Results 181-200 of 47,736 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. As he will be aware, in January of this year the blanket exemption from the Organisation of Working Time Act for Defence Forces personnel was removed and most Defence Forces personnel now enjoy the protections of the Act. Due to their specific nature, a number of activities are exempted from the provisions of Act and compensatory rest periods and other protections were...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 30 together. I am advised by the military authorities that the strength of the Naval Service, as of 30 September 2025, the latest date such figures are available, is 800 personnel. This is up from 719 personnel at the end of 2024. Let me be honest and say that the establishment strength is 1,094. We are below the establishment strength and we need...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree with much of what has been said. We need to invest more in our Naval Service and we are doing so. Crucially, we need to do things, namely, increase the number of people in the navy and we need to increase the capabilities and infrastructure of the Naval Service. Work is under way on both fronts. This year will see a significant increase in patrol days at sea on last year. It will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: Regarding the shadow fleet, I also remain concerned, as do European and international counterparts. As we continue to sanction Russia to get it to end its brutal and illegal invasion of Ukraine, these sanctions need to capture the activities of the shadow fleet. What I would say, and say to those outside this House too, without commenting on important national security issues, is that we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cybersecurity Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: It is a good question. Let me get a detailed note to the Deputy to fully set it out because there have been changes to this area. The decision to relocate the National Cyber Security Centre to the Department of justice is a good one. It is something I have advocated for for quite a while. There are very good people in it but I never felt it was an appropriate fit in the Department of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cybersecurity Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree with that and I am satisfied the chain of command is quite clear. It is an appropriate thing for me to provide the Oireachtas or the Minister for justice with a written clarity on that and I am very happy to do so.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Weather Events (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the question, which is important and timely. It was an issue many of us in this House as constituency TDs were grappling with in trying to support our communities in the run-up to and the aftermath of the horrific Storm Éowyn, which had a devastating effect on many parts of the country, most particularly perhaps the west and north-west. As the Deputy knows,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Weather Events (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree that what worked well during a very difficult storm was the investment in community. We saw it in our own counties and constituencies where there had been investment in sports facilities, community facilities and vehicles. The ability of those local assets to be deployed and put to use stood up very well. I noticed, as would the Deputy, how many GAA centres, changing room...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Weather Events (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I fully agree with the Deputy and thank him for saying that. I was in Custume Barracks last Friday for the review of the 127th battalion, which is being deployed this month. I have done many of these but I was very struck by exactly what the Deputy said - the youth. I met a young 19-year-old man who will be the youngest person deployed. I was also struck by the man I met with his...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 69 together. I join Deputy Ó Laoghaire in paying tribute to Fr. Paul Murphy. I have had the honour of meeting him on a number of occasions. He is currently serving in and possibly about to return shortly from Lebanon, where he has gone with our troops, which underscores the Deputy's point about the distinction with which our chaplains serve....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree entirely with the policy principle and I will work with the Deputy and everyone in this House to fix it. I am very clear on that. To flag some information that may be of use to the House, we probably will need to change legislation but we are legislators and there is no reason we cannot do that. At the moment, chaplains are free to join almost any union or representative...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I agree.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cybersecurity Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 174 together. As recognised in the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces and accepted by the Government, the Defence Forces need to be capable of delivering military effects across the cyber domain. To this end, my Department published a high-level action plan for the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces. This included...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Cybersecurity Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Heneghan for reminding us of the forthcoming anniversary of Senator Lawless, a man I had the honour and privilege of knowing and serving with in these Houses. He was a man that my predecessor, Enda Kenny, was honoured to appoint to Seanad Éireann. He served with distinction in the Seanad but he also served with distinction beyond the Seanad, both as an incredible...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Cybersecurity Policy (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his work on this and for his advocacy and the time he is putting into it. The Government largely agrees with his position on this. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, leads for the Government in terms of the private wires legislation. I will ask that he keep in close contact with the Deputy in relation to this. The Deputy is right, however. I have been briefed on this...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Neutrality (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Burke very much for the question. It is really timely. The first thing I want to say is that Ireland is never going to recuse itself from conversations around defence and security because conversations around defence and security, as the Deputy rightly knows and advocates for, are not the same as conversations about changing Ireland's military neutrality, which we have no...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Neutrality (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: On the Naval Service, I am pleased to say I look forward to visiting Cork later this month and, hopefully, visiting Haulbowline with the Deputy. The latest figures available to me are that personnel in our Naval Service stood at 800 at the end of September, which is up from 719 at the end of last year. I am also pleased to say that at the end of September, we had received 2,357 applications...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Military Neutrality (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: Certainly, when we hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of next year, our priority from a foreign affairs point of view in relation to Ukraine will be to work very closely with the European Union and with international engagement processes, including with the United States. I intend to work very closely with Ms Kaja Kallas, our EU High Representative of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: By the end of April, the Defence Forces will have submitted to me, and I will publish, a workforce plan that shows how we get to where we need to be in terms of personnel by 2028. That will require a number of pinch points to be addressed. We are now seeing real interest in joining the Defence Forces. We can all take a sense of encouragement from the fact that people want to wear the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I am very open to the idea of a specialist pay review. I said that to the Deputy on a previous occasion. We will examine that in the context of the next national pay agreement, along with the workforce plan. The Deputy put forward a set of challenges as to why people sometimes leave parts of the public service. I put forward a different set of reasons. I referred to full employment, a...