Results 441-460 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Air Navigation Orders (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together. Responsibility for the regulation of foreign aircraft landing or overflying the State is shared between Departments. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign military and state aircraft, while the Department of Transport leads on regulation of civil aircraft. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: In relation to healthcare, a wide range of medical services are provided to members of the Permanent Defence Force. These include an annual medical examination, sick parades, attendance at GP surgery outside of sick parade and out-of-hours GP services, prescription services, laboratory services, physiotherapy, chiropody, radiology, ophthalmic examinations, in-patient and outpatient public...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Recruitment and retention of specialist personnel in the Defence Forces personnel is a challenge, which I have acknowledged on a number of occasions. However, considerable progress has been made to address potential barriers to recruitment and retention. A number of financial and non-financial retention initiatives are being implemented including an increase in the mandatory retirement a to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Pensions (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The specific pension scheme terms that apply to the Permanent Defence Forces (PDF) personnel depend primarily on the date a person joins the PDF and on whether that person is joining the Public Service for the first time. In line with most public service pension schemes, the PDF pension schemes applicable to those who joined prior to January 2013 made provision for the award of an...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The National Development Plan outlines Ireland’s long-term strategic investment plan for the country’s infrastructure and development. A review was undertaken recently and updated capital spending allocations were published in July. As part of this review, the revised NDP Capital allocation for the Defence Vote for the period 2026-2030 is €1,700 million. This...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: It is planned to develop a series of masterplans for each installation to future-proof for 20-30 years. This approach will identify from the outset the infrastructure requirements in line with capability development for each installation with an associated prioritisation of projects and a phased timeline for delivery. These plans will dovetail with developments identified under the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Capital funding of €1.7 billion has been allocated to Defence Development Plan for the period 2026-2030. The funding is an increase of €600 million (announced...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Defence Forces including in National Maritime Security. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. The Maritime Security Unit has taken the lead in the development of a National Maritime Security Strategy following its identification as a priority in last...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As of the 31 July 2025, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 7,540 personnel. As one of the recommendations from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces, Government approved a move, over a six-year period, to a level of Permanent Defence Force capability equivalent to Level of Ambition 2. This will require an additional 2,000 personnel, including a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 179 together. Recruitment and retention of Defence Forces personnel remains a key Government priority. The retention of highly skilled personnel is a challenge for Defence Forces management given their high level of specialism. Military management regularly review their existing recruitment frameworks to ensure they are fully optimised and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As Minister for Defence, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended in its 2022 report significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware the Working Time Directive was implemented in January 2025 across the Defence Forces and serving members now enjoy its protections, subject to certain exemptions. In addition, a wide range of protections are also in place, specifically in regard to recreation and welfare facilities, deemed necessary and approved by military authorities, where personnel are on duty...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, on 14 February 2024, the then Taoiseach and Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain wrote to the President of the European Commission requesting an urgent review of whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Furthermore, the letter requested that the Commission propose appropriate measures for the consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, on 14 February 2024, the then Taoiseach and Prime Minister Sanchez of Spain wrote to the President of the European Commission requesting an urgent review of whether Israel is complying with its human rights obligations under the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Furthermore, the letter requested that the Commission propose appropriate measures for the consideration...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: On 24 June, the Government approved the General Scheme of the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill. This is a different piece of legislation to the Occupied Territories Bill 2018. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade held a number of hearings on the General Scheme, and received submissions representing a range of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Following the political agreement made by President von der Leyen and President Trump in Scotland at the end of July, on 21 August the EU and the US published a Joint Statement on an EU-US Framework Agreement on Reciprocal, Fair and Balanced Trade. The Joint Statement confirms a single, all-inclusive 15% US tariff on EU goods. It also now provides assurance that the 15% rate will extend...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The global economic environment is changing. National and supranational policies on international trade are increasingly being shaped by protectionism and national security and geo-strategic concerns, including in some of Ireland’s largest trading partners. To effectively navigate this more challenging international trading environment, the Government is committed to having the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland engages regularly with the Palestinian Authority on a range of issues, including at political level. I met with President Abbas in September of last year in New York in my capacity as Taoiseach during the United Nations High Level Week. I also spoke with him by telephone in December 2024, and in May 2024 following Ireland’s recognition of the state of Palestine. In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The Passport Service takes every opportunity to remind citizens to check their passport validity. Each year, the Passport Service proactively plans for the demand forecasted for the year ahead. Part of this planning involves an extensive public communications campaign to encourage citizens to apply for their passport through Passport Online in plenty of time and prior to travel. Passport...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (17 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The Middle East region is experiencing a period of significant instability with multiple crises, many of which are interrelated. The appalling and deteriorating situation in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank remains a central focus of my engagement with my EU and other international counterparts. At the EU level, the situation in Gaza and in the West Bank was at the centre of...