As I indicated, we are currently focused on agreeing the actions that will form the roadmap. We are working very closely with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and the Media. I have outlined our commitment to the digital space and those in the augmented reality, AR, and virtual reality, VR, animation and games development. There is huge potential there. I will keep the Senator informed. I know he has raised the .ie domain with me previously. I will get an update for the Senator and get back…

At the start of this Government's term of office, we faced one of the biggest employment crises in the history of this State and yet, at this point in the Government's term in office, we have record employment, higher than at the beginning of the pandemic and across every region of the country. Our fantastic team in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, with regard to public servants and agencies, and our local enterprise agencies, LEOs, have worked incredibly hard with our enterprise community, to en…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus leis an Teachta. Guím gach rath agus gach beannacht ar an lá tábhachtach seo. I wish everybody a happy International Women's Day. It should not take a day. All of our good wishes should be given every day and we should learn every day. Is Seachtain na Gaeilge í freisin agus tá sé tábhachtach go mbainfimid úsáid as an Gaeilge gach seachtain den bhliain freisin. I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this important issue on behalf of Charleville. I know he and Councill…

I am more than happy to work with the Deputy to facilitate that. The first place to start is with Cork County Council to see what available serviced land it has. Once we have an audit of available serviced land, we will engage with IDA Ireland and other enterprise agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and the Cork local enterprise office regarding available opportunities in Charleville. IDA Ireland is very clear that it will continue to market Charleville and north Cork, where nearly 2,000 people are in IDA companies…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I thank Senator Murphy for his good wishes and for raising this issue in the manner he has. The Government and IDA Ireland are committed to the pursuit of balanced regional development. On the FDI front, IDA Ireland is targeting half of all investments to regional locations. We are now at the mid-point of its current strategy, where 260 out of 491 investments went to regional locations, which is well over half of those investments. Foreign direct investment is not …

I share the Senator's ambition for Roscommon, and for the west. I will visit the county soon. I will be meeting with regional enterprise stakeholders in coming weeks. I assure the Senator that the Government is committed. One of the key challenges facing western regions is infrastructure. As he knows, the N5 project is back on track, led by and driven by the Senator himself. That will enhance infrastructure, particularly in western Roscommon, so we can make it more attractive for companies to invest. I endorse ever…

I thank the Deputy for his question. I take the opportunity to wish him well, given that he has announced he is moving to a new phase in his life.

Hopefully not for another few years, but Deputy Naughten will be a loss to politics and the House. He and I share a commitment to balanced regional enterprise growth, which is a key objective of the Government and a key component of the recently published White Paper on Enterprise, to which the Minister referred. Recognising the significant challenge that businesses continue to face, and to protect employment across the country, the Government has put in place significant measures to help businesses in the current …

I cannot comment on the Taoiseach’s plans for Ballinasloe. I know the town well. I am certainly happy to work with the Deputy to secure issues. However, I point out that there are facilities and opportunities through the regional enterprise plans programme. It is a bottom-up approach and I would certainly like to work with the Deputy on how we can input not just for Ballinasloe but also for Roscommon. In particular, developing a cluster around Athlone, to which the Deputy just referred, is a key priority that has b…

I accept that but equally I could point to the success of Castlerea, which is also in the Deputy’s constituency and where there has been the fantastic story of Harmac Medical Products along with the fantastic work under way in the food innovation hub and in the demesne, led by our colleague, Paschal Fitzmaurice. I want to work with towns and try to engender that kind of spirit. The Deputy was involved in the creation of the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF. There is the urban regeneration and developme…

As referred to earlier, the regional enterprise plans have identified from within our Department significant opportunities for workers within hubs and in terms of support from home. Support through the national broadband plan, with which the Deputy will be familiar, in terms of strengthening the capacity of the plan to assist workers to work from home throughout the country, is a priority. The roll-out is continuing to ensure we get the appropriate and the most advanced fibre to as many locations as possible to enc…

Absolutely. I agree with the Deputy on the hubs structure. As he will know, the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is leading out a connected hubs network to ensure the digital hubs are developing around the country, have a connection to one another and can be used in exactly the manner the Deputy has outlined. It is important that we cannot dictate to employers how they arrange employment opportunities. The Deputy touched on a very good issue with regard to the appropriateness of a hybrid mix for the benefit of both empl…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Conway as ucht an t-ábhar seo a ardú inniu. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who has responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport, including rail. However, the operation, maintenance and renewal of the rail network and stations on it, including the station at Crusheen, is a matter for Iarnród Éireann in the first instance. The programme for Government: Our Shared Future commits to a fundamental change in the n…

As I have outlined, operational issues such as the opening of stations are a matter for Iarnród Éireann, not the Minister for Transport. I have laid out the context of the all-island rail review, which is being finalised. I found from the cross-party meetings we had with Jim Meade last week that he was open to suggestions. I encourage Senator Conway to pursue the matter with him. As the Senator said, the success of the Limerick to Galway line, which was put in place by a former Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, is a testame…

Thank you, Acting Chair, for extending a welcome to the students from Lacken Cross. Some of the issues raised by Senator McGreehan were discussed by them some weeks ago. I am responding to this matter on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys. I thank the Senator not only for raising the issue but for doing so with such passion. As the Senator is aware, the Department of Social Protection provides a wide range of disability income supports that are designed to support people with disabilitie…

I again thank the Chair for the welcome she extended to Lacken Cross students. I do not think the Senator and I disagree on any of the issues she outlined. I will bring this to the attention of officials in my Department and ask them to follow it up through the local enterprise office network. The work of the Senator and the Joint Committee on Disability Matters she sits on, chaired by Deputy Michael Moynihan, is exemplary and extraordinary. I am more than happy to ensure our Department is playing a full role in al…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta O'Sullivan as an issue seo a ardú. I am taking this matter on behalf the of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who has a speaking engagement in Longford this evening. As the Deputy is aware, ash dieback disease has been more devastating in Ireland than Dutch elm disease. It is a relatively new airborne disease that has spread from eastern Europe and is now right throughout the natural range of ash in Europe and widespread in Ireland. Since the fir…

On behalf of the Minister, I thank Deputy O'Sullivan for raising the matter. The Minister and his officials are aware that it is very important not just to the Deputy but to forest owners across the island. As I said, the Minister is very familiar with ash dieback disease having visited many sites across the country, and indeed the disease is an issue in his own area. A new forest strategy for 2022 to 2030 has been developed and was informed by comprehensive engagement and consultation over the past year. This matt…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue. He is speaking at an event in the midlands this evening. I have a more than passing interest in this area as the brother of a vet. We shared a house with him when he was in UCD. Late last year, the Higher Education Authority, HEA, issued a request for expressions of interest for higher educational institutions interested in building capacity in veterinary medicine, among …

I thank the Deputy. I agree absolutely with the need for the provision of vets for large-animal practices as well. This was acknowledged in the speech. Our agricultural industry is still absolutely crucial to our entire island. It is important we have the vets to service it, as well as the companion animal aspect as well. Equally, from the perspective of my Department, the research side is equally as important. As I said, the matter is being reviewed by the HEA. The Minister, Deputy Harris, will have that review by…