I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak about budget 2027, in particular the measures that support artificial intelligence, digital transformation and a regulatory framework that underpins trust, innovation and competitiveness across our economy. Artificial intelligence presents one of the greatest opportunities for productivity, competitiveness and economic growth. That is why I am particularl…
TDs / Niamh Smyth
Niamh Smyth
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment
Portrait: Niamh Smyth (CC BY 4.0) · source file
994
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
67,002
words spoken in the chamber
67,002 as a minister, 0 as a TD
328
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
161
topics asked about
Across 19 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 994 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 160 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 41 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 40 | 24 |
| March 2025 | 61 | 0 |
| April 2025 | 59 | 1 |
| May 2025 | 47 | 3 |
| June 2025 | 30 | 6 |
| July 2025 | 34 | 10 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 101 | 26 |
| October 2025 | 46 | 2 |
| November 2025 | 61 | 15 |
| December 2025 | 39 | 0 |
| January 2026 | 45 | 15 |
| February 2026 | 51 | 4 |
| March 2026 | 63 | 4 |
| April 2026 | 56 | 3 |
| May 2026 | 56 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 58 | 8 |
| July 2026 | 35 | 14 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 59 | 12 |
| October 2026 | 12 | 1 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 110 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Worked out by computer from the subject headings of each TD's questions, giving more weight to headings few TDs use. It shows shared subjects, not shared views.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Cavan-Monaghan 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment 29 January 2025 to 1 June 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 2 June 2025 to now
I thank Deputy Boland for her very important question. Supporting the growth and internationalisation of small indigenous exporters is a key priority for my Department. Through Enterprise Ireland and the local enterprise office network, whose mandate includes supporting small businesses to develop and grow, our Department provides a continuum of supports to assist businesses at every stage of their export journey.
O…
I concur with those sentiments. From dealing with businesses, I know that the jump when you go from an LEO to Enterprise Ireland can be a challenge because a business may not meet the criteria. We are looking at all of that within the upcoming budget to see what we can do to make sure our agencies do not allow anyone to fall through the cracks as a result of the criteria businesses must meet when moving from the loca…
The point the Deputy raised about supporting businesses so they are not going to three different agencies for the same type of support, and having that co-ordination, goes right back to the ethos of what the Minister, Deputy Burke, has been trying to do on diversification and simplification. For a long time, we know businesses have felt burdened by the bureaucracy that can be involved in going after these grant appli…
I thank Deputy Cahill for his really important question on the hospitality sector. As set out in A New Era for Irish Tourism: National Tourism Policy Statement, the Government will continue to take all feasible steps to reduce the administrative burden for SMEs and the costs of compliance. This recognises that many small businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector can face productivity challenges arising from ad…
The action plan for competitiveness and productivity published last September includes a range of measures to ensure a more effective regulatory system, supporting sustainable economic growth while controlling overall cost levels. This includes a red tape challenge across government to reduce the regulatory and administrative burden for all SMEs, including those in the hospitality sector.
In July, the Taoiseach toge…
Certainly people in Kerry will not be lost while the Deputy is here to keep the flag flying for them. The Minister, Deputy Burke, has done incredible work on this. As I already said, he and the Taoiseach wrote to all Departments and Government agencies to ensure that they eliminate all unnecessary administrative burdens that hinder enterprise growth. One of the key highlights in that was the grant simplification. The…
Enterprise Ireland supported the owners of the factory in Carrickmacross over a number of years as they sought to establish themselves as an infant formula and nutritional powders manufacturer. In March 2025, the company informed Enterprise Ireland that the business was no longer viable in Ireland due to inflationary pressures and market conditions.
As a result, the owners of the factory took the decision to sell th…
I thank the Deputy. As he knows, we have sat down together and spoken about this and with Enterprise Ireland. It is owned by a private company. Yes, Enterprise Ireland did support and give financial support to the current owners, but it never got up and running, as he knows, in terms of what the original vision had been from the people who own it currently. I consistently keep in close contact with Enterprise Ireland…
The Deputy equally knows my very good colleague, Councillor PJ O'Hanlon in Carrickmacross. As we call him lovingly-----
He is lovingly known as Mr. Carrickmacross. However, as the Deputy well knows, Councillor O'Hanlon, along with the Deputy and his brother, who is an energetic councillor on the ground there too, are doing everything they possibly can to try. It has to be said that we are doing everything we possibly can. It is not an Enterprise Ireland building or an Enterprise Ireland facility. It is there as a Government agency to …
-----and throwing the net for as far and wide as we possibly can to try and ensure this. Ultimately, I want to get new buyers into it. I want to get new employment to the area. Carrickmacross is a growing town-----
----- with growing population and there is a talented and skilled workforce there. I want to see that there are new buyers in it. I assure the Deputy of that. I am sure he would be happy to come and cut the ribbon with me.
I thank Deputy Gould for his passionate presentation this morning about bus services in Cork. I am really disappointed to hear the technology is failing passengers and bus drivers, with apps not working. We are in a day of digitalisation and digital transformation and I am in disbelief about that. I will certainly see if there is anything from my end that we can do on that. The Deputy raised the condition of the buse…
I am glad the Deputy presented different figures from those provided in the information from the NTA. I have taken note of that because the Deputy has presented different figures for the flat fee and the 26% increase. However, I have to be factual and say to him that there are State agencies in this country that have absolute responsibility. The NTA has responsibility for the regulation of fares. It is important to o…
I thank the Deputy for his heartfelt contribution. The proposal is to reform the tax saver commuter ticket scheme to include private shared mobility services. As somebody from a rural area where we totally rely on bus services, it sounds like a novel thing to have the shared mobility model of bikes, cars and all the rest. It is way beyond what we experience in more rural parts, but it is wonderful to hear about it fr…
I appreciate the sentiment of the Deputy's contribution and I do not disagree with any of it. Particularly when we look at digitalisation and the travel wallet, all of that should be considered. I will re-emphasise to the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Transport to perhaps look at this as a pilot programme.
In considering proposals in respect of all tax expenditures, the Government must be mindful of the …
I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. It seems absolutely ludicrous that this service was being provided to children aged over six and that Tusla was happy to allow it to continue but that things have suddenly changed. Deputy Lahart is right that transparency for parents is incredibly important, as is having certainty and predictability in respect of the service into the future. In today's world, we cannot lea…
I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality.
I totally concur with the Deputies' appraisal of the response to the effect that there is an avenue open now for Tusla, the provider and the Department of education to sit down and find a pathway forward. There may be a narrow window, but anything can be done within six weeks. It would seem deeply unfair that, because there may be discrepancies related to two children, 60 children and their wider network of family, p…
I thank the Deputy, including for the energy he brings to the Oireachtas committee with responsibility for enterprise. He and his colleagues come from a genuine business background, so he is speaking from experience. That makes a huge difference at Oireachtas committees and in feeding into the work of the Department with me, the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the other Minister of State, Deputy Dillon. It is very helpfu…
I thank the Deputy very much for his presentation. It is very heartfelt but, equally important, it comes from his experience in both business and on the committee. I take his point on the effectiveness of LEOs. We can see some LEOs being hugely effective but maybe that is not the same across the country. We may need to do a mapping exercise to see the effectiveness of all our LEOs across the country. I concur with hi…
I thank the Deputy very much for raising this important issue. I pay my respects and express my condolences to the family of Ann Widdecombe. It was a shocking and heinous crime that happened to her. It is the same thing for the lady in Killarney. However, the points the Deputy raised are so true and accurate. Social media platforms fuel this.
To allow comments like that to sit on the account of somebody who has lost…
The Deputy is right - it should not be there. It only encourages more of it and sends the wrong message to young people. I would appeal to the social media companies, particularly in the case the Deputy has raised this morning, that it be removed immediately. I am going to go and look at the Instagram account he raised today. It is shocking. We have strong regulation in place and I would appeal to the social media co…
I will begin by thanking Deputy Ó Snodaigh for bringing forward this Private Members' motion. I thank the artists and the delegation I had the privilege of meeting earlier on today. I will also mention Senator Frances Black, who has, since I have come into this role, been articulate and mobilised on this issue. Gabhaim buíochas le gach duine.
I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic following the ta…