I thank the Deputy for his feedback. Our Department has taken significant steps in making the employment permit system faster and more efficient. As I said in my earlier contribution, we launched the employment permit online system back in April of this year. We have already seen how it has transformed the application process. It makes it easier and more secure. Over 47,000 successful registrations have been completed and the permit submissions have returned to pre-launch levels. Currently the processing times are …

We have implemented a huge modernisation of the permit system here in recent times. As I said earlier, it was launched in April of this year and, as part of that, we engaged extensively with business representatives and trusted partners. We went out most recently with a consultation process on the updated occupation list. We have also enhanced our learning and engagement to ensure that when employers are looking to make an application, they have the learning and the engagement, so they can get it right first time. …

As Deputy Geoghegan is aware, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act entered into force in August 2024 and provides a harmonised regulatory framework for AI systems developed or deployed in the EU. It is designed to provide a high level of protection to people's health, safety and fundamental rights, while simultaneously promoting the adoption of human-centric, trustworthy AI. Its provisions will start to apply in a phased manner over the period to August 2027. Earlier this year, the Government agreed to adopt a distri…

I thank Deputy Geoghegan for his interest in the AI Act. There are questions here today and certainly his welcome for the AI office is crucial. The Minister, Deputy Burke, allocated more than €1.4 million for its establishment, with the staffing plan now in place, and to ensure the sandbox is operational by August next year, which is not far away. We are also working with the EU digital innovation hubs and CeADAR to provide technical expertise and support for businesses. We need to continue to ensure the AI office …

I agree with Deputy Geoghegan. It will be an important opportunity when Ireland takes over the Presidency to showcase our SMEs, the work we are doing in the AI sector and the steps we are taking in the Government. The AI office will have statutory independence, reporting annually to the Oireachtas and the AI committee. It will also co-ordinate regulators under a clear governance structure. Ireland has a long track record with regard to regulation and the integrity of the system we implement in many sectors, not onl…

Ireland has a strong start-up ecosystem, but scaling remains a challenge due to limited access to long-term patent capital and finance. My Department is finalising a finance for scaling implementation strategy. This strategy will align with the commitments outlined in the programme for Government and supports the specific actions set out in the action plan on competitiveness and productivity. The purpose of the strategy is to move towards an ecosystem in which firms will have a reliable range of funding options to …

I thank the Deputy for the points he has raised. I assure him that the fund is being designed in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland. We hope it will be operational in 2026. We expect that there will be direct investment in start-ups first. To the Deputy's point, we need to support indigenous Irish SMEs. That will enable Enterprise Ireland, which does tremendous work in the context of co-investing alongside private leads. Enterprise Ireland has a great reputation as being the honest broker in regard to seed and ven…

I agree with the Deputy. Our Department is very much about keeping Irish companies scaling and ensuring that they continue to realise their export potential and create anchor jobs within the regions and right across the country. The purpose in this regard is to protect vital jobs that are the backbone of our economy. That is why we want the strategy to operate on the basis of their needs. Enterprise Ireland already does tremendous work in this space. There is an expert advisory panel comprising industrial leaders, …

I thank the Deputy for his question. The Government acknowledges that the retail sector contributes to the economy of every city, town and village in Ireland. The sector provides highly important employment with over 220,000 people directly employed in retail. The programme for Government is clear on the intention to support small businesses and as the Minister of State with responsibility for retail, I am aware of the issues facing retailers. The broad range of supports for the retail sector, including training pr…

Retail is evolving rapidly. We have seen significant changes in consumer habits. Shoppers now expect an online channel or experience, not just the physical presence on our high streets, as the Deputy experiences in Offaly, but also for them to offer multiple touchpoints, such as the implementation of websites, the digitalisation journey, mobile applications and in-store options. The Government is supporting businesses in that. There is a grow digital voucher of up to €5,000 for e-commerce platforms. We are also sup…

We are undertaking a review of the local enterprise offices to streamline them, reduce the administrative burden and make it easier for SMEs and businesses to access supports. We are conscious that we need to strengthen the role of the local enterprise offices because they have the local knowledge and are the touchpoint for many of these businesses in towns and villages across the country. They need that expert advice and mentoring to ensure that their businesses remain resilient and sustainable into the future. Th…

I thank the Deputy for his question. It comes from an accountant and, with the Minister being an accountant, I feel less qualified to answer it but I will do my best. The local enterprise offices, LEOs, are located in 31 local authorities to promote a suite of supports designed to assist small businesses to reduce their costs and become more productive and competitive. The LEOs provide consultancy and grants to small businesses across all sectors in the areas of lean, green and digital. These supports focus on enha…

I absolutely agree with the points the Deputy raises. Financial literacy is a cornerstone of competitiveness and that is why we have the LEOs ensuring small businesses have the tools to manage their finances effectively. They are on hand to assist at county level, including financial mentoring, training workshops and management development programmes. It is important that owners who want to advance their financial planning skills are supported, that any perceived challenges around financial management are demystifi…

I appreciate the concerns the Deputy has raised. For any business owners, it is incumbent on the Government and the LEOs to ensure they are sustainable, have resilience built into their business plan and have access to the mentoring, training and advice that are essential to keeping businesses afloat. Raising the importance of financial literacy and ensuring businesses have access to training workshops is part of the local enterprise offering. They have peer-to-peer learning and engagement with key advisers within …

I thank Senator Duffy for raising this important issue and for his constructive suggestions in regard to the living city initiative. I think everyone in both Houses shares the same ambition about bringing more vibrancy, sustainability and revitalisation to our urban centres to meet the housing needs of the future and support social and economic needs within our towns. The living city initiative is, as the Senator said, a targeted tax incentive that is designed to bring people and businesses back into the heart of o…

I acknowledge and compliment Senator Duffy in regard to this important debate. It will present an opportunity when the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, appears before the Seanad. We support all the ambitions to tackle the scourge of dereliction and vacancy. While I understand the call to include more towns outside the specific growth areas contained within the national planning framework, at present the scope is very much guided by the national development plan, NDP. The recent initiatives, such as removing age restrictio…

I sincerely thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue and for the opportunity to provide an update on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill, who is, unfortunately, abroad at the G20 forum. The Government shares Senator Fitzpatrick's commitment to improving disability services and ensuring individuals with severe acquired brain injuries receive both the care and rehabilitation they need. In budget 2026, €43 million has been allocated for disabilities capital projects, representing…

I will certainly take back the Senator's frustration in regard to the response to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As she said, it is very important to shine a light on where the phase 1 review is currently at. I will seek clarity in regard to that from the HSE capital planning expert group. We are all in agreement that we need to make more effort in regard to the promotion of community inclusion and reducing the reliance on institutional care. As she eloquently expressed and outlined, this Teach An Saol proj…

On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Senator Conway for the opportunity to address the House on the funding of maternity services in the mid-west. I know how passionate he is about the delivery of high-quality services for the people he represents in County Clare and the wider mid-west region. The National Maternity Strategy 2016-2026 has delivered significant developments in maternity care. Central to the strategy is a service that is woman-centric, provides safe, high-quality integrated team-based care a…

I again thank the Senator for raising this important issue. The Government is committed to implementing the national maternity strategy and, in doing so, improving services for the mid-west region. As the Senator said, this includes the colocation of Limerick's maternity hospital with UHL. That project is at an early stage of planning and will progress through the infrastructural guidelines approval process. When the Minister engages with the Senator - which I am sure will happen on a continual basis - she will be …