James Geoghegan

I welcome the opportunity that has been afforded to all Members of the Dáil to speak on AI. I particularly welcome it in my capacity as Vice Chair of the Oireachtas AI committee. A few moments ago there was a school of young children sitting in the Gallery. I am fairly certain that somebody here thought it wise to perhaps say that this was not a debate that their ears should be listening to in the…

17. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on Government co-ordination will next meet. [69535/25]

25. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [69534/25]

The vacant home refurbishment grant has been a hugely successful lever for dealing with the scourge of vacancy and dereliction as there have been over 15,000 applications. However, it was reported during the week that there is a proposal to cap the grant at €650,000, which would have a hugely disproportionate impact on Dublin where close to one in four properties currently would not be eligible to…

First, I congratulate the Minister of State on her appointment to her new role as Minister of State with responsibility for disability at Cabinet. It is a very important and challenging role. The issue I am discussing is not unrelated insofar as it concerns the safeguarding of children. Some weeks ago, the CEO of Tusla appeared before the Committee of Public Accounts. We probed her in respect of …

I thank the Minister of State for this very comprehensive reply given on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. The challenge, as we await new legislation and what seems to be a new announcement I had not seen before, is that age assessment will be governed by regulations pursuant to this new legislation, the International Protection Bill, but the number of unaccompanied minors does not appea…

Officials from Tusla and the Department of justice were before the public accounts committee in recent weeks. Tusla alerted us to concerns it has in respect of its capacity to carry out age verifications for unaccompanied minors in the international protection application system. It seems, at a policy level, that it is being left to Tusla to carry out these age verifications, whereas as a matter o…

What progress has been made by the Department on the creation of an operational AI regulatory sandbox by 2 August 2026, in line with the EU AI Act?

I thank the Minister of State for the reply. He indicated the establishment of the AI office will be crucial in respect of the regulatory sandbox. I look forward to primary legislation being introduced on this and to it coming before the Committee on Artificial Intelligence, of which I am Vice Chair. One of the things that struck me when we were in Estonia recently at a digital summit was just how…

In the enterprise sector, work is under way and has been done historically in Ireland when it comes to attracting investment and technology companies here. Now we see in Ireland the work Enterprise Ireland has done in supporting the hyper scaling of technology companies and start-ups. We saw some measures in the budget and, hopefully, there are more to come in future to support the emergence of an…

14. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on justice, migration and social affairs will next meet. [59728/25]

35. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on disability will next meet [61553/25]

Deputy O'Flynn has left the Chamber but unless I misheard him, he said that when we walk through our villages, they do not reflect Irish society. I am not sure what he meant by that but I cannot imagine how it could be interpreted as anything other than inflammatory. It really puts into stark contrast the labels that have been thrown at my party leader for the measured remarks he has made in respe…

Like everyone who has spoken today, I acknowledge Harvey and his parents, Gillian and Stephen. I say this as a human being, a parent of three children and a Member of Dáil Éireann. I also acknowledge Deputy O'Flynn's comments and the spirit in which he made them, which was in sharp contrast to the comments of Deputies McDonald and Paul Murphy, who should reflect on what they said. Deputy McDonald…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. The Taoiseach will be familiar with the Baggot Street hospital. It is an iconic building in the middle of Baggot Street that, scandalously, has been left vacant for a number of years by the HSE. The HSE told us and local residents that it had been placed on the OPW disposal register, which, as it was explained to me, means every Government Department and State body wou…

The Taoiseach might just follow up with the Minister for housing to clarify where we are at.

It was the Department of housing that said it had never been offered it. It is just to get clarity on that point.

22. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [51782/25]

At a meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts at the end of June, the then Garda Commissioner confirmed he had reported to the Minister on the controlled delivery operation that related to the late Evan Fitzgerald and the shocking incident in Carlow. The then Commissioner went on to say that he took note of the comments made by Senator Michael McDowell on 24 June in the Seanad about what was or…

I thank the Minister for being in attendance. He will be aware the greater Dublin drainage project was granted planning permission in July and a judicial review was subsequently initiated. This is an absolutely essential project for the existing half a million homes in this country and tens of thousands more homes that will not be built unless this project is continued. I do not need to tell the M…

I thank the Minister for the reply. It seems to me that we have put the laws in place in the planning Act in relation to trying to reduce the number of judicial reviews. We have not yet commenced the relevant provision as it relates to fixed costs. The Minister has a statutory role in relation to that, although I acknowledge it is the Minister for housing who has to discuss it with him. I wonder w…

Seven years ago, a planning application was submitted for the greater Dublin drainage project, which went through swings and roundabouts and through the courts. A new planning application was put in, which was finally approved. It is going to impact over half a million homes, with tens of thousands of other homes awaiting delivery on foot of this, and yet it is being judicially reviewed. The appli…

7. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [48477/25]

In relation to the SPV structure for the Dublin city task force, I want to ask when will that be established. Is legislation necessary, and, if so, when will that legislation come? Obviously, all of that relates to the Dublin city task force and a key part of that is getting over-the-shop living in Dublin city centre. Some of that work is under way on a piloted basis on Middle Abbey Street by the …

The AI summit hosted by President Macron in February was a big moment for Europe, demonstrating innovation and a change of approach at a European level. I put it to the chair of the AI council at the AI committee that Ireland could host a similar AI summit during the hosting of the EU Presidency. That is something that has been taken up by the Minister of State with responsibility for AI, who also…