Simon Harris

I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire and we need to keep the sanctions regime under review. We remain fully committed in Europe and in Ireland to keeping in place the sanctions that are already in place. We have had an unprecedented number of rounds of sanctions and Ireland wants to continue to work with European counterparts to make sure any loopholes or agility that exists in respect of those sanctions ar…

In this moment of agreement, let me add two things. Membership of the European Union for Ukraine is a positive, constructive role Ireland can play. We are a supporter of Ukraine's journey to EU membership and we need to continue to be because that, in and of itself, is a security guarantee to ensure Ukraine can have a future within the European Union. Second, peace and solidarity costs money and t…

I agree fully with Deputy Ó Laoghaire. We had engagement with his party last Tuesday, I think, specifically with Deputy Doherty, on this, and those lines of communication must and will remain open. It is important that every Member of this House, every political party, whether Government or Opposition, and every stakeholder is kept informed on the facts. Then it is for all of us to make informed c…

The Deputy is correct that we have made a submission on the original list, if you like, that is, the tariffs that would be due to be reactivated. That is what submissions were invited on. I am not sure whether the letter is published. I am happy to share it with the Deputy. In that we highlighted our particular concerns about dairy and the drinks industry. I think they were the two particular area…

I think that is right. I assure the Deputy that the Government at a whole variety of levels, including at political levels - the Taoiseach, myself, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, others as well, I am sure - and at agency level like the IDA, together with our embassy network, is in ongoing contact with all the major companies. They are also represented …

I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this question on behalf of Deputy Smith who has, as Deputy Moynihan has said, a long and active interest in these areas. Next month marks the 51st anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, devastating acts of violence in which 34 people, including an unborn baby, were killed and hundreds of people were injured. At the memorial event to mark the 50th anniv…

I thank Deputies Moynihan and Carthy. I will reiterate Deputy Moynihan's call in respect of Belturbet. I will also say very clearly that I expect all authorities to co-operate fully. That is why extraordinary steps were taken in 2022 by the then Minister for Justice to put in place a bespoke mechanism to allow relevant information from An Garda Síochána to be shared with Operation Denton. This ass…

I join with Deputy Carthy in praising and commending Justice for the Forgotten and thanking it for its work. I assure him that, on behalf of the Irish Government and this House and in recognition of the mandate of the four all-party motions, I will continue to raise my voice at every opportunity in every engagement with the British Government, including the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland,…

This is obviously a similar question to the one I answered for the Deputy's party colleague, Deputy Ó Laoghaire, but I am happy to answer again. The programme for Government sets out a commitment to progress legislation regarding the occupied Palestinian territories following the July 2024 International Court of Justice advisory opinion. I was the Taoiseach who requested specific bespoke advice fr…

The answer is the same: I intend to bring forward legislation as outlined in the programme for Government in relation to the occupied Palestinian territories. The substance of that legislation will be a matter for scrutiny, discussion and decision by this and the other House. My next step is to meet the Senator who is the sponsor of the original occupied territories Bill. We have been in contact a…

I am happy to discuss the content of the legislation when we publish it. I want to engage with the sponsor of the Bill. We have engaged in good faith. I think the Deputy was on the committee at the time when my predecessor, the now Taoiseach, was the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We have engaged in providing information. I want to take stock now of where that is at with the latest legal advice and…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 131, 144, 145, 150 and 157 together. I thank Deputy Boland for this question. I reiterate that I deeply regret the US decision to impose tariffs on steel, aluminium and derivative products from the EU and other trade partners, effective from 12 March last. I am also aware of the announcement by the US Administration on 26 March of its plans to introduce tariffs ag…

Deputy Boland is right on both fronts. We are very lucky that Maroš Šefčovič is the Commissioner. He is a very experienced Commissioner who knows this country well through his previous roles during the Brexit time. He is an engaging, consummate individual and he is in fairness already engaging with the US Administration. He was in DC last Monday. He spoke to the commerce secretary and met him jus…

I thank Deputy Aird. He is right, and before I get directly to the trade impact on agriculture and the work of the trade forum, it is why it is so important that we are going to do even more to support Irish agriculture because there is not a more indigenous industry than agriculture, agrifood and our farming sector. That is why will have to work together on a number of the issues the Deputy has b…

I very much agree with Deputy Aird. First, with regard to dairy, that is why, when we were looking at the list of tariffs that may be reactivated by the European Union, specifically in my submission to the European Commission on behalf of the Government I highlighted the dairy concern we had and also the drinks industry concern. On foot of what the Deputy said, I will make sure that in the work pr…

I absolutely will. The principal purpose of the trade forum is to bring representative groups and relevant Ministers, Departments and agencies around the table. I am pleased to say that a full and permanent member of the trade forum is our Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon. Also represented on that are his senior officials, the Secretary General of the Department of agri…

I thank Deputy Ó Cearúil for the question. My Department publishes advice for outward travel in respect of more than 200 countries and territories. The advice provides an objective assessment of the risks individuals could face if travelling overseas. This is done with a view to trying to help them to make informed decisions for themselves. The advice is based on consultation with our embassies an…

If the Deputy wants to send me on details, I would be happy to use them as examples, albeit anonymised, with which to engage on this matter. As he rightly said, our two countries, Ireland and the United States, have deep and strong bilateral relations built on a rich foundation of ancestral ties. We have economic, diplomatic and political links, including the long-standing US support for peace on …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 135 and 136 together. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I would like to reflect on it and come back to him with an informed view after I meet with Senator Black and my team in the Department to decide the best way to advance the commitment in the programme for Government. I acknowledge the Deputy's deep interest in this matter. I am deeply concerned by th…

I am happy to take the details of the case Deputy Heneghan mentioned and to engage with him directly on it. I thank Deputy Callaghan for her service in Óglaigh na hÉireann and for her tour of duty. I am glad to have her in my party, on our team and in the Dáil, bringing her experience of having served in Lebanon. Just by visiting, I got a an insight that is not even a fraction of what she would h…

On my trip to Lebanon, of course I took the opportunity to raise the case of Private Seán Rooney, a stark reminder of the 48 people who have lost their lives serving with Óglaigh na hÉireann on tours of duty in Lebanon. We think of Seán Rooney and his family and we continue in our quest for justice and truth. I raised that with the defence Minister and the foreign Minister. I handed over a letter …

I propose to take Questions Nos. 138 and 161 together. I thank Deputy Clendennen for this question, which is timely because now more than ever, at a time when some countries are choosing to look inwards, it is so important that Ireland continues to look outwards and increase our global footprint. Global Ireland 2025 was launched by the Government in 2018 with the aim of doubling Ireland’s footpri…

Deputy Clendennen is so right. Not only should we be extraordinarily proud of our diaspora, as we are, but as a country we have done quite a good job of keeping the links and investing. Other countries ask Ireland about our diaspora strategies and how they can learn from and work with us on that. Ours is one of the few countries that has an emigrant support programme, where we provide relatively s…

Deputy Clendennen is so right. That regional aspect is important to all that we do, making sure that we drive jobs and investment but also cultural and people-to-people links, not just with the big cities but also with the regions of Ireland and counties like Offaly. I would be very happy to work with the Deputy, chambers of commerce, Offaly County Council and others on how we might explore that a…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 151 together. Last month, I had the honour of visiting and representing the Government in the iconic Irish-American cities of Philadelphia and New York. I was delighted to join Mayor Cherelle Parker and the people of Philadelphia to march in their St. Patrick's day parade. I met with a number of community groups and laid a wreath at the Philadelphia Irish …