There is no fear of it being forgotten when Deputy Murnane O'Connor is here. Under the existing south-east regional enterprise plan, Carlow Community Enterprise Centres received a priming grant to develop a technological export and innovation centre, TEIC.

That is the kind of project that will potentially receive funding under the new plan to bring it to the next level. It is the kind of innovative project from within the county that has a far better chance of succeeding and making a long-term investment and impact on the Deputy's county, particularly, as she said, with the new technological university there. I am more than happy to sit down with the Deputy and engage with IDA Ireland. I assure her that IDA Ireland is working hard across the country. In particular, b…

I said it will not be forgotten this morning anyway. As we just discussed, IDA Ireland is working particularly hard to deliver in the regions through its strategy, Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021-2024. IDA Ireland is identifying emerging trends and looking at the opportunities for sustainable growth among its existing client base through a focus on transformative investments to increase the productivity of existing Irish operations and to attract new ones through research, development and innovation, d…

Small can be good. Through its strategy IDA Ireland is developing only 19 advanced building solutions in 15 regional locations and Carlow is one of them. This is a very serious statement of intent on the part of IDA Ireland and the Government that we are taking Carlow's potential seriously. We are increasing its attractiveness as a location for direct investment. Having the ability to offer a building will transform its potential to attract new clients. We will sit down with Deputy Murnane O'Connor and IDA Ireland …

The locations of the advanced building solutions were not randomly chosen. A lot of research went in. There was a lot of analysis looking at existing companies in the areas, looking at broader macroeconomic considerations and looking at existing clusters of companies. Part of the new White Paper is on investing in clustering and ensuring it is strengthened. Carlow will be part of this. I point to the 1,000 jobs announced by the Minister, Deputy Coveney, last Friday for Athenry. It shows that IDA Ireland is very com…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Control of Exports Bill before the House. With an ever-changing geopolitical landscape and advances in technology, there is a need to strengthen and modernise the current legislative framework for export controls in Ireland. This Bill will repeal and replace the Control of Exports Act 2008. It will ensure that Ireland continues to operate a robust framework for regulating the export of controlled items, principally dual-use and military it…

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht seo. We all share Deputy O'Reilly's concerns that military equipment should not be exported by EU companies to third countries that can contribute to the conflicts she referred to. I welcome her acknowledgment of effective export controls in that context. We agree with the Deputy, and Deputies Ó Murchú and Connolly, that we should protect SMEs and that they need to be given resources and assistance. We will do that in respect of obligations under this…

On EU sanctions, we do not adopt unilateral sanctions, as I outlined in the context of my reply on common foreign and security policy. On an Teachta Connolly's comments, my understanding is that the joint committee was satisfied by a single sitting. It decided that no further scrutiny was required. I regret the regulatory impact assessment was not shared. There was no particular reason for that. There were only three respondents to the public consultation, but I will ensure the Deputy and the committee members get …

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment pursuant to Standing Orders 95(3)( a ) and 181(1).

Gabhaim buíochas le Comhchoiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge, leis an gCathaoirleach, le baill an choiste agus le rúnaí an choiste as an obair atá déanta. Níl aon ionadh orm go bhfuil an tuarascáil seo déanta agus go bhfuil an detail ann, mar gheall go raibh mé ar an gcoiste le haghaidh cúpla bliain. Níor éalaigh mé ón choiste ach rinne mé treo difriúil. Gabhaim buíochas leis agus le gach duine a bhí páirteach ann. Tá mé anseo ar son an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O'Donovan. Ní raibh sé in …

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí Ó Snodaigh agus Connolly as bheith anseo. Aontaím leis an Teachta Connolly gur mór an trua é nach bhfuil bhfuil mórán Teachtaí anseo. Is tuarascáil thábhachtach, shuimiúil agus challenging í. Ba cheart go mbeadh an slot seo ar oíche Dé Máirt agus go mbeadh seans ag daoine a bheith páirteach ann. Chuaigh mé tríd a lán rudaí. Ní raibh siad leagtha amach agam i gcomhthéacs an deich moladh. Maidir le cúrsaí ghnóthaí beaga, beidh taraifí atá i gCeanada faoi láthair scriosta faoin chomha…

Chuaigh mé tríd an bhreithiúnas agus cad a bhí le rá agus cad atá an Rialtas ag déanamh. Leag mé amach an obair atá ar siúl ag an tríú leibhéal ionas go mbeidh daoine ag teacht ó thíortha idirnáisiúnta, Ceanada san áireamh, go dtí an Ghaeltacht chun am a chaitheamh inti agus iad ag foghlaim. Beidh deiseanna chun é sin a spreagadh agus deiseanna daoine eile a fháil chuig cúrsaí Gaeltachta agus am a chaitheamh in oideachas sa Ghaeltacht. Chuir mé mo views pearsanta in iúl, is é sin, nach bhfuil foilseachán Gaeilge an…

They have gone home to watch the Eurovision.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht seo augs roimh Theachtaí Shinn Féin agus Theachtaí Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre atá anseo agus a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht tábhachtach seo. Tuigeann gach Comhalta sa Teach seo agus sa Teach eile an brú atá ar dhaoine faoi chúrsaí airgeadais ag an nóiméad seo agus faoi chúrsaí praghsanna sna siopaí. Tá an Rialtas ag déanamh an-iarracht an fhadhb seo a réiteach, ag obair le gach taobh den Teach. Is é sin an fáth nach mbeimid ag dul in aghaidh an rúin seo agus an fáth go bhfuilimid ag…

Gabhaim buíochas le Páirtí an Lucht Oibre agus leis an Seanadóir Sherlock as ucht an Bhille seo. Gabhaim buíochas freisin leis na Seanadóirí uilig as ucht a gcuid ráiteas úsáideacha inniu. The Bill, as introduced by Senator Sherlock, whose work on this issue I acknowledge, seeks to ensure that apprentices are included within the application of the national minimum wage Acts and that the entitlement of remuneration of the National Minimum Wage Act extends to apprentices. This Government, above all previous Governmen…

The National AI Strategy, AI – Here for Good, launched in July 2021, sets out how Ireland can be an international leader in the use of artificial intelligence to benefit our economy and society, through a Strategy which takes a people-centred, ethical approach to the development, adoption and use of AI. My department is leading on the implementation of the Strategy and is responsible for driving the adoption of AI by businesses. The Strategy calls for a robust governance framework to safeguard against risk and to u…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Tá áthas orm an Bille seo a thabhairt os comhair na Dála inniu, which is the Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023. The Bill transposes EU Directive No. 2020/1828 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2020 on representative actions for the protection of the collective interests of consumers. The directive requires member states to have a mechanism for consumers to seek collective redress …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus leis na Teachtaí O'Reilly, Nash agus Devlin freisin for their contributions this evening. I appreciate the broad support for the Bill and I look forward to engaging with the Deputies in respect of the issues they have raised. Deputies O'Reilly and Nash raised the issue around third-party funding. As indicated, I have written to the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, who is engaging with the Law Reform Commission in order that we will have a comprehensive respons…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment pursuant to Standing Orders 95 and 181.

I thank Senator Warfield for raising this matter. I assure him the roadmap is being prepared and co-ordinated by our colleagues in the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and will include inputs from my Department, Enterprise Ireland and Design and Crafts Council Ireland. The Senator referred to the extensive consultations that have taken place, and continue to take place, on reaching consensus on a series of action plans or recommendations that will ultimately form the basis for implem…