Results 45,941-45,960 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

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

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 24, 55 and 72 together. I can confirm that I have considered a very broad range of concerns on the Triple Lock from a wide variety of interested parties and stakeholders, which have been collected and considered over the last number of years. These considerations have been based on directly raised concerns and others have been collected as part of the...

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

Simon Harris: At the outset I wish to acknowledge the long association between the Naval Service and Dún Laoghaire and I am keen to see this continuing and developing in the years ahead. The Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces identified, in the context of achieving LOA 2, the need for an East Cost base for the naval service. Reflecting this the Programme for Government has also...

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

Simon Harris: The IDP sets out a programme of project delivery for the years 2023 to 2027. The Programme provides a blueprint for investment in the Defence Forces infrastructure over a multi-annual timeframe and ensures that the required capital funding is prioritised as building activities increase over the lifetime of the Programme. The capital allocation for building works in military installations...

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

Simon Harris: I can confirm that the organisation referenced by the Deputy has been in direct contact with my office outlining their position regarding the potential establishment of a National Veterans Support Bureau in the GPO. As the Deputy may be aware, the GPO, including the work of the interdepartmental committee which will explore its future uses, falls under the remit of the Office of Public Works....

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...