Results 1,721-1,740 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Freedom of Speech (21 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, are aware of the matter raised by the Deputy. I can further confirm that officials in the Irish Embassy in Berlin have engaged with the relevant German authorities on the matter. I wish to assure the Deputies that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, stand ready to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (21 May 2025)

Simon Harris: In December 2024 the Department of Defence signed a contract for the delivery of four German-made Airbus H145M helicopters which will provide a modern light-utility helicopter capability for the Air Corps. They will replace the present ageing fleet of two EC-135s, which have reached the end of their useful service life. The value of the contract is €91.7 million ex. VAT and it is...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Anti-Racism Measures (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is clear and on the record. I note that this question pertains to equality policy, but in light of the particular focus of the question, I will answer from a foreign affairs perspective. The IHRA working definition of antisemitism is intended to be a useful tool to help identify manifestations of antisemitism, which...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Trade Agreements (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 191, 200 and 201 together. The Government is committed to supporting free, fair and open trade. Indeed, recent developments in the global trading environment have highlighted the importance of market diversification via an expanded set of EU free trade agreements (FTAs). EU FTAs support more opportunity for exports and investment, help support jobs and...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: EU Presidency (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2026. During the six-month Presidency, Ireland will be responsible for driving the EU policy agenda and advancing work on EU legislative and policy initiatives. Irish Ministers and officials will chair most meetings in the framework of the Council of Ministers, and will represent the Council in its...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Cross-Border Co-operation (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The New Decade New Approach agreement reached in January 2020 was a significant achievement by the political parties in Northern Ireland and the two governments to restore the power-sharing institutions first established by the Good Friday Agreement. We remain fully committed to the full implementation of the agreement. I am aware of the matter raised by the Deputy in respect of a funding...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Human Rights (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am aware of the continued detention of this person. At my request, officials in my Department recently met with his wife and family members and representatives to discuss his ongoing detention. It is important to be clear that the person in question is a United Kingdom citizen. It is therefore the UK authorities, and their Embassy in the United Arab Emirates, that hold the consular...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Official Engagements (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Ireland, Zhao Xiyuan , presented credentials to President Higgins on the 11th of February 2025. On 16th February, on the occasion of a visit to Ireland by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, I hosted the Minister and his delegation - including Ambassador Zhao - for productive talks in Iveagh House.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Official Engagements (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Lithuania and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. We have a shared outlook across so many areas of EU policy: on competitiveness, on trade and on solidarity with Ukraine. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union I look forward to even closer cooperation with Lithuania, including exchanges at all levels of government, as Lithuania forms part of our...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Diplomatic Representation (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The operational budget allocated to the Irish Embassies in Ankara, Pretoria, Wellington and Kuala Lumpur for the years 2023-2025 are detailed below: - Budget 2023 Budget 2024 Budget 2025 Ankara 915,223 968,349 1,156,014 Wellington 1,147,588 1,011,563 1,213,346 ...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Passport Services (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am happy to inform the Deputy that this passport has been approved and dispatched to the applicant in question.

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Passport Services (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 202 and 204 together. All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the 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 Act, the Passport Service requires the consent of guardians before...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Human Rights (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I recently wrote to my Iraqi counterpart, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, in relation to this case. I followed up with a phone call to Minister Hussein on 2 May, to press the case for this person's release. I also spoke directly with his family to update them on the phone call. We are following up on that discussion, but as the Deputy will appreciate, it is not...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 205 to 209, inclusive, together. As UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk recently made clear, any use of starvation of the civilian population as a method of war constitutes a war crime, and so do all forms of collective punishment. Israel’s continuing blockade of humanitarian and commercial supplies for Gaza is rapidly deepening the hunger...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Middle East (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has consistently used its voice at the UN and other international fora, to promote the protection of civilians in conflict, humanitarian access to those in need of assistance, and the fight against impunity. We view the International Criminal Court (ICC) as the key institution for pursuing accountability for the perpetrators for the most serious crimes of international concern. The...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Rockall Island Ownership (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Rockall is a small, uninhabitable rock located approximately 160 nautical miles west of the Scottish islands of St. Kilda, and 230 nautical miles to the north-west of Donegal. The UK claimed sovereignty over Rockall in 1955, and sought to formally annex it as part of Scotland under its 1972 Island of Rockall Act. The consistent position of successive Irish Governments is that Ireland does...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: Passport Services (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, further supporting documents for this application were received on 16 May 2025. Turnaround time from the receipt of further supporting documents is 15 working days. This application is within the turnaround time and has not yet reached its issue-by date.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised that the information sought by the Deputy is not yet available. I have asked the Defence Forces to provide the details without delay and am advised that work has commenced on collating that information. I will revert to the Deputy with a reply as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy may be aware, working in the Defence Forces is a demanding career which places unique physical and psychological demands on individuals, exposing them to a unique range of challenging environments. In these circumstances, it is vital that the health profile of personnel be such as to ensure that operational capability and effectiveness are not compromised. Candidates...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (20 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am advised by the military authorities that there is currently no funding allocated towards the procurement of additional horseboxes under the DF Transport Corps Equipment Development Plan for 2025. Details sought by the Deputy in relation to the current equitation school vehicles are set out in tabular form below: Vehicle type Year registered Scania...