I sympathise with my colleague, Senator Craughwell, on the loss of his wife, Helen. It has been a tough few months for the Galway man. Ahead of budget 2027, I will raise the challenges being faced by pubs across the country and the need for these to be addressed as part of the budget. Other countries are also facing these issues and have taken some action. I have spoken in the House before about the significant measures France has taken. Even closer to home, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged a further 20% cut…

I wish to share my time with Senator Dee Ryan.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, to the Chamber this evening. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this Bill which as the Minister of State outlined will give effect in Ireland to the EU Artificial Intelligence Act and establish the domestic enforcement architecture necessary to ensure the world's first comprehensive AI regulatory framework operates and is fully effective in the State. Obviously, the topic of AI has become increasingly important in recent years and we hear a lot about the potential it ha…

Next Tuesday.

Next Tuesday.

I raise the proposal reforms to the criminal legal aid scheme, which are due to come into effect on 1 July. As Members are aware, strike action began in courts across the country in recent days and is expected to continue today and tomorrow. To outline the changes in pounds, shillings, and pence, at present, solicitors are paid €239.38 for an initial District Court appearance, and €59.86 for each subsequent hearing. The reforms would change this to a single fee of €455 regardless of the number of court appearances …

I thank the Minister of State for being here. I wish to raise the need for the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to make a statement on the modernising of the Garda verification system for first-time passport applicants or applications being treated as first-time applications, specifically to introduce an IT-based system or element so the process is not solely reliant on phones being answered, which is not always possible in busy Garda stations. I, like all Members of the Oireachtas, receive representations on…

I thank the Minister of State for his excellent response. It shows he is on the ground because he knows exactly the issue that has been raised. The point I raise is that what is happening is the Passport Office is contacting the Garda station on three occasions but does not follow up with the superintendent's office and consequently there is an issue after the three calls are made. That is the feedback I am getting in Galway. I would like to send out the message that what the Minister of State has said here this mo…

I raise the Galway city outer ring road. After a long process, planning permission was finally granted in April, which was welcomed by all, for this vital and much-needed infrastructure. The ring road is not a silver bullet that will magically solve all Galway's traffic woes but it is an essential piece in finally addressing the daily traffic nightmare across our city. Thankfully, the Government has recognised and supported the project and funding in excess of €800 million has been granted. Unfortunately, a number …

I raise the issue of social media, and in particular the impact it is having on our children. A submission from senior UK doctors at the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges outlined their views. In terms of risks to health, social media ranks alongside smoking. The academy surveyed 132 doctors, more than half of whom saw at least one case of health harm that could be related to tech and devices every week. Over one third saw evidence of harm multiple times per week. Online safety has been highlighted by Ministers as …

I thank the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, for joining us. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach has outlined the matter. It is important to begin by acknowledging that the most important thing about Garda vetting is that it continues to be done properly, that the integrity of the system stays intact and that it remains an effective tool for safeguarding our children. Having said that, like others I am sure, I have been involved in various clubs and community organisations across Galway over recent years and I know that vetti…

I thank the Minister. It is welcome and timely to have reforms to the system. I hope they can be implemented as quickly as possible. As I noted earlier, we all understand the need for the system. We are all aware that it is critical that the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults remains in place. We just want to improve the system so it is not a deterrent for volunteers, sports clubs and community organisations. With regard to the timeline for these reforms, does the Minister have that information to hand?…

I want to raise the report this morning that Irish Rail has concluded that a new IT system to control the movement of trains across the country is unlikely to be used and has written down the €50 million value of the project in its accounts. In its 2025 accounts, which have not yet been published but were sent to the Minister for Transport, the rail company said that based on progress to date, it does not have confidence that the planned traffic management system in its current form can be deployed on the rail netw…

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, for joining us here this morning. I want to raise the need for the Minister for Transport to make a statement on the support packages available to the haulage industry during the current period, including the introduction of barrier-free tolling for hauliers. As all Members are aware, the haulage industry has faced considerable challenges in recent times. The announcement of significant supports last week in the form of a €220 million package has been welcomed and is …

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. It is clear that the trend is heading towards barrier-free tolls sooner or later. Fermoy is a perfect example. We should take the necessary action to ensure we can make this change in Ireland as soon as possible because of the range of benefits it provides and to support the haulage industry. It is vital. Having spoken to operators in the industry, I know this is something they have raised for quite a while. At this stage, it would be welcome to see action being taken as…

I wish to commend the Garda on its massive success with Operation Thor. Members may have seen the figures related to it, which were announced yesterday. There was a 14% drop in burglaries throughout winter 2025-26 compared with 2024-25. On average, only two residential burglaries are reported per day across An Garda Síochána's north-western region, which includes ten counties, including my own of Galway. Operation Thor was launched in November 2015 and is designed to tackle the anticipated increase in the number of…

Next Tuesday.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, to the Chamber. He is a regular visitor here. I want to raise the need for the Minister for education to make a statement on the volume of documentation required for families to access SUSI grants; the time it takes, and how that time could be reduced, taking into account the additional paperwork self-employed people are asked to provide. This is an issue that has been raised with me by a number of families in Galway city and throughout the county. As the Minister of St…

I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response. As I noted, we all understand that there must be precautions in place to ensure the system is not open to abuse. At the same time, there is huge frustration among the self-employed in particular. Families have told me how about difficult it is to access the support they are currently fully entitled to. I welcome the Minister of State's announcement that it will be updated, and an online digital system is going to be put in place. To that extent, some families…

I welcome the students and their teachers to the Chamber. I hope they have a very enjoyable day and I am delighted the Cathaoirleach gave homework off for this week. This morning, I welcome the brilliant news and announcement by Boston Scientific of the €75 million investment in research and development expansion in Galway city yesterday. It is fantastic news for Galway and for the west that, at a time of global uncertainty, Boston Scientific is once again investing in Galway and Ireland. As Members will be aware, …