Results 721-740 of 46,014 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (30 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland's relationship with Indonesia is strong and growing. It reached a significant milestone in 2024 when we celebrated the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Embassy of Ireland in Jakarta. The opening of a resident Irish Embassy in 2014 has been critical to enhancing Ireland's relationship with Indonesia, and to increasing awareness of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (30 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department, through our Embassy in Islamabad, continues to monitor developments closely in the province of Balochistan, in south-west Pakistan, in light of the ongoing unrest in this region and the recent arrests of prominent human rights activists. Our Embassy has engaged regularly with both the EU Delegation and like-minded partners in Pakistan regarding the most appropriate response...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (30 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have provided the requested details, in the table below, in relation to the number of personnel currently in the Defence Forces School of Music. Figures are as at 24 April 2025: Rank Lt Col Comdt Captain CS CQ Sgt Cpl Pte Strength 1 1 5 4 0 ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (30 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The number of officers who were promoted from the rank of Lieutenant to Captain in the Army in 2024 and to-date in 2025, as requested by the Deputy, are set out in tabular form below: 2024 January 34 February 15 March 2 July 1 2025 February 28 March ...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, are aware of these reports. I can further confirm that officials in the Irish Embassy in Berlin are engaging with the relevant German authorities on the matter. I wish to assure the Deputies that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, stand ready to provide consular assistance, should...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides a legal basis for the various policies and procedures that are applied by the Passport Service in the issuing of passports. The Passport Service takes its responsibility to protect the integrity of the Irish passport very seriously. Due to the strength of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: State Art Collection (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The bust of General San Martin is currently stored in my Department, having been previously in the National Gallery. My Department is exploring with other state bodies a suitable place for the public display of this bust.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Travel (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: My engagements outside of the State from 25 February to 7 April 2025 are outlined in the table below: Date Destination Engagement March 6 Liverpool Ireland-UK Summit March 14-18 Philadelphia and New York USA St Patrick’s Day engagements March 25-27 Lebanon Visit to...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Hamas is listed by the European Union as a terrorist organisation, unanimously agreed by all Member States. Ireland has repeatedly condemned Hamas and its terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, and has consistently called for the unconditional release of all hostages held in Gaza. I attended the first EU-Palestine High Level Dialogue in Luxembourg on 14 April. The Dialogue provided...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The passport card was launched in October 2015 and offers Irish citizens the convenience of travel, with a credit card sized travel document, to all EU Member States, the members of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway), Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Between 2015 and 2024, over 875,000 passport cards were issued. The Passport Card is fully compliant with International Civil...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Officials in my Department follow developments in the Taiwan Strait closely. Together with our EU partners, Ireland adheres to a One China Policy. This means we recognise the People’s Republic of China as the legal representative of China, and we do not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan. However, this does not preclude the development of economic, cultural and people-to-people...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland engages regularly with the Palestinian Authority on a range of issues, including at political level. I met with President Abbas in September of last year in New York in my capacity as Taoiseach during the United Nations High Level week. I also spoke with President Abbas by telephone in December 2024, and in May 2024 following Ireland’s recognition of the state of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, are aware of these reports. I can further confirm that officials in the Irish Embassy in Berlin are engaging with the relevant German authorities on the matter. I wish to assure the Deputies that officials in my Department and the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, stand ready to provide consular assistance, should...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland strongly advocates for the promotion and protection of the rights of LGBTQI+ people throughout the world. We have consistently raised our concerns in relation to the targeting of civil society and minority rights in Hungary, including in direct contacts with Hungarian interlocutors. We also regularly support and engage with Hungarian civil society organisations that work to protect...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific applications about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued passports to the applicants.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Embassy of Ireland in Vietnam is based in Hanoi and is also accredited to Cambodia and Laos. The Embassy’s work is guided by its 2023 – 2027 Mission Strategy which is available online: assets.ireland.ie/documents/Ireland_Mission_e_publication_20 25_Vietnam.pdf. The Embassy’s Strategy has three broad, interconnected outcomes: Strengthened bilateral relations,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Rockall Island Ownership (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Reaching an agreement on issues relating to Rockall remains an important issue of the agenda for the government and we are in ongoing contact with the relevant Scottish and UK authorities in this regard. I and officials in my Department continue to work with the Minister and officials in the Department for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine on this matter. The matter has...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: With regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired, the Passport Service has issued the passport to the applicant.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department operates a number of grant programmes and services that support our priorities at home and abroad. Funding under these programmes is generally available to organisations rather than individuals or households. The Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) provides financial support to frontline organisations, who deliver essential welfare and other services to Irish communities, as...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (29 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The then Taoiseach Leo Varadkar appointed a Special Envoy to the United States Congress on the Undocumented Irish in June 2017. The Special Envoy served until the end of the 32nd Dail period (February 2020). The Special Envoy reported directly to the Department of An Taoiseach, with logistical support provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Special Envoy focused on...