Results 45,921-45,940 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Passport Online service offers citizens the ability to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This award-winning service has allowed for the centralisation of passport processing and has resulted in greater efficiencies for our citizens and for the Passport Service. Passport Online is a user-friendly, efficient service that is currently issuing the vast majority of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: It is the stated goal of the European Commission and India to conclude a trade agreement by the end of 2025. Ireland supports this ambition. Recent developments in the international trading environment have highlighted more than ever the importance of market diversification via an expanded set of EU Free Trade Agreements. As a result, there is increased momentum behind the deal, which is...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Visa Agreements (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not aware of any specific restriction on travel by US authorities imposed on Irish or Indian students who have been granted J1 visas. I am aware that the US authorities in March highlighted social media activity in regard to their processing of student visa application. Following this, they instructed their diplomatic missions to pause new appointments for interviews for certain...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department engages consultancy services where highly specialised skills are not available internally and in particular, where ongoing independent evaluation of programmes and projects is necessary. All consultancy procurement in the Department is carried out in accordance with relevant procurement legislation and EU Directives. No retired officials were re-engaged by this Department...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Data (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: There are three bodies under the aegis of my Department; the Army Pensions Board, established under the Army Pensions Act 1927, the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces, established pursuant to the provisions of the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 and the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB), which was placed on a Statutory basis on 1 December 2024. Any queries from members...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I have been advised that neither my Department nor the bodies under its aegis had any contracts for IT services exceeding €1 million that failed to reach completion in the years 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that my Department had no infrastructure capital projects valued in excess of €5 million in 2023 which ran over cost.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware that there has been an ongoing and mutually beneficial relationship between the Irish Defence Forces and Armed Forces of Malta since 2009, which has seen Maltese personnel train alongside Irish Cadets. While the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) did request a place for the intake of the 100th Cadet Class in 2023, the Defence Forces advised that they were unable to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 41 together. Ireland has always played a positive and constructive role in the maintenance of international security. Our policy of military neutrality has informed our active approach towards conflict resolution and peacebuilding overseas in terms of participation in peacekeeping operations. Our commitment and support for the primary role of the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised it has not been possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available. I shall provide the information to the Deputy once it becomes available.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised it has not been possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available. I shall provide the information to the Deputy once it has been collated.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (11 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The table below provides details of retired civil servants that were re-engaged by my Department for consultancy in the past four years and to date in 2025. My Department has full regard to all relevant legislation to ensure there is no conflict of interest. Year Number of Consultants Reason Cost 2024 1 Review the...

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

Simon Harris: The Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) is statutory position, provided for in the Defence Acts, and clearly distinguishable from other posts, at the rank of Colonel. Defence Force Regulation (DFR) 02/2020, provides that the holder of the post of Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) cannot be a member of a Representative Association. The prohibition on membership was provided for...

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

Simon Harris: Since the 1990s, the long-standing policy of the organisation has been to withdraw from the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. This policy approach remains reflective of the State’s move away from the historic provision of tied housing for State employees. The move away from this provision was accepted by senior military management at the time and has been...

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

Simon Harris: Where any operational deployments are proposed to participate in an overseas peacekeeping mission, , the assessment of any such request involves a number of important considerations, not least its compliance with Irish law and our foreign policy. Other elements include the consent of the host nation, trust in partners in the operation and that the operation operates in accordance with...

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

Simon Harris: The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended in its 2022 report significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding. The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces sets out...

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

Simon Harris: For a number of years, my Department has had one service commitment scheme in place in respect of the Air Corps pilots which has proved to be a successful retention measure. The Deputy will be aware that an issue has arisen in relation to recent retirements of specialised personnel working in Air Traffic Control. Following engagement with my colleague Minister for Public Expenditure and...

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

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised 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 plateauing of the strength. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over five years. While it is positive that numbers are...

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

Simon Harris: My colleague the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has the lead role for cyber security in Ireland, with inputs in the security domain from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of that Department is the authority responsible for cyber security in the State, including incident response, cyber resilience and...

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

Simon Harris: A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed in line with the Government’s decision to move to level of ambition LOA2, as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF), by 2028. The CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain...