Niamh Smyth

I move amendment No. 4: In page 4, line 13, to delete “reasonable.”,” and substitute the following: “reasonable. (3F) Subject to subsection (3G), a party to an order under subsection (3E) or (3H) may apply to the Circuit Court to vary that order where a change in circumstances has occurred since the order was made, relevant to the particulars of that order. (3G) An application under subsection…

I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(i) in paragraph (a), by the substitution of “this section, or” for “this section,”,”.

I thank the Deputy for these amendments; however, they go beyond the scope of this Bill. They seek to amend the Copyright and Related Rights Act to state which collective management organisation has the ultimate decision-making authority as to how equitable remuneration is divided among either performers or producers. This extends beyond the scope of the Bill. This matter was the subject of a long…

The Deputy does not have to.

I thank the Deputy for his amendment and for raising this point. It has been raised with my officials by RAAP, an organisation that represents performers, in a submission and in a meeting with it. The Government attaches great importance to ensuring Ireland’s national copyright law is in line with our obligations under international and EU law. This is a point which, to my knowledge, has been rais…

Given the already considerable delays in getting this small but complex Bill to this stage, it cannot be further delayed. It is a complex point on the interplay between national, EU and international copyright law and international conventions. It requires careful consideration if required, to ensure no unintended consequences arise from any amendments.

I will begin by thanking colleagues around the House for their understanding that I could not be here at the very beginning of the debate. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, for taking the reins. I thank colleagues who made contributions here today, which were all very heartfelt. This week has shown how we can react and respond. It is not just about reacting. I will take up a cou…

I thank the Deputy very much for her important question. The programme for Government sets out a strong enterprise and fiscal framework that prioritises economic and employment growth and competitiveness. I am pleased to report that the Irish labour market saw sustained employment growth, rising labour force participation and record job numbers last year, indicative of a resilient performance. In…

I thank the Deputy. As she will hear in my response, I acknowledge the fact, laid out in the CSO data, that there is a clear rise in youth unemployment, with the unemployment rate pertaining to young people between the ages of 15 and 24 having risen to 14% in quarter 3 of 2025 from 11.5% a year previously. This compares to a more modest rise in unemployment among our older cohort, from 3.4% to 3.9…

Pathways to Work, as a national employment strategy, addresses the key targets, as the Deputy has laid out. The key target strategy includes: supporting 75,000 long-term unemployed into employment by May and reducing long-term unemployment by 2.5% of the labour force by 2025; reducing youth unemployment to below its 2019 average of 12.5%; ensuring better labour market outcomes for those most at ri…

I thank the Deputy for his question and the discussion we are going to have on a much-loved and treasured architectural building in his own county of Galway. In 2020, the Shannon Airport Group informed Government that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive readjustment to its structure in order to ensure the long-term future of the Shannon Heritage business. A number of challenges had prese…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. As noted by the Government in its decision of January 2021, the Shannon Airport Group operated Shannon Heritage on a commercial basis, in line with its commercial mandate, meaning that sites were only likely to open on a seasonal basis and where a commercial business case existed. Dunguaire Castle was operated by Clare County Council on a goodwi…

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. It gives me the opportunity to set out for the House the position with regard to school places in Scoil Mhuire Allenwood, County Kildare. The Deputy is aware that Scoil Mhuire Allenwood is a coeducational primary school with a Catholic ethos under the patronage of the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. The school had an enrolment in September 2025 …

I am slightly concerned about the difference between the information the Deputy has and the information the Department has, because the figures do not lie. Enrolments are either increasing or decreasing year on year. I do not for one minute question the Deputy's bona fides regarding the information he has brought to the Dáil today, so I ask him to liaise directly. I will reflect what he said today…

I am familiar with the family resource centres the Deputy spoke about in my constituency. They are a valuable gem in any community. They take a holistic approach. They think of every demographic in a family and are a huge resource to have in an area. The building blocks extension grant scheme was launched in late 2024, and successful applicants are working with the Department in delivering their …

In my limited knowledge on the funding streams that are available to the centres I know in my constituency, the model is that there is a maximum of what the Department can fund towards it. Any of the projects I am aware of they have had to source other funds. In the Border region, we have had the opportunity to source PEACE and local authority funding. There has always been a jigsaw approach to it…

I appreciate the request for a pathway to be put in place whereby other agencies can contribute to the overall cost. The Deputy can be sure I will reflect that to the Minister. I thank him again for raising this important issue. It is a priority for the Minister and the Government. The programme for Government commits for the first time to providing capital investment to build and purchase State-o…

I will, of course.

I thank Deputy Lahart for raising this important issue and will certainly reflect his observations to the Minister for Transport. The Deputy will be aware that neither the Minister for Transport nor his Department are involved in the day-to-day operation of the small public service vehicle, SPSV, sector. The National Transport Authority, NTA, the independent transport regulator, has responsibility…

As I said, I will certainly bring the Deputy's views to the Minister. As Deputy Lahart quite rightly said, the Minister issued a letter on 19 November to the NTA and we await its response. He also met this morning with the advisory committee on SPSVs, whose role is to provide advice to the Minister and the NTA in relation to issues relevant to SPSVs and their drivers, where the matter was discusse…

I thank the Deputies. I am delighted, as Deputies Kenny and O'Reilly are, that when we live in a Border county like Monaghan and Cavan, we can cross over the jurisdiction. That invisible crossing happens many times. A person could be living 1 mile up the road and be in a different jurisdiction. Deputy Kenny was quite right when he said carers are never going to be living a million miles away from …

It is the same problem.

I will not commit to it being resolved by Christmas but as we all work and strive towards a united Ireland, this is a very pragmatic request and we should take a very pragmatic approach to it. As I said, I will certainly reflect the views of the Deputies, the particular instances they have outlined today and the facts they have to back them up regarding the small numbers in question that we have t…

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2025 be deemed to be read a second time this day twelve months, to allow for further consideration of the Bill.". This is to allow for sufficient time for full consideration of the Bill and for the development of Government proposals before the end …

I thank the Deputies for their contributions. It has been a very thought-provoking, pragmatic and respectful debate and I very much appreciate that. I commend Deputy Stanley on raising the matter and the work that he has put into this Bill. I appreciate that it is an area that generates a lot of interest and debate across the country. The Government believes in the importance of public participati…