Results 46,261-46,280 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 141 together. While the Shared Island Fund is administered by the Department of the Taoiseach, my Department also plays an active role in delivering on the objectives of the Shared Island Initiative, including through the Shared Island Civic Society Fund (SICSF). The SICSF supports cross-border partnerships between civic society organisations, and...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008 (“the 2008 Act”), which provides a legal basis for the various policies and practices that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports. Under Section 14 of the 2008 Act, the Passport Service requires the consent of guardians before issuing a passport for a child under 18 years...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including through our 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, including through our Embassies in Tehran and Tel Aviv, has remained in regular contact with Irish citizens seeking support to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Dublin-Monaghan Bombings (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: In February this year, during my first meeting as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, I raised the Dublin Monaghan bombings. This issue was also discussed at the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April, where the ongoing concern, including in this House, about the lack of adequate exchange of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Anti-Racism Measures (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has been a member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) since 2011. Since the adoption of the non-legally binding working definition of antisemitism by the IHRA plenary in 2016, my Department has had frequent contact with other members of the IHRA on the question of the endorsement of the working definition of antisemitism. Similar discussions have taken place...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Embassy of Ireland in Paris offers two 'stagiaires' or intern 6-month placements bi-annually. These internships form an integral part of the French educational system and conform fully to French legislative requirements for work experience. In order to be eligible, a candidate must be completing, or have recently completed, third-level studies and must be able to obtain an internship...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Pension Provisions (3 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The Military Service Pensions Collection (MSPC) involves cataloguing and partially digitising approximately 275,000 files dealing with the service of qualifying members of the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizen Army, the Hibernian Rifles, Cumann na mBan, Na Fianna Éireann, the Irish Republican Army and records of the Department from the period April 1916 to the 30th of September 1923. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for again raising this issue which, as he said, he rightly raised at the Oireachtas committee in recent weeks. The Government remains deeply concerned by the conflict and the real humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Since April 2023, the situation has continued to deteriorate and the consequences are now clearly devastating. It is estimated that over 14 million...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The first thing to say is that we will at least match the level of humanitarian aid to Sudan this year that we provided last year. We have already provided €7.7 million this year. We provided €14 million last year and we will at least match the €14 million this year. That is an additional commitment from the Government to do more with regard to help for the most...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Foreign Conflicts (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not certain whether we have raised them directly, or not with those individual countries, but we have certainly raised them through the European Union. I would point out that we now have an EU special representative for the area, Dr. Annette Weber, who is doing very excellent work. We raised Sudan at the most recent meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. The Minister of State, Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Gibney for the question. As she will be aware, the Government carried out an extensive analysis and review of the occupied territories Bill 2018, as it was then, late last year. The Government’s analysis, shared with the Oireachtas at the time, was that substantive amendments would be required to most, if not all, of the provisions of that Bill in order to bring it in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I have not had engagement with anybody recently on the new Bill but given the significant level of public interest in it, several international partners, including the United States and a number of European and like-minded countries, have expressed an interest in the Bill and the Government’s approach more generally. My officials have engaged with them on the matter, including...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Sure, absolutely.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I very much appreciate the context. Let me be very clear: the Government intends to progress with this legislation. I also have an open mind about services. Both of those situations remain factually true and very clear in my mind, and clear in the view of the Government. However, as an Oireachtas we want to pass legislation fully informed, with our eyes wide open. That is why it is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: First, I appreciate the Deputy's acknowledgement that Ireland is the first country that is doing it. That, in and of itself, is interesting, in that there is not another country in the European Union that has published any draft legislation on that. Now, weeks on from when we published our legislation, with goods or services, they have not produced any legislation. That is interesting in...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): International Relations (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: The very short answer is that we will. Both I and my officials interact with a wide variety of international partners on the Middle East. This remains a major priority for the Government and, I know, for the people of Ireland, who are rightly repulsed by what they see happening, particularly in Gaza but also in the West Bank. Ireland’s engagement is guided by our long-standing and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): International Relations (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: There are a couple of things there. First, the Deputy is right; quite a few like-minded countries may well consider looking at what we have done here and introducing their own domestic legislation. What I was trying to say in response to the last question is that we are in contact with quite a number of European countries that are inquiring as to our legislation, and I hope others will join...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): International Relations (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree with the Deputy on the last point. Any attacks or sanctions on UN representatives are attacks not just on them but on multilateralism. Ireland remains a steadfast supporter of the work of the United Nations and the special rapporteur. It is a deeply concerning development. On the issue of visas, the Deputy is right that it is a competency of my colleague, the Minister for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: Today's censure motion in the European Parliament is a stunt by the far right and people that the President of the European Commission has referred to as "Putin's puppets". They are seeking to divide Europe at this time. I am disappointed to see the far left lining up with the far right on this issue. The censure motion, by the way, has nothing whatsoever to do with Gaza. As the Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Middle East (10 Jul 2025)

Simon Harris: No, we have not.