Results 46,161-46,180 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The number of visitors has decreased dramatically.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: We have seen a significant increase in the number of people applying.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: It is reflective of the geopolitical situation, particularly in the context of Brexit. The bulk of it relates to the Brexit effect.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is right; it is a large increase.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The €7.5 million relates to the sale of the old residence in Washington DC.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: No, it is fine. First, I thank our team in Japan for the work they have done. Indeed, the Taoiseach will visit the Expo next week. The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Deputy Burke, is there this week. It is expected that Expo will attract approximately 28 million visitors. As the Cathaoirleach said, it is taking place in Osaka in Japan. We believe participation provides...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: First, I agree with Deputy Ó Fearghaíl. One of the perhaps unspoken weapons of war that Putin uses is the turmoil he has created beyond the traditional battlefield, both in the context of the challenges of migration and the migratory patterns that we have seen as a result and the many member states of the European Union and the broader European family feeling the need to...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: There were three questions there. First, on the difference in the funding for the shared island civic society fund, the difference is €4.3 million and it is based on a once-off payment that we made for the appointment of the chair of Irish studies in Cambridge. Our level has been consistent. We topped it up, if you like, one year. It has been an extraordinarily powerful fund. I...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes. That has been and is the position of Ireland. I said this on the way into the meeting. That would require unanimity that simply does not exist. It is important for people at home to know that unanimity does not exist across the 27 member states and it would require unanimity. Therefore, I think the focus of Ireland now has to be on what practical, concrete actions to take. I think...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes. We are very vocal at the meetings too. Our other position articulated at the meeting was the letter that was signed by ten countries, including ourselves, on the ICJ advisory opinion and how we do not believe the European Union is currently in compliance with its obligations under that.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. I will outline what I believe the European position is. I am conscious we are all against the clock, and I do not want to take Deputy Ó Laoghaire's time, but I want to answer the question. I would put very differently what the European Union decided yesterday. The European Union found yesterday that Israel is in breach of its human rights obligations....

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The answer is "No, but". The answer is we will be able to spend all of our money and, in fact, we will be under even greater pressure because of these decisions. We are going through a process at the moment with partners because we may have to reprioritise, reallocate or restructure some programmes. The full Estimate will absolutely be able to be spent but there may be some small amount...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, is leading on this for us. We have asked all of our ambassadors in the areas where we have development programmes to come back to us with their own analysis of the impact of the USAID cuts on their programmes. The direct answer to the question is that it is an additional workload that our teams on the ground have to undertake. They would rather be...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am always open to this but my honest concern about UNRWA, and I say this as a massive supporter of it, is about its ability to do what it desperately wants to do, and is desperately trying to do. As a result of the decisions of the Israeli Government we made the decision, and UNRWA will verify this, to front-load our allocation and it was very grateful for it. We have also worked at EU...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Yes. My understanding is that it has probably already been spent. My concerns about UNRWA are what I have outlined with regard to its ability to safely operate on the ground and the obstruction of the Israeli Government, and also the fact that as a result of the Israeli Government's action some countries have pulled back from UNRWA. Any time I have engagement with UNRWA, and I say this...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: They very much are and, similar to Deputy Smith, I do not say this to be lofty. It speaks to our values. I am genuinely proud of the fact that no matter who of us are in government it is what we believe in as Irish people. There has generally been cross-party and cross-partisan consensus that overseas development aid and official development assistance works and matters. Part of it is our...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am glad the Deputy noted that and asked the question because it is an issue I would like to see resolved. An allocation is made each year and, without being flippant, it is never the right allocation and therefore we always end up having to have a Supplementary Estimate to address the issue later in the year. A good piece of work is ongoing to try to resolve this. It is a spending...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The EU-Israel association agreement has been in place for a number of years. It is a good thing for the European Union to have agreements with as many countries and parts of the world as possible. However, and I know the Deputy shares this view, I also believe the human rights obligations in the agreement are not just stuck in for padding – they are not discretionary and they are not...

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I disagree respectfully on that.

Select Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 27 - International Co-operation (Revised)
Vote 28 - Foreign Affairs (Revised) (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Today we become the first country in the European Union to publish, or very shortly publish, legislation to ban trade with the occupied Palestinian territory. I think that is a concrete step.