Niamh Smyth

I thank the Deputy. I will take a note of the specific areas he asked about. We all want to create the balanced regional development the Deputy has spoken about. The introduction of AI may allow companies to do that and allow people to work in more rural parts. We will focus on that with Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and the LEOs to see how we can support them in achieving that.

I congratulate Deputy Bennett. It is lovely to say "Deputy Bennett", having worked with her and known her well in Monaghan County Council. I am sure they are all incredibly proud of her down there. Well done. My Department is the national competent authority with responsibility for export controls, including controls on defence-related exports and export of dual-use goods. Controls on the export …

I assure the Deputy, even though I am only in the Department for a couple of weeks, that, working with the Minister, Deputy Burke, we are sure and we have very strong controls in place. As part of their assessment, my officials seek the views of the Department of Foreign Affairs in respect of all applications for export licences, including those with the end destination of Israel. Both my Departme…

I thank the Deputies for their questions. They are very legitimate questions to ask. I am assured by the Departments - our own Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs - that they do a really robust risk assessment around those applications. If the officials are not confident or have any question marks over them, they refuse those licences.

I do not but I will get that for the Deputy. I will get a detailed written reply on the issues the Deputies have raised. In fact, I might ask the Department to have a conversation with the Deputies on the legitimate questions they have raised today.

My Department established the digital transition fund as part of Ireland's national recovery and resilience plan with the objective of driving the digital transformation of enterprise in Ireland. The Minister, Deputy Burke, spoke earlier about the drive that is being made by the Department to ensure all businesses across Ireland reach those targets. The fund was specifically designed to aid the ac…

I thank the Deputy very much for his kind wishes and also for his important question. There is a range of supports to help businesses in digitalisation available under the digital transition fund through Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta. In addition, the LEOs offer digitalisation supports for eligible businesses, including the digital for business initiative and the grow di…

I thank Deputy Brennan for his remarks. I take on board everything he said. As he pointed out, we had a very robust discussion yesterday on AI and how that is impacting businesses globally, not just nationally. I take his point on board. As the Minister, Deputy Burke, stated, there is a drive to bring all businesses into the digitalisation era and a commitment to have 90% of SMEs there by 2030. It…

I thank Deputy Moynihan for the question and for his very kind comments. A refresh of Ireland's national AI strategy was published in November 2024. It takes account of the significant developments in AI technology and regulation that have happened since the 2021 strategy. The national AI strategy sets out a whole-of-government approach to putting the necessary enablers in place to underpin AI ado…

I again thank the Deputy for his interest in this area. We had a very good and robust debate last night on AI and its positives. We must always be cautious about the introduction of something like this technology. It is like the revolution of the Internet. We got that first and we were able to do it. This new technology, though, is going to be completely different because I think it is going to im…

I thank the Deputies for the broad range of those questions. The number of supplementary questions just goes to demonstrate the interest there is in AI and how it is going to revolutionise everything we do. The advisory council was raised by colleagues. It was established in January 2024. I had the pleasure of meeting its members and their leader, Dr. Patricia Scanlon, last week. All those council…

I am pleased to take the floor of the House today as Ireland’s first Minister of State who has artificial intelligence, AI, in their title. We are living in a time of great change, unpredictability and opportunity. I am determined that my mandate as Minister of State in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment will deliver and maximise the benefits of AI for our businesses, the economy a…

I am sure it can. My apologies.

I thank everybody who took part in a very frank, honest and open debate. I really appreciate it. Everybody has pointed to aspects of its potential and the opportunity in democracy, healthcare, education and down to the everyday. You do not need to be a tech expert to get the benefit when we think about public transport, as Deputy Gould said. Deputy Conway-Walsh has been here for all the debate and…

Okay. The Government has had the AI advisory council in situ since 2024. I thank everybody for their contributions. They were very thought-out and passionate. I am on all sides because AI can be groundbreaking and has huge potential for the country. There is nobody in this Chamber who is uncaring or inconsiderate where climate and global effects are concerned. We will do it in a green way. That i…

I thank Deputy Connolly. It was lovely to hear her using our native tongue when asking her question. Unfortunately, I am not as fluent or líofa as she is to be able to respond.

The Deputy's question is a very serious one and it is on the issue that this Government will be judged on. I have some statistics from the Department, but on the Deputy's specific question, I am not aware of the tenant in situ scheme being suspended. I will share with the Deputy the information I have with me. If it does not have specific details relating to her question, I will bring it to the at…

I beg the Deputy's pardon. I will take a note of that. These options include securing the continuation of the tenancy with the landlord, securing alternative accommodation through the HAP place finder, allocating another rental accommodation scheme property or allocating a social housing tenancy, including voids, untenanted properties and properties available with an AHB. There were 1,500 acquisi…

I appreciate the Deputy raising this matter. She referred to Galway County Council specifically.

I commit to the Deputy that I will contact the Minister for housing and his Department tomorrow to get the Deputy a clear answer on whether it is suspended.

I thank both Deputies for raising this issue. I am from Cavan-Monaghan and do not live in the Dublin area, but I have heard much discussion in the media in recent days about the concerns of parents, particularly parents who are expecting their first child and who do not have access to a public health nurse to make those all-important milestone checks. The Government remains committed to providing…

I thank both gentlemen again for raising this important topic. The Government remains committed to providing continued investment in the health workforce, including public health nurses. I take on board the suggestions relating to capacity, recruitment and the Dublin allowance. There is also that piece about how we maybe have lots of staff who are willing to be in the HSE and public health and the…