Results 1,341-1,360 of 47,288 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defence Forces (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Although it is a phrase I might not use too often, Deputy Crowe is right. This is a real issue which he has rightly challenged. We have made very good progress on recruitment and retention in the Defence Forces, but we have a lot more to do. The Deputy's question gets to the heart of the fact that the statistics I can quote belie or ignore the fact there are real pinch points in respect...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: In fairness to the Deputy, he put me on notice that he is going to raise this issue on each and every occasion, quite rightly and understandably considering the seriousness of it. As I set out previously, and as I am obliged to set out every time this question is posed to me, and despite the constructive way in which the question has been put forward, any discussions we might seek to have or...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I will very much take away the point made by the Deputy there in respect of a lack of engagement because my note tells me there is an ongoing process of engagement. Clearly, both cannot be factually true. I will, therefore, personally undertake to clarify this point with the State Claims Agency and I am happy to revert to the Deputy. As I said, my officials have begun an exploratory...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: When the time is right and the advice to me is that it is appropriate for me to have meetings, I will be very happy to engage. I obviously have the Deputy in a separate and distinct category as the spokesperson on defence for the largest Opposition party. I am happy to engage with him to see if we can constructively make progress. I will ask, and I have already asked, that we look at the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He is right that there have been real challenges in terms of pinch points regarding specific positions our Air Corps is fundamentally reliant on and the air traffic controllers is the most obvious and current example. In fairness to my predecessors in this role, I point out that the context has changed significantly even since that 2021 report. We...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: Inconsistency

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputies for their concerted engagement. I definitely did not use the word "hypocrisy". I know the depth of feeling that people have in relation to Gaza. I am just making the point that there is an inconsistency - I think that is the word I used - in relation to it. I do not want to use a loaded phrase because I have huge respect for people who are quite rightly highlighting...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The courts.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The courts arbitrate on our law, Irish courts. They are the arbitrator of any law passed here and ensure that the Government of the day, any Government of any hue - the Deputy might be in government one day - keeps within the laws of the land as passed by the Oireachtas. The law is arbitrated on by the Irish courts, not any Government. There is an arbitrator and it is our courts system. ...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire for raising this important matter. It provides me with an opportunity to set out the position and the immediate steps that I and the Government have taken to ensure that air traffic control services operating at Baldonnel are restored to full service. Initial indications from the military authorities were received by my Department in May on the likelihood...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: The service commitment scheme has been referenced for a number of years, from my recollection, and it is no more than my recollection. I believe it might have surfaced around 2021 in a list of recommendations but I am open to correction on that year. Generally, the way of progressing these issues is through local bargaining. In fairness, the Deputy will recognise that normally the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: On the latter point, I do not. I have been assured that contingency arrangements are in place. The Deputy is right about how we need to look more at the pinch points in our Defence Forces in general, and I will come back to this in a moment. I expect significant restoration of services at Baldonnel to happen very rapidly. I expect that to be the case because in my conversations with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Military Neutrality (12 Jun 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions No. 2 and 4 together. I thank Deputy Gibney for the question. As she is aware and has alluded to, I brought forward the general scheme of the defence (amendment) Bill 2025, which amends the legislation underpinning overseas deployments of the Defence Forces. This was agreed by Cabinet on 4 March. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the...

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

Simon Harris: The Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) is statutory position, provided for in the Defence Acts, and clearly distinguishable from other posts, at the rank of Colonel. Defence Force Regulation (DFR) 02/2020, provides that the holder of the post of Director of Military Prosecutions (DMP) cannot be a member of a Representative Association. The prohibition on membership was provided for...

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

Simon Harris: Since the 1990s, the long-standing policy of the organisation has been to withdraw from the provision of married quarters for serving personnel. This policy approach remains reflective of the State’s move away from the historic provision of tied housing for State employees. The move away from this provision was accepted by senior military management at the time and has been...

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

Simon Harris: Where any operational deployments are proposed to participate in an overseas peacekeeping mission, , the assessment of any such request involves a number of important considerations, not least its compliance with Irish law and our foreign policy. Other elements include the consent of the host nation, trust in partners in the operation and that the operation operates in accordance with...

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

Simon Harris: The Commission on the Defence Forces recommended in its 2022 report 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, the Reserve Defence Force and funding. The Detailed Implementation Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces sets out...

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

Simon Harris: For a number of years, my Department has had one service commitment scheme in place in respect of the Air Corps pilots which has proved to be a successful retention measure. The Deputy will be aware that an issue has arisen in relation to recent retirements of specialised personnel working in Air Traffic Control. Following engagement with my colleague Minister for Public Expenditure and...

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

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised 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. Figures provided for 2024 and to date in 2025 indicate a plateauing of the strength. There were 708 personnel inducted in 2024, the highest in over five years. While it is positive that numbers are...

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

Simon Harris: My colleague the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has the lead role for cyber security in Ireland, with inputs in the security domain from An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. The National Cyber Security Centre, which is part of that Department is the authority responsible for cyber security in the State, including incident response, cyber resilience and...