Results 301-320 of 47,736 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: In relation to the ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza, I have welcomed agreement on the deal which is a significant achievement and an important step on the road to peace. Our focus is now on preserving the ceasefire and ensuring that humanitarian aid flows into and throughout Gaza. Ireland has been clear that all parties must adhere to their commitments in full, desist from any...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: In September 2025, following a review of Israel's compliance with Article 2 of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which found that actions taken by the Israeli government represented a breach of essential elements relating to respect for human rights and democratic principles, the European Commission put forward a number of proposals, one of which was to suspend the core trade-related...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Agreements (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The European Commission presented its final package on the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement on 3 September for onward adoption and approval by the Council of the European Union and European Parliament. The package includes the consolidated text of the original agreement negotiated in 2019 and the additional legal instrument addressing trade and sustainability commitments which was agreed...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 155 together. The Government expressed our deep concern at the attack carried out by the Israeli Defence Forces on 27 December 2024 targeting the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, during the course of which Dr Hussam Abu Safiya was detained. As noted by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in his report of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I last formally met with Ambassador Vidiš of the Republic of Croatia on 31 March 2025 in the context of a visit made to Ireland by the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Gordan Grlic Radman. Croatia is a close European partner, and we are committed to further enhance our bilateral relations between our two countries, including through our Embassy in Zagreb. The...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: Civil servants posted to our missions abroad are paid the standard salary for their grade as determined by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and are paid in accordance with the normal Irish taxation and social security obligations that apply to civil servants. In common with other diplomatic services, this Department further...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: After more than two years of war with an unconscionable human cost, Ireland welcomes the agreement on the first phase of the 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. Ireland's current focus is on supporting efforts to build upon the fragile ceasefire which is an important step on a road to peace, including to support the flow of urgently-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza. Ireland has been...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The status of the Emergency Aeromedical Support (EAS) service based at Custume Barracks, Athlone is that it is fully operational. The Air Corps operates the EAS service based on the 2015 Government decision, which established the EAS service on a permanent basis and provided that it would operate as a daily, daytime only service based out of Custume Barracks, Athlone. Since the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Revenue Commissioners (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department has made the following tax settlements with the Revenue Commissioners in the past five years to date. In 2021, a payment of €74,079 was made to the Revenue Commissioners for benefit-in-kind in relation to statutory public hospital charges for the dependents of enlisted members of the Permanent Defence Forces in 2020. This was disclosed in the notes to the 2020...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The table below provides a breakdown of the number of civil servants by grade, employed in my Department at year end, for each year since 2015 to the end of October 2025. *The current total figure of 499 is inclusive of 15 staff employed to work directly for the Defence Forces at a number of military installations (this includes 2 x A/Sec as members of the Defence Board). Year...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Bodies (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: 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 (ODF), established pursuant to the provisions of the Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Act 2004 and the External Oversight Body of the Defence Forces (EOB), which was placed on a Statutory basis on 1 December 2024. The civil servants...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 238 and 239 together. The next Ordnance Cadetship competition will open in early 2026. The cadetship competitions run once a year. As requested by the Deputy, the military authorities inform me that the number of inductions from the Ordnance Cadetship competition in 2023 was 1 induction, in 2024 there was 1 induction and in 2025 there were 2 inductions.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The Defence Forces employs the principles of equal opportunities in all its policies, procedures, instructions and regulations and is dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace, where dignity and respect are afforded to all, regardless of rank, gender, race, religion, civil status, family status, sexual orientation or ethnicity. The Defence Forces are fully committed to promoting...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department has been engaged in an ongoing programme of barracks consolidation since 1998 and the entire property portfolio is under continual review. As part of the whole of Government response to meeting the challenges arising from the illegal Russian invasion in Ukraine and the provision of accommodation to persons in the International Protection process, my Department has made available...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: European Union (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 242 to 244, inclusive, together. I wish to advise the Deputy that, in April this year I approved the Defence Forces’ participation in the Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), an EU initiative which enables structured and secure information-sharing among EU maritime authorities, both civil and military, allowing for more effective...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: Litigation relating to the prescription of and alleged side effects from the consumption of the Malaria Chemoprophylaxis drug Lariam is managed (under statutory delegation) by the State Claims Agency (SCA) on behalf of the Minister for Defence. There are currently thirty-nine (39) cases pending in this regard. The SCA have advised that there has been engagement in respect of all...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (4 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The health and wellbeing of the men and women who serve in Óglaigh na hÉireann is of the utmost importance to me as Minister for Defence. The Defence Forces Medical Corps is responsible for coordination and provision of medical, dental, and pharmaceutical support to the Defence Forces in the execution of its roles. The drug referred to by the Deputy was prescribed as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diaspora Issues (22 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: In line with commitments in the Programme for Government, work is underway on preparing the development of the next Diaspora Strategy, which will be launched at the Global Irish Civic Forum in April 2026. As part of this process, there has been a number of in-person engagements with Irish communities and stakeholders both at home and abroad so we can understand the needs and challenges...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Union (22 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland is a strong supporter of EU enlargement, provided that candidate countries meet the necessary requirements for membership. We firmly believe that it is through EU membership that peace and prosperity can best be ensured across our continent. The change in geopolitical circumstances following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further demonstrated the strategic importance of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Artificial Intelligence (22 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department has not entered into projects, contracts, or pilots that make use of agentic AI either internally or for public services. My Department’s approach to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is aligned to the Government's Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service and guidance provided by the National Cyber Security Centre.