Results 45,821-45,840 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Aid (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am aware that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship, the Madleen, was intercepted by Israeli authorities in the early hours of 10 June while trying to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Madleen was an effort to get food and medicine to the starving people of Gaza; an unarmed civilian effort in the midst of devastation and catastrophic humanitarian conditions. But it was...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capability of the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government. Equipment priorities (including replacement capabilities as they near end of life) for the Army, Air Corps and Naval Service are considered in the context of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the capabilities of the Defence Forces are maintained, developed and enhanced in order to ensure that the Defence Forces can carry out all of the roles assigned to it by Government. New rotary wing capabilities are currently being advanced in the context of the Equipment Development Planning process, and to this end, the various work...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Data (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I would like to thank the Deputy for his question. The decision to withhold records is provided for under Section 8(4) of the National Archives Act. During 2024 my Department mostly relied upon Section 8(4)(c) as the grounds to support the withholding of records from immediate public inspection. Section 8(4)(c) provides that records may be withheld if the release would or might cause distress...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended "The Chief of Defence to initiate an immediate force design process assisted by external experts with access to international military expertise, and to include a detailed force design process." The reasoning for the requirement for international support is the lack of such experience and expertise in the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The position in relation to eligibility for Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff positions is as follows: - Officers currently serving substantively in the ranks of Major General, Brigadier General, Colonel, Commodore or Captain (Naval Service), are eligible to apply in promotion competitions for the Chief of Staff position. Currently serving Brigadier-Generals, and Colonels or...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 275 and 276 together. I propose to take PQs 29448/25 and 29449/25 together. The Assistant Chief of Staff role is an appointment made at the level of Brigadier-General. The terms and conditions governing the appointment of a Brigadier-General are set out in Defence Forces Regulation (DFR) A15 as follows: Currently serving Army Colonels who have been...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I wish to advise the Deputy that, as Minister for Defence, I am fully committed to the delivery of the national maritime security strategy by the end of this year. Maritime security was identified as a priority in the Defence Policy Review, and my Department is leading on the development of the National Maritime Security Strategy. This is the first time responsibility has been assigned for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (10 Jun 2025)

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

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department has not lost any properties due to adverse possession during the time period indicated.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Defence Forces advertising budget is provided for within Subhead A.22.2 (Miscellaneous: Advertising) of the Defence Vote and provides for advertising costs which support various Defence Forces recruitment initiatives. The table below outlines the Subhead A.22.2 allocation over the period specified. Subhead A.22.2 Defence Forces Advertising Allocation €m ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Investment in new equipment for the Defence Forces is provided for under various Subheads of the Defence Vote relating to defensive equipment, mechanical transport, aircraft, ships and naval stores, engineering, communications and information technology equipment etc. I am informed by the Defence Forces that their records indicate the amount spent on purchasing military equipment from...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised that the number of personnel currently undertaking Air Traffic Controller (ATC) training, and their expected training completion dates, is as follows: No of Personnel ATC Qualification Estimated date of completion 3 Tower Q4 2026 1 Radar Q4 2026 1 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised that the protocol regarding the national flag being placed on the coffin of serving and former members of the Permanent Defence Force is set out under Defence Forces Regulation A10 (New Series) Ceremonial and Funerals and its related Administrative Instruction. In the event of the death of a serving member of the Permanent Defence Force, where the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Foreign Policy (10 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I wish to reassure the Deputy that my officials have consulted regularly over the last number of years with Defence Forces personnel on the development of the General Scheme of the Defence Amendment Bill 2025. With respect to the provisions proposed around the despatch of Defence Forces personnel overseas, it is absolutely appropriate that relevant military advice was sought to...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this important matter. It provides me with an opportunity to set out the position and the immediate steps that I and the Government have taken to ensure that air traffic control services operating at Baldonnel are restored to full service. Initial indications from the military authorities were received by my Department in May on the likelihood...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The service commitment scheme has been referenced for a number of years, from my recollection, and it is no more than my recollection. I believe it might have surfaced around 2021 in a list of recommendations but I am open to correction on that year. Generally, the way of progressing these issues is through local bargaining. In fairness, the Deputy will recognise that normally the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: On the latter point, I do not. I have been assured that contingency arrangements are in place. The Deputy is right about how we need to look more at the pinch points in our Defence Forces in general, and I will come back to this in a moment. I expect significant restoration of services at Baldonnel to happen very rapidly. I expect that to be the case because in my conversations with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions No. 2 and 4 together. I thank Deputy Gibney for the question. As she is aware and has alluded to, I brought forward the general scheme of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025, which amends the legislation underpinning overseas deployments of the Defence Forces. This was agreed by Cabinet on 4 March. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the...