Results 561-580 of 47,419 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Following an operational decision taken by the military authorities earlier this year to restrict operational flight activity at Casement Aerodrome to a 5 day week (12 hours a day) service, I am advised that Air Traffic Control is now operational on a 7 day a week basis 12 hours per day (0800 – 2000). There are a number of immediate and decisive steps my Department has taken to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised me that as of 31 July 2025, the latest date for which such information is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,540. The government has introduced a wide range of initiatives aimed at improving recruitment and retention and making the Defence Forces a career of choice. These include an increase the maximum recruitment age...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Funding (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The SAFE (Security Action for Europe) is an EU instrument designed to provide Member States with up to €150 billion of loans backed by the EU budget to provide financial assistance to Member States to support their urgent public investments in defence industrial production, aiming to increase production capacity, improve the availability of defence products and address capability gaps....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The Defence Forces has participated in the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights since 2013, and they continue to maintain a presence in the Mission, in terms of maintaining three personnel in staff officer and observer roles. The Deputy will be aware that in April 2024, following a review of overseas deployments, the Defence Forces withdrew the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The accommodation within Kilbride Training Camp has been made available to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs & Migration to accommodate International Protection applicants. Previously Defence Force personnel used accommodation at the Camp only on a short-term basis, during training in operational conditions.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 68 and 81 together. The Defence Forces Infrastructure Development Plan (IDP) sets out a programme of project delivery for the years 2023 to 2027. Under this plan, Collins Barracks has already seen the completion of a self-contained accommodation block for 41 personnel in 2024. This has significantly increased the supply of single living-in (SLI)...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Strategies (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The five-year Technology Strategy and Roadmap for the Department of Defence was launched in March 2023 with the vision of the Department leading in the adoption of new technologies and digital ways of working to support the effective delivery of our policy objectives. Eight strategic objectives were identified including leveraging data as an enabler to inform decision-making; embedding high...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Cybersecurity Policy (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: In terms of cyber security at national level, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has the lead role with inputs in the security domain from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), an operational arm of that Department, is the primary authority responsible for cyber security in the State. The main roles of the NCSC are...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As Minister, I am deeply committed to the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, fit for purpose organisation to defend the State and meet the challenges of today and the future. The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and its report was published on the 9th of February 2022. There were 130 recommendations...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Meetings (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I attended the most recent informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers, which took place in Copenhagen on the 28th and 29th of August 2025. The three main topics on the agenda for this meeting were EU military support to Ukraine, Defence Readiness, and CSDP Missions and Operations. Discussions around EU support to Ukraine took place against the backdrop of a significant Russian missile...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware the Working Time Directive was implemented in January 2025 across the Defence Forces and serving members now enjoy its protections, subject to certain exemptions. In addition, a wide range of protections are also in place, specifically in regard to recreation and welfare facilities, deemed necessary and approved by military authorities, where personnel are on duty...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As the Deputy is aware there has been significant progress made in terms of pay and conditions for the Defence Forces personnel, particularly over the last six years. The starting pay of a school leaver cadet, on commissioning, was €30,884 in 2019. As of 01 August 2025 a school leaver Cadet, on commissioning to 2nd Lieutenant, is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Significant progress has been made, in terms of the pay and conditions for Defence Force personnel, particularly over the last six (6) years. Under the current national pay deal, the Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026, a further 1% increase in basic pay, as well as allowances in the nature of pay, came into effect on 1 August 2025, and will have a further positive financial impact, for...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Legislative Measures (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025 was approved by Government in March of this year. The General Scheme was subsequently referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Defence and National Security for consideration under the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny process. The purpose of this Bill is to: (a) revise and consolidate the current legislation, including the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Functions (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: The tenth session of the open-ended intergovernmental working group (OEIGWG) on Transnational Corporations and Human Rights, took place from 16 to 20 December 2024 in Geneva. The OEIGWG considered articles 4-11 of the draft legally binding instrument, as planned by the Chair Rapporteur, Ecuador. Having regard to the EU’s competences in this area, Ireland continues to encourage...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland, together with our EU partners, is committed to maintaining the legal order for the oceans and seas based upon international law, as reflected notably in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. This includes the maintenance of freedom of navigation. Officials in my Department follow developments in the Taiwan Strait closely. The Government has been clear that any...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: United Nations (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I welcome the discussions held during the first session of the Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group (OEIGWG) earlier this month. The OEIWG has a mandate to explore the possibility of a new optional protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The meeting was attended by our Permanent Representation to the United Nations in Geneva. The Convention on the Rights of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Air Navigation Orders (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together. Responsibility for the regulation of foreign aircraft landing or overflying the State is shared between Departments. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has primary responsibility for the regulation of foreign military and state aircraft, while the Department of Transport leads on regulation of civil aircraft. Under the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: In relation to healthcare, a wide range of medical services are provided to members of the Permanent Defence Force. These include an annual medical examination, sick parades, attendance at GP surgery outside of sick parade and out-of-hours GP services, prescription services, laboratory services, physiotherapy, chiropody, radiology, ophthalmic examinations, in-patient and outpatient public...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (18 Sep 2025)

Simon Harris: Recruitment and retention of specialist personnel in the Defence Forces personnel is a challenge, which I have acknowledged on a number of occasions. However, considerable progress has been made to address potential barriers to recruitment and retention. A number of financial and non-financial retention initiatives are being implemented including an increase in the mandatory retirement a to...