Results 101-120 of 47,419 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Diplomatic Representation (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: A wide range of skills are required to carry out the functions of an Embassy and, to that end, the staffing profile of our Embassies include both posted staff and locally-hired staff. A total of 13 staff are currently employed by Ireland’s Embassy to Thailand. 10 members of the staff (77%) at the Embassy are fluent in both spoken and written Thai and all posted staff members have...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Birth Certificates (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008 ("the Act"), as amended. The 2008 Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to that person. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended, under which Irish citizenship may be obtained...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: All passport applications are subject to the provisions of the Passports Act 2008 ("the 2008 Act"), as amended. The 2008 Act provides, among other things, that a person must be an Irish citizen before a passport can be issued to that person. Entitlement to Irish citizenship is determined by the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956 ("the 1956 Act"), as amended, under which Irish...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Passport Service is successfully responding to demand, and has issued over 805,000 passports to date this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times. The turnaround times for passport applications are:10 working days for simple online adult renewals15 working days for complex or child online renewals20 working days...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Passport Service is successfully responding to demand, and has issued over 805,000 passports to date this year. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times. The turnaround times for passport applications are:10 working days for simple online adult renewals15 working days for complex or child online renewals20 working days...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Vacant Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not own or lease any properties within this jurisdiction. The Office of Public Works is responsible for all accommodation utilised by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade within the state.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The overarching goal of Government Action Plan on Market Diversification is to support Ireland’s businesses, through concerted actions by Departments and State agencies, to adapt to the global trading environment by striking out into new and diverse markets and deepening their engagement in existing markets. It arose out of discussions at the Government Trade Forum chaired by the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government welcomed the publication of the Joint Statement with the US and the degree of stability and certainty it brings in what has been a very difficult period for Irish and European exporters. However, we are also acutely aware of the impact of higher tariffs and the existing difficulties that many Irish exporters have already faced this year, as well as possible implications for the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Cybersecurity Policy (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The EU remains unwavering and unequivocal in its strong condemnation of the persistent malicious activities posed by Russia. These form part of broader, coordinated, and long-standing hybrid campaigns aimed at threatening and undermining the security, resilience and democratic foundations of the EU, its Member States and its partners. These acts include disruption to critical infrastructure,...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Relations (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland is engaged on fostering economic investment and trade with Ukraine where possible, and is supportive of examining opportunities for private sector investment and cooperation, particularly in the context of the country’s recovery and reconstruction. Ireland was represented at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Rome on 10 July by Neale Richmond T.D., Minister of State at the...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Agreements (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The European Commission put forward a number of proposals in September, one of which was to suspend the core trade-related provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. Ireland, along with a number of other Member States, has long argued for this measure, as the Agreement provides that the relations between the parties will be based on respect for human rights and democratic...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Budget 2026 (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation have not published 2026 Abridged Estimates Volumes for Votes 27 or 28. They have published the 2026 Expenditure Report ( ) The Department has three programmes and their 2026 gross expenditure allocations are as follows: Vote 27 Programme A - Work on Poverty and Hunger Reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Travel (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: By nature of my Department’s responsibilities, I am obliged to undertake a significant amount of official travel overseas. This includes visits to key bilateral partners and multilateral commitments, including attendance at European Union and United Nations meetings. The information you have requested regarding travel to-date in 2025 is provided in the table below. Date...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: EU Agreements (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Within the EU, it is accepted that defence and security is a national competence and that any decisions as regards EU defence arrangements, including any deepening of EU cooperation, require unanimity. It is the prerogative of Member States to make arrangements which serve their own national defence needs, which in lreland's case, is our traditional policy of military neutrality, as...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department makes use of the “eTenders" platform for its capital infrastructure procurement. This platform is managed by the Office of Government Procurement and as such there is no cost incurred to my Department for any tendering conducted on this platform. My  Department employs Design Teams on capital projects, who advise on a range of matters from building design to...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government is committed to making it as easy as possible for Irish emigrants to return to live and work in Ireland. Reducing barriers to returning emigrants has important implications for national competitiveness; in a growing Irish economy facilitating the return of skills will be of importance in sustaining economic growth. Work is underway in the Department of Foreign Affairs and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Vacant Properties (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The nature of the details requested are not readily available. I am advised that my officials are collating same and I will provide same directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The State’s investment in three C-295 aircraft and associated costs represents is a significant investment which serves as an indication of the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that all branches of the Defence Forces continue to retain a range of flexible conventional military capabilities to meet the roles assigned.  The C295 Military Patrol aircraft’s...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I am advised that the military authorities currently avail of external service providers to assist in the conversion training referred to by the Deputy. I am given to understand that same meets the current training requirements of the military authorities. This policy will be kept open to review as the fleet and associated training requirements develop in the coming years.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Data (21 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: My Department, with the Defence Forces, is developing  a series of masterplans for each Defence Forces installation, which will be developed to future-proof these locations for the next 20-30 years. The first such masterplan for the Airside in Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, was completed earlier this year and sets out a number of recommendations in relation to the development of the...