Results 1,161-1,180 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: It is static, but I make the point, and I am always struck by this when I go abroad, that we are one of a relatively small number of countries that has such an active programme of financial support for our diaspora, quite rightly. That is so much so that other countries are now looking to Ireland and how we run these programmes and thinking about how they can develop them too. As a line...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: That was very efficient. We will get that paper on Expo. We very much welcome it. People should know we made a pretty big investment in it. It is my genuine gut feeling based on the feedback I get that it is worth it. I am proud of the work that is being done but we will absolutely provide that paper. On the Attorney General's advice, I want to be fair to the Attorney General on this....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Let us do that. I appreciate Deputy Ó Laoghaire's raising of this issue. He is entirely right; not alone is the world not doing enough about the issue but it is not even getting enough attention, bandwidth or discussion, yet the scale of the catastrophe is huge. Ireland has consistently advocated for greater international attention. We must challenge ourselves and see what more we...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: There was a surge in travel advice post-Covid, which drove more people to the website during that time.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: This is the challenge. I am a big believer in controlling what you can control and I am a big believer in Ireland’s foreign policy and public policy being values-driven and evidence-based. From both the point of view of our values and scientific evidence, we know these are the right things to do and, therefore, we need to continue to do them. Multilateralism is under attack in...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes. That is Ireland's position.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Not at all. To Deputy Michael Murphy, with the exception of this foreign affairs meeting, the best and nicest thing I have done today - I am only joking - was meeting the Little Blue Heroes. I thank him for bringing them here. It would warm your heart. It is an incredible initiative by An Garda Síochána. I also thank its members for it. I hope the nine young people here today,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Anti-Racism Measures (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The decision to endorse the IHRA working definition of antisemitism was a result of careful consideration, taking into account a range of developments and initiatives at EU and at global level, in particular the alarming rise in recent times of both online and offline antisemitism. Most recently the General Affairs Council, in October 2024, adopted a Declaration which invited EU Member...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My most recent call with Secretary Rubio was on 4 March when we discussed bilateral relations, the mutually beneficial economic relationship between Ireland and the US, and a range of pressing issues of shared concern, including Ukraine and the Middle East. Since then I have also had engagements with Commerce Secretary Lutnick and most recently with US Trade Representative, Ambassador...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland’s consistent position remains that we need a substantive, calm, measured and comprehensive dialogue on trade with the United States. A mutually beneficial agreement that works for both sides is the objective. The Government welcomes the intensification of EU trade negotiations with the US in recent weeks. While most Irish exporters are currently subject to additional 10%...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I refer the Deputy to Ireland's longstanding position on the two-State solution as set out last week in PQ 31646/25.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department’s Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Secretary General has overall responsibility for the Department’s procurement function. The Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Secretary General is supported by the Director of Finance and eight staff assigned to the Department’s central procurement function. There are no agencies or public bodies under the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: In addition to the Chief Operating Officer, Deputy Secretary General and the Director of Finance, there are eight staff assigned to the Department’s central procurement function. The Department actively supports a policy of continuous professional development for all staff working in central public procurement to meet the demand for a capable, technically skilled procurement team...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department’s Contract Register is a platform to assist all business units to record, review, and manage their contracts and framework procurement agreements for goods, services and works. The Register is accessible to all staff through the Department’s intranet. The Register is reviewed on periodic basis to ensure that it is up to date and that all relevant contracts are...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Reports (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, the gov.ie website is a key source of information on government and public services. It is a trusted platform for Government communications, handling approximately 75 million page views in 2024 and was the key communications tool and information resource for the public during Covid-19 in particular. My Department also manages www.ireland.ie, the Government's...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government remains committed to reducing barriers for emigrants who wish to return to Ireland, including the commitment under the Programme for Government to establish reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada. Ireland currently has 21 reciprocal driving licence agreements including with Australia and seven Canadian provinces. In the case of the US,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207, 208, 209 and 210 together. The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports and has issued over 532,000 passports this year to date. My Department engages in comprehensive workforce planning annually, based on forecasted passport demand. Staffing requirements for the upcoming year are formally approved by the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The safety and security of the staff of my Department is an absolute priority for me. My Department has been closely engaged on the concerning situation in Iran and the continuing conflict between Israel and Iran. In relation to our diplomats in Iran, I became increasingly concerned about the operational environment for our Embassy there, and the ability of our diplomatic staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has policy responsibility, including at EU level, for Ireland’s energy security, and communicates views in this area. The then Minister of State addressed this topic in the Dáil in November 2023. My understanding is that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation related to Trade, Transport, and Export of Natural...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and welcomed the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on Tuesday 17 June to discuss the issue. At that meeting, I outlined Ireland’s position on the need for urgent de-escalation by both sides and the need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve this crisis. I highlighted our concern about the disproportionate...