Results 101-120 of 46,014 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: It’s important to note in addressing this question, that no new peace support operations have been approved by the UN Security Council since 2014. Operation Althea in Bosnia is a recent example where issues arose in 2022 around the continuation of a UNSC mandate for missions, where Ireland was faced with the possibility of having to withdraw our personnel from that mission as the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputy will be aware of Government's recent approval for the continued participation of Defence Forces personnel in UNIFIL for a further year, until May 2026. Both the Government and I strongly believe that Ireland’s continued participation in UNIFIL reflects our commitment to multilateralism and the maintenance of international peace and security and that the Mission is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: My priority as Minister for Defence is to ensure the operational capacity of the Naval Service, Air Corps and Army is maintained and developed. This is to enable the Defence Forces to carry out the roles assigned by Government, as set out in the White Paper on Defence. Equipment priorities for the Naval Service, Air Corps and Army are continuously considered in the context of the capability...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 49 and 56 together. I can advise the Deputy that the following accommodation projects at an estimated cost of some €60m are being progressed or completed during 2025 will provide 715 beds with a further €12.5m being provided to the Defence Forces on a fully delegated basis for the purposes of maintenance of the current building stock....

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Given the importance of protecting the subsea domain and the commitment received from Government, there is a significant body of work already underway to ensure that the Defence Forces have the required capabilities with equipment projects in various stages of the project lifecycle. The Naval Service currently operate ROV’s which provide a search capability. As part of the ongoing...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised me that as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such information is available, the strength of the Permanent Defence Force stood at 7,512. I am further advised that there were a total of 419 personnel in training, comprising 145 2* Privates, 91 cadets, 28 Apprentices and 155 recruits. Interest in a career in the Defence Forces remains robust...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The former barracks in Nenagh is no longer required for military purposes and my Department does not have any long terms plans to use this facility. Accordingly, my Department wrote to Tipperary County Council offering to transfer the property in question for a nominal sum, having regard to its central location in Nenagh and its historical ties to the town. However, the Council declined the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 54 and 58 together. The military authorities have advised that, as of 30 April 2025, the latest date for which such figures are available, the effective strength of Second Line Reserve was 1,618 personnel and the strength of the First Line Reserve stood at 173 personnel. The Defence Forces Office of Reserve Affairs (ORA) was established in line with a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Given the extent of the historical data requested by the Deputy, it has not been possible to collate the date within the time provided. I will arrange to have same forwarded to the Deputy shortly.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The creation of a new enlisted rank of Lance-Corporal, in the Army and Air Corps, with consideration to be given as to whether there is a need for an equivalent rank in the Naval Service, was recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CoDF recommendation #20, February 2022). As set out in the Detailed Implementation Plan for the Commission on the Defence Forces report, this...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The information sought by the Deputy is as follows. Funding Allocation 2021 – €37m 2022 – €45m 2023 – €55m 2024 – €56m 2025 – €62.5m The following projects listed below are the Capital Projects that are currently being managed by the Department. The Deputy may also wish to note that my Department also allocates...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Since my appointment as Minister for Defence earlier this year, in addition to a programme of cultural transformation, which is well underway, my focus has been on stabilising the numbers of Defence Force personnel and facilitating the capacity for further increases. The Deputy will appreciate that retention levels are not influenced by a single factor, but rather that there are multiple,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Strategies (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Resilience of Critical Entities Regulations transposed the EU Critical Entities Resilience Directive that is part of a European Union-wide effort to increase the resilience of essential services that provide vital societal functions in all Member states. A key element of the new regulation is the development of a strategy for the Resilience of Critical Entities. My Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Significant progress has been made, in terms of the pay and conditions for Defence Force personnel, particularly over the last five (5) 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 on 1 August 2025, will positively affect members of the Defence Forces. For context, in...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I am advised that following a tentative enquiry from the Department of Transport in this regard, the military authorities have advised that given their current operational and training requirements they would not have the capacity to assist in this regard. My officials have conveyed this position to the Department of Transport.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: A key priority for me as Minister for Defence is to ensure that the operational capacity of the Defence Forces is maintained and developed in line with the Government’s decision to move to level of ambition LOA2, as defined by the Commission on the Defence Forces (CODF), by 2028. The CODF recommended the development of a primary radar capability to ensure that Ireland can maintain...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The strength of the Air Corps, as at 30 April 2025, stood at 724 personnel of an agreed establishment strength of 886 personnel. A General Service recruitment competition for Air Corps recruits specifically, was launched in November 2022 and remains open all year long for applications. In 2024 46 General Service Recruits were inducted into the Air Corp, which compares favourably to the 10...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Commission on the Defence Forces report was published on the 9th of February 2022. The Commission undertook a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommended significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Pensions (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The Army Pensions Acts 1923-1980 constitute a military occupational injuries code which operates separately from, but in addition to, the Defence Forces retirement benefit superannuation provisions. The Acts primarily provide for disability pensions, and other allowances and gratuities, and they further allow for the award of a Dependent’s Allowance to the widow, children and other...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Public Sector Pensions (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Defence Forces superannuation arrangements differ in a number of key respects to the wider public service. Distinct features include lower mandatory retirement ages or upper service limits, earlier ages with entitlement to immediate pension benefit, and atypical faster rates of benefit accrual. These all serve to support military manpower policy and operational requirements The military...