Results 881-900 of 45,281 for speaker:Simon Harris

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I genuinely did.

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: May I take it when I have finished?

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Will the clock be paused?

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I welcome that, but the motion published and publicised by Sinn Féin yesterday wrongly attributed comments to officials in my Department.

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I accept that, but it is important that Department of Foreign Affairs officials are not misrepresented in their comments. I stand by their integrity in what they say. I am submitting an amendment on behalf of the Government that sets out the full range of meaningful actions taken by the Government as well as our broad approach to important recent developments and current considerations....

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: They are major legal issues.

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: They have all been detailed and legal advices, including those of the legal adviser from the Department of Foreign Affairs, have been shared at the committee. We are happy to provide further detail. It is about getting legislation that is lawful, Deputy McDonald, not about pretending to do something for the sake of it. We must get this right. We must continue to work in that regard. The...

Situation in Palestine: Motion [Private Members] (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all the words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "welcomes the ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of hostages that has taken place to date; urges all parties to ensure full implementation of all phases of this agreement and commends the effort of stakeholders for their ongoing efforts as facilitators; deplores the loss of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 55 together. Secondments within the civil service are subject to the principles outlined in the Civil Service Secondments Policy and ‘Circular 27/2021: Secondment Policy for the Civil Service’. Moreover, in 2022, the Department of Foreign Affairs adopted a ‘Secondments Policy’ which maintains the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has endorsed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism as adopted by the IHRA plenary in Bucharest on the 26 May 2016: This Definition states: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government is continuing with the planned expansion of Ireland’s diplomatic network, in line with the Global Ireland Strategy: Ireland’s Global Footprint to 2025. Ireland's Consulate General in Milan opened on 9 September 2024, and will build on the important work of the Embassy of Ireland in Rome. Milan, which already hosts State agencies Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The promotion of freedom of religion or belief is a priority in Ireland’s human rights engagement at multilateral and bilateral levels. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (more commonly referred to as freedom of religion or belief) is a fundamental freedom, provided for under Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (5 Feb 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: Foreign Birth Registration (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department is responsible for processing Foreign Birth Registration (FBR) applications for people who are born abroad and claim Irish citizenship through a grandparent born in Ireland or through a parent who has claimed citizenship also through FBR, Naturalisation or Post Nuptial Citizenship. FBR applications are currently being processed within the normal turnaround time of 9 months...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Legislative Measures (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 29, 31 and 42 together. As set out in the Programme for Government, the situation in the Middle East remains a central foreign policy priority, notably advocating for a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine through the realisation of the two-State solution. Settlements are illegal under international law and undermine the realisation of the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: This case is a particularly difficult and challenging one and I appreciate how distressing it is for the family concerned. I am particularly conscious of how frustrating the continued delays to the conclusion of the trial have been. I want to reiterate my and the Irish Government’s support for the family in their quest for justice. I would like to acknowledge and commend their...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Policy (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: As was the case with the fraudulent 2020 and 2024 elections, the Belarusian presidential election on 26 January 2025 was neither free nor fair. The people of Belarus have once again been denied a real voice in the governing of their country. The relentless and unprecedented repression of human rights, restrictions on political participation and access to independent media in Belarus deprived...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Ministerial Responsibilities (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I will publish versions of the Ministerial briefs prepared by departmental officials for me as Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister of State with special responsibility for European Affairs and the Minister of State with special responsibility for International Development and Diaspora, with redactions made in line with the provisions of the Freedom of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: The high level ambition of the DFA Property Strategy (2022-2025) is ‘a network of high quality, safe, secure, sustainable workplaces to double Ireland’s global impact and influence to 2025 and beyond’. During 2024, the following refurbishment works were carried out in Embassies: Mission Nature of the Works Ankara New...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (5 Feb 2025)

Simon Harris: I attended my first EU Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) on 27 January last in Brussels. I was pleased to take the opportunity to have a number of bilateral meetings including with my counterparts from Czechia, Lithuania, Italy, and Spain. I has also had bilateral meeting the European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Sefcovic. I did not have an opportunity to meet with the...