Ollie Crowe
Industrial and Commercial Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“It establishes an AI office of Ireland as a strong independent institution at the centre of our AI regulatory system and empowers our competent authorities with the investigative and sanctioning tools they need.”
“This new office will have an important role to play in addressing those concerns and enhancing AI literacy across a wide range of areas, including in businesses. Ireland has been a tech leader for many years.”
“We need to ensure that we are prepared as effectively as possible for all those outcomes and this office will be an important resource in meeting that challenge. As the Minister of State is aware, Article 73 of the AI Act requires our competent authorities to have adequate technical, financial and human resources.”
“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 regulat…”
“I welcome the Minister of State's confirmation that this power is limited and constrained, and does not extend to the key functions, the findings of the adjudicator, the determination of administrative sanctions or the role of the courts. That is a welcome and important clarification. I welcome the Bill.”
“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.”
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“Fianna Fáil believes Irish SMEs are fundamentally important to the Irish economy, currently and for future economic success. That is my view also. As Members will be aware, I have spoken often about how SMEs are the backbone of the Irish economy. Some 99.8% of businesses in Ireland are classified as SMEs and 68% of employees work for SMEs. Our SMEs are the lifeblood of cities, towns and villages across the country. Of course, foreign direct investment is essential also, particularly given our status as a small trading nation. However, we must ensure our SMEs are given the same focus with regard to policy and consideration so that our domestic sector can continue to go from strength to strength.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann: - recognises the clarity in the Programme for Government that sets out the importance of SMEs to our economy; - accepts that given the heightened level of international uncertainty, there is a need to focus on matters within our control which can make the domestic Irish economy more competitive and resilient to economic shocks; - acknowledges the need to strive to reduce costs, administrative burdens and bureaucracy for businesses; - endorses the focus at EU level of the new Commission on simplification and administrative burden reduction, including a reduction of administrative burdens by at least 25 percent, and at least 35 percent for SMEs; - commends the acceleration of the timeline for the publication of a new whole of Government Action Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity which will cover, amongst other initiatives, reducing the cost and regulatory burden on business; - supports the setting up of a Small Business Unit in the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment; - welcomes the establishment of a Cost of Business Advisory Forum and its first meeting on 11th June, 2025; and calls on the Government to: - address excessive administrative burdens on enterprises; - examine how the various regulations, services, offerings and supports can be simplified for stakeholders and unnecessary administrative burdens removed; - right-size the regulatory environment for SMEs; - ensure that regulations, schemes, supports and processes are consistent, necessary, proportional, and effective; - provide predictability and certainty for business with good quality regulation and policy; - underscore with State Bodies the importance of strengthening Ireland’s competitiveness and reducing the regulatory and administrative burden on enterprise; and - further embed Better Regulation principles.”
“I would be grateful if the Leader would raise this matter with the relevant Minister and ask him to come before the House.”
“The French Government is now offering incentives to revive rural bars because it recognises their cultural and economic value. We need that level of foresight in here. Ireland has the second-highest excise duty rate on alcohol in Europe, with taxes accounting for 30% of the price of a pint. That is simply wrong for a sector that has seen such high numbers of closures and must be addressed. The VFI proposed an excise rebate on draft beers and ciders which would provide support for traditional pubs. Naturally, the latter serve such drinks on draft. It is a targeted measure that would provide a lifeline to thousands of SMEs and would go some way towards addressing taxes that are unjustifiably high. Ahead of budget 2026, this would be worthy of strong consideration on the part of the Government.”
“The closure of such premises also contributes to the growing loneliness, which impacts rural communities because people no longer have a place to meet. As Senators are aware, the Irish pub is also an important attraction for tourists. Every survey on tourism shows that pubs are one of the main attractions the country has to offer, with the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin the number one paid visitor attraction here. As the Vintners Federation of Ireland, VFI, outlined last month, costs are rising rapidly for pubs. The current situation is simply unsustainable, and we are at a point where the Government needs to act to preserve Ireland's pub culture and sustain rural communities. In France, pub numbers plummeted from 200,000 to just 36,000.”
“I want to raise the challenges facing the pub industry across the country. Last month, figures from the CSO showed that bar sales dropped 10% in the 12 months from March 2024 to March of this year, the largest annual decrease in volume sales of any sector. In the past 20 years, 2,000 pubs across the country have closed their doors. Outside of Dublin, the number of pubs has fallen by 25% in the same period. This represents not only the closure of SMEs and the loss of local jobs but also the closure of community hubs in small towns and villages across our country. It also represents the removal of hosting areas for local communities, gatherings, important life events such as communions and confirmations, table quizzes and fundraisers.”
“Their busiest time of the year is upcoming and they are seeking to raise funds that will help their life-saving service continue, through their national fundraising effort, the Mayday Mile. I will certainly be supporting the cause and I urge all in a position to do so across the Houses to do likewise.”
“Today I want to highlight the work of the RNLI following the publication of the data for 2024. Across the 46 stations on the island of Ireland, lifeboat crews launched 881 times last year and volunteer crews brought 1,007 people to safety. Some 234 of the launches were carried out in the hours of darkness. In my county, Galway, the crews' work was especially important as the RNLI rescue figures for 2024 show the charity lifeboats in Clifden, Galway city and the Aran Islands had a total of 104 rescue launches, coming to the aid of 94 people and with 38 of the launches carried out in the hours of darkness. This is extraordinary work by a charity that perhaps does not get the recognition it deserves and whose volunteers are lifesavers who drop everything else when needed to run the lifeboat station, often at considerable risk to themselves.”
“I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Troy, to the Chamber and I thank his officials for their hard work in getting this Bill through. It is a welcome development and it is great that there is support across the House.”
“That sector has more than 250,000 people working in it and in thousands of SMEs and, obviously, it is a critical part of the Irish economy. It is vital that the Government act quickly to ensure the sector continues to grow from strength to strength. This is a significant issue for the Irish economy. Will the Leader request that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, update us on the matter and on options the Government is considering?”
“Cork is not unusual in terms of growth, given that the vast majority of European airports have seen passenger numbers rise to begin the year, making it clear the passenger cap is significantly impacting on Dublin Airport's capacity to grow. This is more crucial now than ever given the tariffs decision by the US Administration and the uncertainty that has created in terms of economic impact. We need to examine following the UK model, where central government is taking control of planning decisions on critical transport infrastructure to deliver faster decisions. We simply cannot afford this process to be dragged out and for it to continue to limit the growth of Dublin Airport and our tourism sector nationwide.”
“I wish to raise the issue of the passenger cap in Dublin Airport. As Members are aware, the Government has outlined its commitment in the programme for Government to lifting the cap as soon as possible. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has described the situation as urgent. That is welcome. It is essential it be done as quickly as possible. There has been a slow start to the year in terms of tourism. We all recognise how important that sector is to our economy and to the thousands of SMEs right across the country. Dublin Airport Authority, which is also responsible for Cork Airport, has said that, like other European airports, Cork Airport saw strong growth to begin the year, with passenger numbers increasing by 6% in February, while passenger numbers in Dublin Airport fell by 0.5%.”
“I ask the Leader of the House to request that the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, join us for a debate on the issue at his earliest convenience.”
“Both the tourism and hospitality sectors are obviously deeply concerned about such figures. This is particularly important given that there are several challenges already facing businesses within the industry, who have seen costs rise considerably in recent years. Members may be aware that the Irish Tourism Industry Confederation has said that although it has been a soft start to the year, it was nothing on the scale suggested by the CSO figures. We need to get clarity on that. Has there been any change in how the CSO collects these numbers? This could, perhaps, explain the significant reduction in January and February. Regardless, it is clear that this is an issue the Government needs to review and act upon.”
“I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the sad passing last Saturday of a Galway great, Ken Bruen, one of the country's finest writers. He lived an extraordinary life, having spent 25 years travelling around the world working as an English teacher before he began writing in the nineties, with more than 50 works published since, several of which were turned into movies or television series. Of course, the Jack Taylor series was especially popular. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Phyl Kennedy Bruen, and their daughter, Grace. The Central Statistics Office data on tourist numbers over recent months is concerning. As Members will be aware, the January figures saw a drop of 25% on the 2024 figures, while the February figures published last Friday saw a further stark decrease of 30% from February 2024.”
“The priority right now needs to be addressing with as much speed as possible the needs of the final 3,500 without broadband access, but following that we need to proceed quickly to having a discussion on how to strengthen our infrastructure to ensure this issue does not arise again after another major storm, be it next year, in two years or later. Given the ways in which we now rely on broadband, it is simply unacceptable for thousands of businesses and tens of thousands of homes to be three weeks or more than a month without broadband access. It does considerable damage to our economy and we must take safeguarding measures to prevent this from arising again. I would be grateful if the Leader of the House raised the matter with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, and requested him to join us for a debate as soon as possible.”
“I raise the issue of broadband access following Storm Éowyn. As Members will be aware, tens of thousands were without broadband for weeks following the storm. Indeed, ComReg said at the end of last week that 3,500 remained without access, a month after the storm. Speaking of my county, the impact was particularly felt in Connemara and across north Galway, where thousands remained without access for weeks. The impact this has cannot be overstated. Businesses were unable to take payments. Remote workers were unable to carry out their work at home and had to return to their offices, which for many involved lengthy journeys every day.”
“While I understand that any payments while on placement is a matter for the relevant employer, which in the public sector would be the HSE and, in other cases, private providers, regarding the HSE aspect, I believe there would be considerable benefit in the Minister for Health raising the issue with the chief executive of the HSE and agreeing on a path forward to address this. I have outlined the staffing issues, so I will not repeat them, but it makes this career path more attractive and it requires a focus. As the Minister of State proposed, I would be grateful if he could raise the matter with his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill.”
“The Irish Institute of Radiography and Radiation Therapy, IIRRT, has also warned staffing deficits have led to machine closures in public hospitals, reducing capacity and worsening delays for cancer patients. The result is longer waiting lists, postponed treatments and potentially poorer outcomes for those in need of urgent care. This is not just a student issue; it is a healthcare issue. Without financial support for radiation therapy students, staffing shortages will continue and directly impact on cancer patients across this country. If we invest in the students of today, this will pay dividends in the years ahead. There is no reason for these students to be treated less favourably than student nurses. We need to see swift action in this regard.”
“Many students rely on summer jobs to support themselves through college but this requirement makes it nearly impossible to earn enough money to cover expenses for the academic year. As Members may also be aware, it was reported in December 2024 that a staffing crisis in radiation therapy contributed to the HSE spending almost €12 million in 18 months on contracting private hospitals to treat public cancer patients. By addressing the financial struggles facing radiation therapy students, we can address the staffing crisis and make this career path more attractive. As a result, we can save our health service money in the future by reducing the need to outsource to private hospitals.”
“I thank the Minister of State for joining us in the House. As he and Members will be aware, cancer affects nearly every family in Ireland, with one in every three people receiving a diagnosis at some point in their lives. When that happens, access to timely and effective treatment is critical. Radiation therapy plays a vital role in cancer care, yet students training for this essential profession receive no financial support, uniform allowance, travel allowance or payment for clinical placements completed every year during their four-year degree programme. This is despite working full-time hours in hospitals. Unlike student nurses who receive a payment during their final year internship, radiation therapy students must complete an unpaid summer clinical placement.”