Results 161-180 of 47,691 for speaker:Simon Harris

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: That is a space in which I am willing to and wanting to engage. I fully accept quite clearly that we do not agree on the issue of changing the role of the triple lock. I think the Deputy's position is to leave things as they are. I do not say that flippantly. I think that is the Deputy's position. My position is that we are going to change it. I am very happy to have a conversation...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: To military neutrality, which has not changed.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I would like make a point about last year's general election. This gets mentioned a lot. In fairness to my predecessor, who is now Taoiseach, the process and the policy process of changing the triple lock was advanced in the previous Government. The Deputies will remember the comments of Micheál Martin in the previous Government. When we then went before the people - Fianna Fáil...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The short answer is "No". I was enquiring about this recently. I have seen some media speculation in relation to this. I have been honest with the House. A major opportunity and challenge for the Defence Forces is going to be to secure a multi-role vessel programme and the upgrading of that. That is where the focus is and will remain. I am happy to provide that clarity. My priority as...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I am conscious when I read out the answers that a lot of these numbers and the likes are quite technical for people following this debate. I largely agree with what the Deputy has said. The replacement of the flagship LÉ Eithne with a multi-role vessel is what is provided for in the equipment development programme. It is also what is provided for in the recommendations of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Naval Service (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Gibney very much. The point she raised around undersea cables - we may have a question on it later - is an important one because we need to have a better awareness of what is happening below our seas. The MRV programme can do that as can the radar programme. The rollout of that radar programme is priority one, two and three. It is a programme that will start to be rolled...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 4 together. The committee did a very good job. The timeline for pre-legislative scrutiny is set down by the Standing Orders of this House, to the best of my knowledge. The committee kept to those timelines and produced a comprehensive report, and I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and all members of the committee for their work on that. As the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The Deputies cannot pick and choose which mandates they like. I have a mandate - a very clear and a very large mandate - from the people of Wicklow and I have a mandate from-----

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: No, but I have a mandate to bring forward legislative proposals. I have a mandate to table draft laws, as do the Deputies opposite. I have a mandate to debate and discuss those laws, and my mandate is perfectly valid, as is the mandate of every Member of this House. The Deputies cannot pick and choose which mandates they like. We tend not to talk about the President in this House. I will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I am not sure it was a majority, though.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh – Priority Questions: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: That is good.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 16 together. I am advised that the strength of the Permanent Defence Force as of the 30 September 2025 stood at 7,641 personnel. Government has introduced several key enabling measures to support and bolster Defence Forces recruitment and retention. These include increases in the maximum ages of recruitment and retirement respectively, the...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: The Government approved a move to Level of Ambition 2 (LOA2), as recommended by the Commission on the Defence Forces in July, 2022. As part of that decision, the Government committed to increasing the funding allocated to defence to €1.5 billion (at January 2022 prices) by 2028, to be agreed through the annual Estimates process. To date, this has delivered a funding increase of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Security (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 17, 27, 49 and 59 together. The Defence Forces routinely carry out monitoring and surveillance of Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) using both Naval Service assets and Air Corps maritime patrol aircraft. In addition to at sea monitoring, the Naval Operations Command Centre in Haulbowline carries out remote monitoring twenty four hours a day,...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 61 and 68 together. Members of the Permanent Defence Forces, as well as An Garda Síochána, Firefighters and Prison Officers are categorised as members of the ‘Uniformed Fast Accrual’ cohort. The uniformed grades have certain enhanced benefits that other members of the public service do not have, in recognition of their earlier...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Security (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: Protecting undersea cables and infrastructure requires a multifaceted approach with different capabilities working in coordination to firstly detect an undersea threat, localise it, classify it and even track it as it moves through the water. The Government has committed to measures to protect undersea cables and infrastructure and the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces have a...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter with me today. It follows on from discussions we have had earlier in the year, on the question of the scope of the options available to me, in circumstances where there are a number of ongoing litigation cases.I would like to reiterate to the Deputy, that the ultimate priority for me and for the Defence Forces is the protection of the health and...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 63 and 65 together. A record €1.5 billion was allocated in Defence funding in Budget 2026.This is an increase of €145 million (11%) in the Defence group allocation compared to 2025 which represents an increase of €383 million (35%) to the Defence Vote Group since 2022. A significant current spending allocation of €873...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Air Corps (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for his interest in the development of Casement Aerodrome and for the opportunity to discuss the progress that has been made there. To date, 8 capital projects have also been completed at Casement Aerodrome at a combined cost of over €10 million. There is currently one project under construction, the Military Medical Facility Building, at a cost of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (6 Nov 2025)

Simon Harris: In accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Management Act, 1997, the Secretary General is required to submit a new Strategy Statement, for Ministerial approval, within six months of the appointment of a new Minister. The current Department of Defence and Defence Forces Strategy Statement was forwarded to the me within this period and formally approved in July 2025 and covers the...