Results 101-120 of 45,281 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the terms of the Passports Act, 2008, as amended (“the Act“). The Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to that person. To meet this requirement, each passport applicant must demonstrate an entitlement to Irish citizenship by providing acceptable documentary evidence of...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The information requested by the Deputy with regard to both my engagements and those for Ministers of State Richmond and Byrne for the week ending 23 March 2025 is set out in the following tables: Tánaiste: Monday March 17th Irish Arts Centre in New York - meeting, tour and speech to community leaders Mayor’s...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Meetings (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Gender Recognition Act comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. I am advised by the Department of Social Protection that the report of the Review Group for the Gender Recognition Act under section 7 of the Act included, at recommendation 2A, that legal recognition should be made available to people who are non-binary. This recommendation will, in part,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Passport Service has issued over 290,000 passports to date this year. The Passport Service is currently experiencing a high level of demand for passports, as citizens prepare for upcoming summer travel. Thanks to my Department’s operational and staffing plans, the Passport Service is successfully responding to the current level of demand. I would ask the Deputy to encourage her...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Projects (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department is currently compiling the significant volume of information requested by the Deputy and will respond in full as soon as the required information has been collated.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry has been established to examine the effectiveness of the complaints processes in the Defence Forces concerning workplace issues relating to discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. The Tribunal also has the power to investigate the response to complaints made regarding the use of hazardous chemicals within Air...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy may be aware that a consultant was commissioned by the Defence Forces to assess the condition of the vacant housing in barracks, including those in the Curragh Camp and its suitability for conversion/refurbishment to provide for additional single living-in accommodation for Defence Force personnel. My officials will be reporting to me with recommendations on how to proceed...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The following table shows the number of personnel admitted to the Permanent Defence Force for each of the past five years, by gender: Year Male Female Total 2020 494 44 538 2021 532 44 576 2022 398 37 435 2023 378 37...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together. The Curragh Museum located within the Defence Forces Training Centre, Curragh Camp displays historic items of significance with regard to the State and the Defence Forces. My Department does not have a role in the operation of the Museum and does not provide direct funding in respect of same. The Museum is operated on a voluntary basis...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Staff (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: Two Special Advisers were assigned to support me in my role as Minister for Defence in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Management Act 1997. Their salary is aligned to the Civil Service Principal Officer salary scale. These appointments will be subject to forthcoming Government approval. Details in relation to each incoming Special Adviser will be laid before the Houses...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: United Nations (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: To answer the Deputy's question, the Defence (Amendment) Act 2006 primarily concerned the authorisation of the despatch of contingents or members of the Permanent Defence Force for service outside the state, under a range of duties including as part of an International United Nations Force, as sanctioned by a resolution of the Security Council or the General Assembly of the United Nations. ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together. I am advised by the military authorities that as at 28 February 2025, the latest date for which such figures are available, the whole time equivalent strength of female personnel in the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) stood at 565 or 7.5% of the total strength of 7,502 personnel. In line with current policies and commitments, a number...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: There are no vacant or derelict buildings owned by my Department in the area referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Meetings (8 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Gender Recognition Act comes under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. I am advised that the report of the Review Group for the Gender Recognition Act included a recommendation that legal recognition should be made available to people who are non-binary. This recommendation will, in part, be informed by an impact assessment on existing legislation that would...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for bringing this situation to my attention. It must be a very stressful time for Filip, his mother Kasia and the family, made all the more stressful by this confusion, to put it mildly. I suggest that the Deputy, with the family's permission, send the details to my office and I will link with the Minister for Health and the head of the HSE and l ask that they provide...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for the important question. I will ask the Minister with responsibility for older people to meet her to discuss what more can be done. We are spending more on home support now than ever before. The home support budget for this year is the largest ever at €840 million, delivering more than 24 million hours of home support to more than 60,000 people at any one...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy and I join him in thanking Colin Dempsey for his work on this project and bringing it to the Deputy's attention, and the Deputy, in turn, bringing it to the attention of the Dáil. He is right that everyone wants to see an efficient public transport system but other issues also matter. Safety and inclusion also matter. As we go about out daily lives, all of us want...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy. I do indeed know Carnew well as I represented it until the Electoral Commission took it off me. I am sure it is well represented now. Regarding IPAS centres, I am not familiar with that one. It is always important that communities are informed. However, I am also very proud to live in a county that has welcomed so many people from migrant communities and people...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy is right. Survivors should never read that information third-hand or in the media. The Minister, Deputy Foley, shares that view. I will speak to her about what can be done to update the survivors directly and to apologise for any way in which that information has been disseminated and put into the public domain in a way that is not sensitive to the survivors and does not attach...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Apr 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising the issue and I thank Mick Finnegan for his incredible advocacy on this issue. He has been in Leinster House on many occasions because of his advocacy work. I sincerely thank him for that. I will speak directly to the Minister involved and I will come back to the Deputy.