Results 1,361-1,380 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 69, 71 and 78 together. The UN Charter unequivocally gives the Security Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. In practice, peacekeeping or peace enforcement operations are only ever deployed on the basis of mandates from the UN Security Council. In fulfilling this responsibility, the Council may adopt a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 33 together. Firstly, it is important to recall that both the Dáil and the Government are elected by the people and are ultimately accountable to them. Any decision to deploy members of the Defence Forces overseas is and will remain absolutely grounded in democratic oversight. The agreed Programme for Government sets out Government’s...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 35 together. The military authorities have advised me that as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such information is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,512. Figures provided for 2024 and to date in 2025 indicate a stabilisation in the strength. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Climate change is a whole-of-Government, whole-of-society issue. The Office of Emergency Planning, in my Department, conducts the National Risk Assessment, which in 2023 identified 22 key risks facing Ireland and analysed each risk to assess the impacts of climate change on them. In relation to the Defence Forces, while they are not a Principal Response Agency, they do where requested;...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: At the outset, I wish to assure the Deputy that I recognise the outstanding contribution made to the State by our ex-service personnel. In this regard, my Department provides support to two recognised Veterans Associations. These Veterans Associations, which represent all former personnel, are the Irish United Nations Veterans Association (IUNVA) and Óglaigh Náisiúnta na...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The status of the recommendations in the 2022 Report from the Commission on the Defence Forces, under the heading of Strategic HR and Cultural Change are as follows: 22 completed 18 being progressed 5 at the discovery phase 2 recommendations yet to commence Since my appointment as Minister for Defence earlier this year, in addition to a programme of cultural transformation, which is well...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Significant progress has been made, in terms of the pay and conditions for Defence Force personnel, particularly over the last five (5) years. In addition, under the current national pay deal, the Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026, a further 1% increase in basic pay, as well as allowances in the nature of pay with effect from 1 August 2025, will positively affect members of the Defence...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Presidency (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time in 2026 - from 1 July to 31 December. Though defence remains a national competence, preparations for Ireland’s Presidency are now intensifying across both policy and operational strands of planning both within my Department and the Defence Forces, and across Government. As well as working...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: It’s important to note in addressing this question, that no new peace support operations have been approved by the UN Security Council since 2014. Operation Althea in Bosnia is a recent example where issues arose in 2022 around the continuation of a UNSC mandate for missions, where Ireland was faced with the possibility of having to withdraw our personnel from that mission as the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware of Government's recent approval for the continued participation of Defence Forces personnel in UNIFIL for a further year, until May 2026. Both the Government and I strongly believe that Ireland’s continued participation in UNIFIL reflects our commitment to multilateralism and the maintenance of international peace and security and that the Mission is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure the operational capacity of the Naval Service, Air Corps and Army is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. Equipment priorities for the Naval Service, Air Corps and Army are continuously considered in the context of the capability...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 56 together. I can advise the Deputy that the following accommodation projects at an estimated cost of some €60m are being progressed or completed during 2025 will provide 715 beds with a further €12.5m being provided to the Defence Forces on a fully delegated basis for the purposes of maintenance of the current building stock....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Given the importance of protecting the subsea domain and the commitment received from Government, there is a significant body of work already underway to ensure that the Defence Forces have the required capabilities with equipment projects in various stages of the project lifecycle. The Naval Service currently operate ROV’s which provide a search capability. As part of the ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised me that as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such information is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,512. I am further advised that there were a total of 419 personnel in training, comprising 145 2* Privates, 91 cadets, 28 Apprentices and 155 recruits. Interest in a career in the Defence Forces remains robust...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (12 Jun 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. Accordingly, my Department wrote to Tipperary County Council offering to transfer the property in question for a nominal sum, having regard to its central location in Nenagh and its historical ties to the town. However, the Council declined the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 58 together. The military authorities have advised that, as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such figures are available, the effective strength of Second Line Reserve was 1,618 personnel and the strength of the First Line Reserve stood at 173 personnel. The Defence Forces Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA) was established in line with a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Given the extent of the historical data requested by the Deputy, it has not been possible to collate the date within the time provided. I will arrange to have same forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The creation of a new enlisted rank of Lance-Corporal, in the Army and Air Corps, with consideration to be given as to whether there is a need for an equivalent rank in the Naval Service, was recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF recommendation #20, February 2022). As set out in the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces report, this...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows. Funding Allocation 2021 – €37m 2022 – €45m 2023 – €55m 2024 – €56m 2025 – €62.5m The following projects listed below are the Capital Projects that are currently being managed by the Department. The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department also allocates...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Since my appointment as Minister for Defence earlier this year, in addition to a programme of cultural transformation, which is well underway, my focus has been on stabilising the numbers of Defence Force personnel and facilitating the capacity for further increases. The Deputy will appreciate that retention levels are not influenced by a single factor, but rather that there are multiple,...