Niamh Smyth
Cavan-Monaghan · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I thank Senator Higgins for speaking to this amendment and Senator Stephenson for putting it forward. I fully agree on the importance of co-operation and co-ordination between competent authorities in the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act.”
“63 would reduce the current period of 14 working days to a period of no more than seven days. The purpose of section 49 is to balance regulatory intervention with fair procedures.”
“I am going to take time after this debate to look at the Instagram account the Deputy raised today to see for myself. I do not disbelieve the Deputy. It upsets me so much to see that is allowed. Where is the monitoring of it?”
“These are: prohibited practices under Article 5; serious incidents reported under Article 73; high-risk AI systems referred to in annexe III in accordance with Article 49(5); and any other AI-related incidents or notifications required to be reported under the regulation.”
“The Government will continue to benefit from the expertise of the office in the deployment and implementation of AI-related policy and regulation.”
“I know that when you go to public meetings like those in question, there are tough stories from parents and you may feel a little inadequate sometimes in being able to deal with these things as quickly as possible. I am glad the Deputies used their time here today to make the presentation and to campaign for the parents.”
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“The expert advisory committee chaired by Professor Brennan was commissioned to examine the corporate governance failings in RTÉ in July 2023, following the revelations regarding presenter payments and other governance failings. The expert advisory committee delivered a roadmap for the reform of corporate governance in RTÉ. While many of the 90 recommendations were for RTÉ to introduce, eight required legislative change. They have been given effect in the Bill, including, most importantly, the assignment of the Comptroller and Auditor General as auditor of RTÉ. The Bill also implements those elements of the European Media Freedom Act which relate to the safeguarding of our public service media providers, RTÉ and TG4.”
“The Bill implements the key legislative recommendations of two recent major expert-led independent reports: the report of the Future of Media Commission, published in July 2022, and the review of governance and culture in RTÉ carried out by an expert advisory committee chaired by Professor Niamh Brennan, published in May 2024. The Future of Media Commission was tasked with developing recommendations on sustainable public funding and other supports to ensure media in Ireland remains sustainable, independent and capable of delivering public service aims. Fourteen of its recommendations will be given effect through the Bill.”
“I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". I am pleased to introduce the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2026 for the consideration of the House on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. This Bill is a comprehensive legislative proposal which aims to improve transparency, accountability and value-for-money in our public service media providers, RTÉ and TG4, and to put in place a statutory framework to support the provision of quality programming and public interest journalism within a secure and sustainable media ecosystem.”
“It is true there will be disruption in the labour force and in business because of AI. The disruption and impact will be greater if businesses do not embrace AI. We have the observatory piece in our Department, OBAIR, which is looking at mitigating that. The AI will impact the workforce required. We will look at how to retrain and upskill staff so they are not left facing redundancy or anything like that. I am not in denial, and I do not think anybody in government is in denial, about the impact this will have. Our colleague, the Minister, Deputy Lawless, launched this week AI Ready which is to get down to the nitty-gritty with individuals in the workforce so nobody feels a digital divide and to help people who want to explore AI to upskill within a business.”
“We have work to do to ensure that the whole SME sector is open to and embracing AI tools. If they are not embracing it and looking at digitalisation in their companies, they are set to lose and the divide between the successful and businesses that will fall behind and may ultimately fall off will come down to their ability to adopt technology. We have a suite of measures to try to make that job easier. I am always keeping a close eye on the uptake of those grants to see how businesses are engaging with them. This LEO roadshow is incredibly important because it gives not just the Department's supports but also the LEOs', which are incredibly important at a local level. The case studies and, for me, meeting businesses and doing these roadshows is key, where businesses can see businesses like theirs and the difference that adoption makes.”
“The roadshow helps SMEs to understand the practical benefits of Al and digital tools, showcases real SME success stories and highlights available LEO supports. The initiative also includes the appointment of Al sector champions and the establishment of OBAIR, the Observatory for Business Al Readiness.”
“Research from the expert group on future skills needs shows that Al usage and demand for Al roles have doubled since 2023, with strong skills demand matched by supply. CSO data shows over 20% of enterprises used Al in 2025, up from 15% in 2024, while the European Commission's 2025 digital decade report indicates that 13.8% of Irish SMEs use Al, above the European average and up from 8% in 2023. My Department is also working with the ESRI to assess Al take-up among SMEs, including barriers to adoption and investment. A key priority of the new strategy is accelerating technology adoption among enterprises, especially SMEs. Under the Government's Al good for business initiative, a national Al and digital awareness roadshow is being delivered in partnership with our local enterprise offices, LEOs.”
“I thank the Deputy for his important question. The Government is committed to ensuring Irish businesses can adopt and benefit from Al. Many firms, particularly at an early stage of adoption, are seeking practical guidance on applying Al across core business functions. In response, my Department works closely with the enterprise agencies to develop practical guidance, case studies and sector-specific examples that demonstrate the tangible business benefits of Al. The recently published national digital and Al strategy, Digital Ireland - Connecting our People, Securing our Future, sets out a clear roadmap for Ireland's digital and Al development and includes actions to support Al readiness across enterprise. Evidence points to rapid progress.”
“The evaluation process will examine the full continuum of cancer care, from prevention to screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and palliative care. Patients are, of course, at the heart of our services. There will be opportunities for meaningful stakeholder involvement, including patients, their families, healthcare staff and all the cancer advocacy groups, among others. I thank the Deputies again for their thoughtful, measured and considered contributions. We all share an absolute commitment to delivering the best outcomes for patients. The new national cancer strategy will be a critical step in planning our services for the decade ahead.”
“The implementation of these recommendations aims to streamline the regulatory processes needed to establish clinical trials, enhance public and patient engagement, establish clear, consistent approaches to conducting clinical trials and grow the clinical trial staff around the country. The current national cancer strategy was launched in July 2017, with a ten-year implementation framework. This year, the Department of Health will commission an independent evaluation of that strategy. While the details have not yet been finalised, the previous strategy was evaluated by a three-person panel of international experts. Their report provided a detailed analysis and recommendations to guide the development of the next strategy.”
“Annual investment in cancer research by the Health Research Board has increased significantly in recent years, from €5.4 million in 2017 at the start of the current strategy to €9.4 million in 2025. Since 2020, the Health Research Board has awarded €43.7 million in cancer research funding, including €21.6 million in clinical trials infrastructure. We are also creating and embedding a culture of innovation in health research more broadly. In November last year, the final report and recommendations of the national clinical trials oversight group were published.”
“Patients attending these centres have greater access to clinical trials and the important benefits that brings. I am delighted that all of our eight cancer centres are participating in the EU project to gain accreditation and access to the EU Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centres. Membership of this project will enhance our treatment, teaching and research work, and this will in turn help to attract the best international experts. We have a strong track record of supporting cancer care with investment in research, and I am determined that we will build on this. The cross-border cancer consortium research partnership between Ireland, Northern Ireland and the US National Cancer Institute has seen 25 years of progress, with over 35,000 patients participating in clinical trials.”
“Budget 2026 also allocates €30 million specifically for new medicines. New treatments have been introduced. CAR-T cell therapy became available in 2021, removing the need for patients to travel abroad for treatment. The service is being expanded to University Hospital Galway this year, and recruitment is under way. This will provide CAR-T cell therapy for adult patients in the south and west of the country and increase overall capacity nationally. We are also seeing an improvement in new developments for patients, with the creation of the comprehensive cancer centres. This designation requires close collaboration between hospitals, universities and research centres, bringing care, teaching and clinical research together in a deeply integrated way.”
“The rollout of the SSMFU framework is also helping recovering patients to avoid unnecessary hospital outpatient appointments, and it provides better management in their aftercare. In recognition of the incredible contribution of the voluntary and community sector in providing services to cancer patients and their families, which we have all referred to tonight, the programme for Government made a commitment to continue to invest in community cancer support services. To support this commitment, the NCCP Alliance of Community Cancer Support Centres was allocated €5.5 million in funding for 2025, and that is now recurring. We have also provided access to new and innovative medicines. Between 2021 and 2024, Ireland allocated an additional €128 million for new medicines, allowing for the introduction of 74 new medicines for cancer.”
“This new budget approach will build on the success of the national cancer strategy, which has, over the years, fostered a culture of improvement and innovation, as seen through the development of pioneering services. In the last ten years, we have seen the rollout of cutting-edge therapies, including radio labelling therapy, CAR-T cell therapy for adults and specialised radiotherapy treatments, which will reduce the number of treatment sessions compared with conventional radiotherapy treatments. More recently, and supported by our 2025 programme for Government commitments, the acute oncology nursing service has expanded, keeping ever more cancer patients out of emergency departments when they feel unwell.”
“In budget 2026, the first steps have been taken towards a new approach to funding, intended to strengthen performance by devolving health budgets to the new health regions. This provides greater autonomy to meet local needs, while holding them accountable for their targets and national standards. This will enable the HSE leadership to target resource allocation where it is most needed to address regional variation. The NCCP will continue to lead on cancer service design and development nationally. It will monitor performance and work closely with the REOs to ensure the delivery of safe, effective cancer services in all regions, working to reach the same high standards across the country.”
“The HSE is also working to expand capacity. The HSE capital plan introduces funding for the design and construction of oncology day units and chemotherapy infrastructure at Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore, University Hospital Limerick and University Hospital Kerry. Deputy Cahill asked very specific questions. I will ask the Minister to respond on any issues raised specifically in respect of infrastructure. A major radiotherapy equipment replacement programme is also in place, and work is underway to update equipment across St. Luke's Hospital radiation oncology network in Dublin. Long term, the delivery of surgical hubs and three elective treatment centres, once operational, will increase overall surgical capacity in our acute hospitals.”
“Deputies will be aware that there is a global shortage of healthcare workers, and where we have very specialised services like those in cancer care, it can be difficult to recruit when vacancies arise. In addition to local measures, the NCCP continues to monitor performance nationally and has implemented a range of initiatives to optimise capacity with rapid access clinics, particularly for those with breast cancer. Updated referral guidelines have been introduced, aimed at ensuring standardised access across the country and, where appropriate, post-cancer patients are participating in stratified self-management follow up, rather than attending unnecessary specialist appointments. These will reduce variation in the management of patients and will lead to more appropriate referrals within cancer services.”
“Where hospitals are challenged to meet service targets, they typically respond with a mix of local improvement plans, additional clinics, outsourcing of diagnostics and reviewing patient pathways where needed. As clinics typically run at full capacity, any disruption of services can lead to a backlog which can take time to clear. Where centres fail to meet their performance targets, the NCCP works closely with hospitals to ensure that improvements to services are achieved and sustained, and that patients are seen to as quickly as possible. Every effort is made to address waiting times and patients are prioritised on the basis of clinical need. Often, not meeting performance targets arises from staff shortages or problems in accessing diagnostics or radiology services.”
“In Cavan-Monaghan, where I live, there is Bailieborough Cancer Comfort, which provides the volunteers who provide transport. As we have discussed, transport can be such a big issue for cancer patients who have to get to the main urban centres and specialised hospitals for treatment. There is incredible work done by volunteers, as well as their fundraising, to make sure that compassion, care and transport is provided for patients. I thank all my colleagues around the House who contributed on this most important topic of cancer services right across the island of Ireland. While many of our services deliver excellent, high-quality care, I acknowledge and recognise there can sometimes be delays in getting cancer treatment for some patients. I acknowledge the distress felt by them and their families when they face such delays.”
“I thank all colleagues who have made such personal contributions, not only about their own experiences but also facilities and gaps that remain on the island within cancer services. If I could be indulged, I wish to acknowledge a wonderful young girl from Bailieborough, Orlaith Lennon. At 24 years of age, she has lost both of her parents, her dad only a month ago. She had the bravery to go out on Friday for Daffodil Day, like so many other volunteers right across the country, to do some fundraising for the Irish Cancer Society. I do not know where people gather the strength to do things like that when they have had such personal experiences. I acknowledge her incredible work. Colleagues have talked about the volunteers of many cancer groups, particularly in rural areas.”
“I sincerely believe - I can stand corrected - that there has been engagement between RAAP and officials in the Department, perhaps long before my time as well. I am happy to sit down with the Senator at a later time to discuss the review.”
“As has been discussed previously, while we appreciate the potential negative impact this Bill may have on royalty payments to the music sector in Ireland and the wider European Economic Area, EEA, Ireland cannot unilaterally legislate to withhold royalties from countries that do not provide for these within national law, given the Court of Justice ruling on this matter of EU competency. We understand that the European Commission is actively considering this matter with a view to proposing legislation in 2027. I would like to thank the Minister, Deputy Burke, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Dillon and O'Sullivan, who aided the passage of this Bill through the legislative process. I would like to take the opportunity to thank officials in the Department.”
“I thank Senator Black and Members of Dáil and Seanad, in particular members of the Select Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, for their co-operation and robust engagement on the Bill. As I have said throughout this process, it is imperative that this legislation be enacted. While only a short Bill, it introduces necessary amendments to the Copyright and Related Rights Act, as amended, following a Court of Justice of the European Union ruling delivered in September 2020. In light of Ireland's forthcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, ensuring consistency of our national copyright legislation with EU law has taken on added significance.”
“Circumstances where there is a deviation from this default 50:50 split would be extremely unusual. Further, the parties may negotiate and agree to share the equitable remuneration in a different way, as provided for in the proposed subsection (3B) of this Bill. In the unlikely event of a dispute, the proposed subsection (3C) provides for the possibility of either party to make an application to the Circuit Court for a determination. As has been discussed on previous Stages, the Government does not accept that the collective management organisations are excluded from the disputes process. An individual may take a case or a licensing body or collective management organisation may take a case on behalf of its named member or members.”
“The inclusion of the 50:50 split is designed to clarify the meaning of sharing the "single equitable remuneration", thus creating legal certainty. In any case, it is noteworthy that since the Copyright and Related Rights Act was enacted in 2000, there had been no referrals to the controller until a dispute arose between two collective management organisations, CMOs, which remains ongoing before the courts and was referred to the controller during this process but was not heard. No disputes have arisen since then. This Bill seeks to reduce the likelihood of any dispute even further. It expressly provides in the proposed subsection (3A) that equitable remuneration less reasonable collecting costs shall be shared equally between the performer and the producer.”
“However, I am unable to accept the amendments, which propose to delete sections 3C, 3D and 3E of the Bill and restore the existing subsections (4) to (10), inclusive, of section 208 of the Copyright and Related Rights Act. We have extensively debated the role of the controller as compared with the court as the final arbiter of such disputes, and the rationale for this change, throughout the legislative process. The Bill brings this function from the Controller of the Intellectual Property Office of Ireland in favour of the Circuit Court. The adjudication of such matters extends into a judicial remit and, therefore, the courts are best placed to decide on these matters. I do not accept that this will negatively impact on performers or producers in Ireland.”
“I thank Senator Black for her amendments. I know this is heartfelt and, of course, she is speaking from experience, which many people cannot do when speaking to amendments like this. I want to put on record that I come from an arts background in the creative industry, so I have an empathy for this. When we were on Committee Stage, I encouraged RAAP to, and I think it had the opportunity to, engage with officials from the Department. I am sorry it did not get a meeting with the Minister, Deputy Burke. I am happy to meet RAAP in the future to talk further about a review. For the moment, I thank the Senator for the amendments that she tabled on Committee Stage, and also thank Senators McDowell and Conway and other Senators for their engagement on the Bill.”
“I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Senators who made contributions on Second Stage and Committee Stage. I thank the Seanad for the expedient way in which the legislation was considered and progressed.”
“I would appreciate if the Leas-Chathaoirleach could direct the Clerk to correct a minor typographical error to which I want to draw the attention of the House. I would be obliged if, in accordance with Standing Order 177, the Leas-Chathaoirleach could direct the Clerk to make a correction to the text of the Bill to include the word "the" in the Long Title on page 5, line 6, between "Part 4 of" and "Environmental Protection Agency Act", which was omitted from the initial printing of the Bill due to a technical error. Page 5, line 6 of the Bill reads "under Part IV of Environmental Protection Agency 1992". It should read "under Part IV of the Environmental Protection Agency Act 1992".”
“The main infrastructure build remains on track for completion by the end of this year. I am satisfied that the programme is advancing steadily and meeting its key milestones. I again thank Senator Costello for raising this incredibly important issue.”
“Commercial operators have indicated that all of their networks within urban areas will be upgraded by 2028. The Department is continuing to monitor these upgrades to ensure any unnecessary barriers to this investment are addressed to mitigate the risk of there being areas where the availability of gigabit connectivity services is limited. These measures include making the process to access existing infrastructure easier and ensuring new housing developments are designed to facilitate telecommunications connectivity from the outset. I am sure in five years' time, or probably less, we will look back and think it archaic to have had to have those discussions and debates but here we are. The implementation of the NBP plan continues to align with the delivery schedule and approved funding parameters.”
“I absolutely commit to sharing the experience of the farmers in the Senator's local area with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, to ensure something like this does not happen again and to see if any specific issue arose in that particular area. As the Senator stated, this involved 20 incredibly important businesspeople in the local area. I want to ensure we drive delivery of high-speed broadband, particularly across rural and remote areas. In urban areas, there are other ways of communicating but it is not so easily done in rural constituencies and regions like the Senator's and mine. I will absolutely share that with the Minister. Along with the NBP intervention contract, commercial operators continue to upgrade to achieve the targets of the digital connectivity strategy.”
“Along with the NBP intervention contract, substantial progress is being made by commercial operators in upgrading their networks throughout the State and ensuring the targets set out in the digital connectivity strategy are achieved. I have run out of time. I will hand back to the Senator to conclude.”
“The NBP's deployment remains on schedule and within its approved financial budget, reflecting robust programme governance, disciplined cost control and effective delivery oversight. The NBP was established to bridge that digital divide we spoke about and to ensure that all regions, including rural and small-town areas, have access to high-speed broadband infrastructure. The NBP delivers more than just connectivity. It drives economic growth, social inclusion and community development by enabling remote work, digital learning, telehealth and new business opportunities, while strengthening regional skills, innovation and quality of life. As all of us here in the House know, it also ensures the regional development we all feel so passionate about.”
“Where repairs or replacements are required, NBI provides the necessary details and requests these works through an agreed process with the owner of the infrastructure. Once the works have been completed, the owner of the infrastructure notifies NBI, and the infrastructure is then approved for use by NBI. The latter advises that 100% of the third-party infrastructure that NBI intends to use as part of the roll-out has been surveyed and that 96% of the required remedial works have now been completed. This infrastructure is either already in use or is actively being brought into use as part of NBI’s deployment, with the remaining 4% to be completed by the end of this year.”
“I am advised by NBI that over 451,557 premises across all counties have now been passed and immediate connection is available to them, with over 166,000 already connected. Deployment momentum is strong, and the main infrastructure build is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, as per the programme for Government commitment. The latest information on when high-speed broadband will become available in an intervention area can be found on NBI’s website. NBI also has a dedicated email address, reps@nbi.ie , which can be used by Seanad Members across the House for specific queries. Under the NBP contract, NBI is required to reuse existing third-party infrastructure, including poles, ducting and chambers, where possible.”
“The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future, published in January 2025, sets out a number of targets, which include the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband connections to 1.1 million people across homes, farms and businesses nationwide by 2026. The national broadband plan, NBP, is the Government’s initiative to deliver high-speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The Government identified a need to deliver broadband services where commercial operators would not operate, such as in parts of rural Ireland. As part of the NBP, the Government appointed National Broadband Ireland to deliver a future-proofed high-speed broadband network to those parts of the country, primarily in rural areas, not served by commercial operators.”
“We need to ensure that everyone has equal access because people risk being left behind if they do not. I thank the Senator for raising this very important matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, who is answering questions in the Dáil at the moment. Ensuring that all communities across Ireland, including those in rural and more remote areas, can access high-speed broadband is a key priority for the Minister and the Government. Ireland’s digital connectivity strategy, published in December 2022, sets ambitious targets including the provision of a gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030. As the Senator quite rightly said, these are ambitious targets that we intend to achieve.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this incredibly important issue. As somebody who is from the very rural constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, I understand the issue she has raised for people living in rural parts, particularly the farming community. So much of our lives is now transported into a digital area. We are expected to be able to adapt, put many of our public services online and be able to facilitate that. It is important as a Government that we are committed to that digital transformation. It is equally important that we be in a position to provide that Internet and broadband access that is required in rural parts, not just in urban. As the Senator said, it is not or should not be binary as to whether a person has really good or bad access.”
“In times of crisis, such as during severe storms, it has even provided a lifeline to communities during the recovery. This was certainly the case during Covid. The Government will continue to support the network and the postmasters who operate on a daily basis and preserve its position in the heart of local communities. I thank the Minister for her support here tonight. In my ten years here, I do not believe I have ever before seen Private Members' business being brought forward and nobody from the party that brought it forward being here to hear the response.”
“The programme for Government commits to the Government partnering with An Post and local communities to identify and preserve heritage post office buildings that are no longer in operation, respecting their historical value and exploring potential new uses. The Department is working in the first instance with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to discuss possible options. An Post also advises that it has a protocol in place which seeks to find the best future uses for these buildings, working with stakeholders such as the LDA and local authorities. The Government is truly committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network. It is an integral part of our economic and social infrastructure and plays a significant role in our lives.”
“An Post advises that approximately 70 to 80 post offices change ownership for a variety of reasons, including a postmaster taking over an existing premises, a relocation by an existing postmaster to a modern accessible premises or a new postmaster taking over and relocating to a fit-for-purpose premises. With regard to the sale of An Post buildings, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and Minister for public expenditure in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body. An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport will consider proposals from An Post on receipt of any such request for approval.”
“Therefore, we need other entities in the community, whether it be a local SuperValu or Centra, to take on the responsibility of providing the service. We have to acknowledge the expense of doing that. It is not a decision that can be taken lightly. An Post has not closed any post offices. A post office closure follows a decision by an individual postmaster to exit the business. The majority of closures resulted from postmaster retirement. At present, there are 873 active post offices and most are operated by independent postmasters, with 41 offices directly operated by An Post. It is a nationwide network of significant scale, providing economic and social benefits to urban and rural citizens across the country. Each year there is what would be described as churn within the network.”
“Closures can happen for a variety of reasons, such as retirement and for personal reasons – we have heard many such anecdotal accounts during this debate. The intention is to avoid such decisions being necessary on foot of economic hardship. Again, we are trying to make it economically viable for people to keep running post offices. Some 14 post offices have permanently closed following unsuccessful efforts to appoint new postmasters since January 2025. In every case, vacancies were advertised multiple times and local engagement was undertaken. The post office on the main street in my town, Bailieborough, closed due to retirement. A family had given many years of good service. That will happen.”
“That is why there have been some closures when nobody in a community was willing to take on a post office. We all have the same goal in mind when we are talking about the post office network. Funding will also support access for citizens to key social benefits of the post office network and help our citizens to access services effectively and equitably. It should also be noted that An Post is a commercial State body, with a mandate to act commercially. An Post has statutory responsibility for the State's postal service and the post office network. Decisions relating to the network, including decisions relating to specific post offices, are operational matters for the board and management of the company and not one for which the Government has any function. As noted earlier, support does not mean that some post offices will not close.”
“I recognise that the postmasters' network asked the Government for €15 million in the last budget. The Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, achieved that. He achieved an ongoing secure five-year plan totalling €75 million. I do not think the Ceann Comhairle would disagree with me when I say that what organisations ask for and aspire to in budgets is not always achieved. An Post achieved the exact figure it asked for. It has a pathway and plan to find a way forward for the post office network. That should be acknowledged. This funding will support the sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office network. We cannot kid ourselves and say that organisations in the public service can run on fresh air. They need funding, but they also have to be viable.”
“Post offices are the lifeblood of many communities. They are their social conscience, fabric and hub, something we have heard reiterated many times during the debate. Deputy Cathal Crowe referred to banking. Post offices provide AIB banking and savings services. They do a huge amount, a hell of a lot more than they did in the past. There is a commitment from the Government that we will find a path for them. No community wants to be without a post office. The more services they can deliver, the better. It is important to say that An Post is a trusted name. We went through a very difficult period in this country where name recognition was important. An Post has always had trustworthy name recognition, which is important to communities. We are, of course, discussing money and funding.”
“It is incredible service, as acknowledged by the postmistress in her local area, Caitríona Monaghan, who described her as a national treasure and trailblazer for women in the workforce for giving that public service to her local community. I want to acknowledge that. Many people have done likewise in respect of those who have been postwomen and postmen the length and breadth of the country. Everyone has come from a well-intentioned place in the debate. I reassure colleagues that the Government is completely committed to our post office network. Many issues have been raised across the House. I am conscious that the Minister, Deputy Calleary, was always very mindful, before he was Minister for Social Protection, to consider the additional services that can be provided through the post office network.”
“We have had an interesting debate. I will begin by acknowledging a very special lady in Mullagh, County Cavan, Jane Duffy, who was lovingly known as a postwoman for 38 years. She recently retired and I want to wish her and her lovely husband, Peter Duffy, the very best of luck. The night she retired epitomised what has been said across the House during this debate. The community came out in force to go to mass. Fr. Paul Prior held a beautiful ceremony for her and everybody came to the heritage centre to celebrate, acknowledge and appreciate her 38 years of service as a postwoman. What is interesting is that she became a postwoman when she left school and knew the route entirely because her dad had been a postman for 20 years prior to that. One could say she was 58 years doing the job, but we will give her her 38 years.”