Results 1,861-1,880 of 47,282 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Deputy Gogarty is not doing this, but sometimes we can blame the European Union. The European Union has given us pretty decent legislative infrastructure here. It is now up to member states, including Ireland, to decide how we wish to utilise that. The era of self-regulation is over beyond my just saying it in the sense that there are now codes in place and there is now an ability to fine...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: It is not a matter of reneging on anything. I do not mind saying in this House, and I would be very happy to engage and share this more fully, but the legal advice available to me is that there is a narrow pathway - and it is a narrow pathway - under the ICJ advisory opinion for member states to seek to move ahead unilaterally, for want of a better phrase. We have not yet been able to...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: That is what it is.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I think this is probably the only Parliament in the world where Members of the Parliament stand up and suggest that the Irish Government's position is anything other than supportive of the people of Palestine. It is usually quite the opposite, in fact. Any of us who attend international meetings and forums will know that Ireland is usually seen as almost an outlier - worryingly, perhaps -...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I know-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Murphy for shouting me down again. I know his party is having difficulty this week as they will not take questions from some journalists if they do not like the questions. When he comes to the House, he asks me a question and will not allow me to answer it. He does not take questions from some and does not accept answers from others. Do not shout me down, please, on an...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: If we get to a place where countermeasures have to be introduced by the European Union, this will not be good for the European Union and it will not be good for the US. It will not be good for the economies in Europe or in the US because it is almost impossible to publish a list that does not have an impact in every single member state. The list will be broad, and it will include industrial...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not dragging my feet. Regardless of our political persuasion or whichever party we are in, or whether the people watching from home support Government parties, Opposition parties or neither, people in this country are sickened, appalled and disgusted by what we are seeing in what Israel has done in Gaza and what the Israeli Government, as the Deputy rightly said, is very openly and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I will begin where the Deputy began on trade, tariffs and the all-island all-Ireland economy. This morning, I spoke to the Deputy's colleague, my counterpart, the Minister for the Economy in the Northern Ireland Executive, Dr. Caoimhe Archibald. I thank her for ongoing engagement with me and for the way she is going about her business. We have agreed to meet by way of video conference...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: White Papers (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Implementation of the White Paper programme has progressed in planned phases since 2015. This phased process was kept under review across the years and was subject to change or update as issues arose and other business dictated. Decisions about which projects to progress at any stage took into account the priorities set out in the Programme for Government, available resources, and initiatives...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Disaster Response (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for allowing me the opportunity to recognise yet again the positive contribution made by the Civil Defence and the Defence Forces in supporting our communities during Storm Éowyn, and the other severe weather events that occurred this winter. As I have said before and will say again we collectively owe them a debt of gratitude. Climate change is a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised that the strength of the Naval Service stood at 798 in 2022, 725 in 2023, 719 in 2024 and 745 as of the 9 April 2025, the latest date for which this figure is available for. The ongoing staffing challenges in the Naval Service are well documented and to address these a wide ranging suite of recruitment and retention initiatives have been introduced....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 171, 172, 174, 176 and 186 together. As set out in the Programme for Government, this Government intends to reform the Triple Lock legislation whilst also ensuring that amendments to the legislation are in keeping with our values and policy of military neutrality. It cannot be emphasised enough, however that there is no connection between the triple...

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

Simon Harris: As Minister, 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. Across Europe, all countries are experiencing an increasingly contested, dynamic and volatile international security environment. There is a need for us to be seen to take our own security...

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

Simon Harris: The military authorities,, who are responsible for recruitment, have advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), as at 9 April 2025, the latest date for which this figure is available, stood at 7,545 personnel comprising 6,074 Army, 726 Air Corp and 745 Naval Service personnel respectively. A total of 708 personnel were inducted into the Permanent Defence Force in...

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 and 211 together. The current situation in the Area of Operations (AO) where Irish Defence Forces personnel are deployed with UNIFIL in South Lebanon remains one of considerable instability. While there has been a notable decrease in kinetic activity following the recent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, in January, considerable uncertainty continues...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Disaster Response (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: As Chair of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning, I have made it very clear that any lessons identified from recent events are to be incorporated into future planning and resilience to minimise the impacts of climate related emergencies on our communities. I understand that the Department of Housing has commenced a lessons learnt process following Storm Éowyn. My Department...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (8 May 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. Equipment priorities for the Defence Forces are considered in the context of the established Capability Development and Equipment Development Planning processes, underpinned...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Meetings (8 May 2025)

Simon Harris: Unfortunately, due to national commitments, I was unable to attend the Informal Meeting of EU Defence Ministers which took place in early April. Ireland was, on this occasion, represented by the Secretary General of the Department of Defence, Ireland's Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee of the EU and Department officials. I am happy to report on the meeting however, which sent...

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

Simon Harris: The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate to comment on matters of an operational nature or on unit formations within their respective Barracks for reasons of operational security. However, I can say that the Defence Forces have established a new Joint Cyber Defence Command. This new Command will be able to conduct full-spectrum operations to robustly defend against cyber...