2025 relating to expenditure on media consultancy, consultants engaged and the cost of those contracts is set out in the following table. Year Consultants Engaged Nature of Work Carried Out Cost 2024 Q4PR External communications support to the Chair and Members of the External Oversight Body ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: No such expenditure has been sanctioned by the Department in respect of the upgrading of these non-armoured vehicles.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may be aware that since the 1990s, the long-standing policy of the organisation has been to withdraw from the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. This policy approach remains reflective of the State’s move away from the historic provision of tied housing for State employees. In terms of the Defence Forces residential housing stock, there are currently...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available within the time frame sought. Officials in my Department are collating this information and I will arrange to have this information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Regulations (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The SAFE (Security Action for Europe) instrument, entered into force on 29 May 2025. It is a new EU financial instrument that focuses on common procurement initiatives for priority capabilities. The European Commission will provide up to €150Bn to be disbursed to interested Member States on the basis of their national plans. These plans should contain a description of the defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Archives (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The National Archives of Ireland Act, 1986 places an obligation on Departments of State and Scheduled Bodies (of which the Defence Forces is one) to make their records available for public inspection when they become 30 years old, as required under Section 8 of the Act, or else to apply for a certificate to withhold those records for public inspection where to do so would: 1. Be contrary...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The former barracks in Nenagh is no longer required for military purposes and my Department does not have any long terms plans to use this facility. The First Registration process was completed in 2022 and the property is now a Registered Title held under a folio. My Department has addressed illegal dumping on the property with the installation of palisade gates/fencing and to address...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 141 together. While the Shared Island Fund is administered by the Department of the Taoiseach, my Department also plays an active role in delivering on the objectives of the Shared Island Initiative, including through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund (SICSF). The SICSF supports cross-border partnerships between civic society organisations, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the 2008 Act”), which provides a legal basis for the various policies and practices that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports. Under Section 14 of the 2008 Act, the Passport Service requires the consent of guardians before issuing a passport for a child under 18 years...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including through our Embassies and Consulates worldwide, provides consular assistance to Irish citizens in difficulty abroad within the remit of its Consular Assistance Charter. Throughout this crisis, my Department, including through our Embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, has remained in regular contact with Irish citizens seeking support to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: In February this year, during my first meeting as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, I raised the Dublin Monaghan bombings. This issue was also discussed at the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April, where the ongoing concern, including in this House, about the lack of adequate exchange of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Anti-Racism Measures (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has been a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) since 2011. Since the adoption of the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism by the IHRA plenary in 2016, my Department has had frequent contact with other members of the IHRA on the question of the endorsement of the working definition of antisemitism. Similar discussions have taken place...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Embassy of Ireland in Paris offers two 'stagiaires' or intern 6-month placements bi-annually. These internships form an integral part of the French educational system and conform fully to French legislative requirements for work experience. In order to be eligible, a candidate must be completing, or have recently completed, third-level studies and must be able to obtain an internship...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Military Service Pensions Collection (MSPC) involves cataloguing and partially digitising approximately 275,000 files dealing with the service of qualifying members of the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army, the Hibernian Rifles, Cumann na mBan, Na Fianna Éireann, the Irish Republican Army and records of the Department from the period April 1916 to the 30th of September 1923. ...

Middle East: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to set out the Government position on the situation in the Middle East. The region is experiencing a period of significant jeopardy and instability with multiple crises playing out, many of which are interrelated and all of which threaten further escalation, further destruction and further devastating loss of civilian lives. I will turn first to the appalling...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Negotiations remain the main focus for both the EU and Ireland. A mutually beneficial agreement that works for both sides is the objective. At the same time, we understand the need for the EU to undertake further internal preparations in case negotiations are unsuccessful. This is a sensible and measured approach. On 8 May, the Commission published a new package of rebalancing measures in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued the passport to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The funding of the Mitchell Scholarship Programme is a matter for the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and I refer the Deputy to the parliamentary question answered by that Minister on 24 June 2025, the reference number for which is 34280/25. The response can be found on the following webpage: www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-06-24/947/

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Russian aggression against Ukraine features prominently on the monthly agenda of the Foreign Affairs Council, where EU Foreign Ministers are regularly joined by Foreign Minister Sybiha of Ukraine to hear directly from him about the situation on the ground and Ukraine’s most pressing needs. This is an important forum for discussion with my EU counterparts on what more the EU can do to...