Results 501-520 of 47,732 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland has an excellent bilateral relationship with Estonia. Irish-Estonian relations within the EU are positive and we are likeminded on many areas of EU policy, particularly on approaches to the Single Market, banking and capital markets unions, and the digital single market. I regularly engage with my Estonian counterpart, Minister Margus Tsahkna, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. In...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Latvia and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. We have a shared outlook across many areas of EU policy, including tax, single digital market, CAP and climate change. I regularly engage with my Latvian counterpart, Minister Baiba Braže, at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. Ireland has ongoing, high-level engagement with Latvia; Minister Braže visited Dublin last September...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Relations (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Lithuania and Ireland enjoy excellent bilateral relations. We have a shared outlook across so many areas of EU policy: on competitiveness, on trade and on solidarity with Ukraine. As we move closer to our Presidency of the Council of the European Union, I look forward to even closer cooperation with Lithuania, including exchanges at all levels of government, as Lithuania forms part of our EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: European Union (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland is a strong supporter of merit-based EU enlargement policy and believes that candidate countries should be permitted to join the EU once they meet all the necessary criteria. Ireland recognises Montenegro’s significant progress towards EU membership and notes its aim to join the EU in 2028. This would require it to close all remaining negotiating chapters during...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies applies to commercial and non-commercial State bodies. It does not apply directly to Government Departments. This Department does not have any state bodies operating under its aegis.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that the Irish citizens detained in Israel following their participation on the Global Sumud Flotilla were released and have all returned home. Following the detention of the citizens, officials from across my Department, including the Embassy in Tel Aviv, undertook intensive diplomatic efforts to secure this outcome, working in conjunction with international partners. An...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Irish citizens detained on the Global Sumud Flotilla have now departed Israel and have returned home. This welcome outcome was secured after intensive efforts by officials in my Department, including the Embassy team in Tel Aviv, working in conjunction with international partners. Throughout this period, our primary concern was to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The funding committed by Government to facilitate the delivery of a successful presidency for Ireland and the way in which this funding will be allocated to different departments, does not fall under the responsibility of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and this question is therefore not a matter for my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: EU Presidency (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the eighth time from 1 July to 31 December 2026. This will be an important opportunity for Ireland to lead and shape the European agenda, and the Government has made a firm commitment to resource and deliver a successful Presidency. The Government discussed Ireland’s approach to the preparation of the 2026 EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: International Protection (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I remain deeply concerned about the situation in Myanmar, especially in relation to the treatment of the Rohingya Muslims and other minorities. The Rohingya have been subject to continuous attacks, forced displacement, and abhorrent treatment over a period of years. More than 1 million Rohingya have been displaced to camps in Bangladesh since 2017, joining earlier waves of refugees. Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Maritime Jurisdiction (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: At their outset, it is important to note that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allows for all vessels, including military vessels, to transit through the territorial waters of coastal states when conducting innocent passage. Furthermore, naval vessels are permitted to conduct exercises outside of territorial waters in a country’s Exclusive Economic Zone so...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I am advised by the Defence Forces that the following is the information requested in respect of social media campaigns in each of the years 2023 to date in 2025.The objective of these campaigns is to raise awareness and generate interest in Tri-Service (Army, Naval Service and Air Corps) recruitment and to drive qualified and high quality application activity through targeted digital...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Advertising (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The military authorities have advised that there has been ongoing Tri-Service recruitment advertising activity and this has contributed to increased awareness of the Reserve Defence Force (RDF). The cost of such advertising campaigns in 2025 (as of 8 October) is as follows:Total advertising spend (excl. fees): €1,814,267.65 + VAT, Social media spend: €209,150.38 + VAT.The...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Defence Forces (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: Following on from the meeting referred to by the Deputy, I understand that some of the local schools have expressed an interest in potentially acquiring some of the lands in the barracks for future expansion. My Department is engaging with these schools on this matter. As the Deputy will appreciate I am most anxious to ensure that any local educational needs are meet with first and foremost...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Contracts (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together. The Department of Defence follows the principle of competitive tendering for Government contracts in accordance with national & EU regulations, including specific EU regulations for procurement of defensive equipment, and in line with Office of Government Procurement guidelines where relevant. Departmental procurement...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: National Security (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The tables below detail the number of Naval Service and Air Corps maritime patrols conducted in 2022, 2023, 2024 and to the end of August 2025. Naval Service Patrols 2022 2023 2024 2025 (as of end August) No. of patrols No. of patrols No. of patrols No. of patrols January ...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Expenditure (14 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies sets out the business and financial reporting requirements to be observed by State bodies. The Code aims to ensure commercial and non-commercial State bodies meet the highest standards of corporate governance. The Code does not apply to the financial accounts prepared annually for the Defence Vote Group (comprising of Vote 35 Army...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I am always open to engaging on a cross-party basis on this. I was with the First Minister for Northern Ireland in Hillsborough last night with representatives from western Balkan countries. We had a conversation about our peace process and the learnings from it for other parts of the world. It was a brief opportunity to talk to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in relation to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: The first thing I will do is read that EU report. Deputy Kelly was right to bring it to the attention of the House. We want to be leaders in terms of the structures we have here. We certainly do not want to be laggards. This matter sounds concerning from what he tells me, which I am not doubting. We have taken a number of measures in recent years in trying to establish the new structures...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Oct 2025)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy McAuliffe very much for raising this issue. We took an important step forward in this budget in moving towards the abolition of the means test with the increases in the thresholds to €1,000 for a single person and €2,000 for a couple. This is to show intent. We have not reached the destination yet. That destination is to abolish the means test. That is what...