Results 46,221-46,240 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 207, 208, 209 and 210 together. The Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports and has issued over 532,000 passports this year to date. My Department engages in comprehensive workforce planning annually, based on forecasted passport demand. Staffing requirements for the upcoming year are formally approved by the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The safety and security of the staff of my Department is an absolute priority for me. My Department has been closely engaged on the concerning situation in Iran and the continuing conflict between Israel and Iran. In relation to our diplomats in Iran, I became increasingly concerned about the operational environment for our Embassy there, and the ability of our diplomatic staff to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Agreements (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has policy responsibility, including at EU level, for Ireland’s energy security, and communicates views in this area. The then Minister of State addressed this topic in the Dáil in November 2023. My understanding is that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation related to Trade, Transport, and Export of Natural...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran and welcomed the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council on Tuesday 17 June to discuss the issue. At that meeting, I outlined Ireland’s position on the need for urgent de-escalation by both sides and the need for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve this crisis. I highlighted our concern about the disproportionate...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ukraine War (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment is the national competent authority with responsibility for export controls, which includes the export of dual use goods as well as controls on defence-related exports. Officials of that Department carry out assessments and checks on all export licence applications to ensure, as far as possible, that the item to be exported will be used...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Defence is organised across six divisions, each of which is headed by an Assistant Secretary or Director. 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...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Procurement Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that my Department has a Procurement Tracking System (PTS) for tracking procurements. My Department also uses the enterprise grade ‘Oracle E-Business Suite’, which is a suite of integrated business applications, and includes contract management functionality. I can also confirm that these systems are managed and monitored by officials in my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My colleague the Minister for Justice Home Affairs and Migration and An Garda Síochána have primary responsibility for the internal security of the State. Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means providing assistance to An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. Where...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Army Equitation School's mission is to promote the Irish horse through international competition. To maintain its high standards, the school acquires suitable Irish bred horses through a rigorous process. After a suitable horse has been identified that meets an existing gap in the Equitation School’s portfolio of horses, the owner is invited to bring the horse to McKee Barracks...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Projects (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I can advise the Deputy that my Department has no infrastructure capital projects being built or commissioned that are currently late in their delivery nor currently over budget.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (24 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that neither the Department of Defence or the Defence Forces have purchased from or have contracts with the company referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Union (26 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The role of the High Representative of the European Union on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is set out in Articles 18 and 24 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). They establish that the High Representative shall conduct the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and represent the Union for matters relating to CFSP. The High Representative, who is also Vice President...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (26 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the passport application to which the Deputy is referring, the Passport Service has made contact with the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Meetings (26 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Officials in my Department, including our bilateral Embassies in the region, are continuing to monitor closely ongoing developments in relations between India and Pakistan, alongside our EU and like-minded international partners in New Delhi and Islamabad. As I've reiterated previously, the Government is committed to enhanced political engagement with both countries over the coming years...

Middle East: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I welcome this opportunity to set out the Government position on the situation in the Middle East. The region is experiencing a period of significant jeopardy and instability with multiple crises playing out, many of which are interrelated and all of which threaten further escalation, further destruction and further devastating loss of civilian lives. I will turn first to the appalling...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft (1 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in, the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (1 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 131 together. All passport applications are subject to the requirements of the Passports Act 2008, as amended. The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to him/her. To meet this requirement, each person must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship by providing acceptable...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Birth Registration (1 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR or Naturalisation.FBR, by its nature, is a detailed and complex process, often involving official documentation relating to three generations...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft (1 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Under the terms of the Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order, 1952, all foreign military aircraft wishing to overfly, or land in, the State require diplomatic clearance from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.Diplomatic clearance is subject to strict conditions, including that the aircraft is unarmed; that it carries no arms, ammunition or explosives; that it does not engage in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Military Aircraft (1 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including Ireland’s Embassies and Consulates worldwide, provides consular assistance to Irish citizens in difficulty abroad within the remit of its Consular Assistance Charter. Throughout this crisis, my Department and our Embassies in Tehran and in Tel Aviv have remained in regular contact with Irish citizens in the region as well as...