Peter Burke
Longford-Westmeath · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I thank Deputy Ó Broin for raising this important matter. I cannot imagine the trauma many families are going through right now as a result of the conclusion of An Coimisiún Pleanála on this file. This was a dark time in our past.”
“I thank Deputy Nash for his question on this very important issue. I will say clearly and unambiguously that I share his concerns in relation to ensuring that no product produced in Ireland ends up in the Russian military complex. We are very firm in that belief.”
“I have heard suggestions in some outlets that the Irish Government was in that company's corner at key European forums. That is not true. The European Commission has brought forward 20 sanctions packages and Ireland has supported them all 100%. It is very important to put that on the record.”
“I thank Deputy Wall for his very important intervention. I heard part of the interview this morning, which was exceptional and very courageous, showing leadership in an area which affects so many people in our society. I know the Minister for Health is supportive of the Deputy's initiative and remains so.”
“We have enacted the Family Courts Bill, establishing a dedicated family court to look at very sensitive items for victims. We have introduced an offence for non-fatal strangulation, reflecting the seriousness of the abuse and the stress and harm it causes.”
“I thank Deputy Murphy for being proactive and bringing forward a solution to try to operationalise a group of the Oireachtas and showing leadership to do that for Tipperary. I will absolutely bring that to the attention of the Minister for justice, particularly considering the cross-party aspect.”
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“The Low Pay Commission, using CSO earnings data, has estimated that the 2025 national minimum wage represented just under 60% of median hourly earnings, and approximately 56% using labour force survey data, underlining the significant progress already achieved. The Government, therefore, believes that any further increases in the national minimum wage must continue to be managed in a sustainable way, and one that does not threaten employment or competitiveness. This is particularly important for sectors such as hospitality, food services and retail, where employers continue to face significant cost pressures in respect of labour, regulatory costs and energy costs. The Government’s objective is to support low-paid workers while protecting the viability of the businesses that employ them.”
“The Government is committed to the progression to a living wage, set at 60% of the median hourly wages during its lifetime, and to promoting positive working conditions across the economy. However, it is also important to maintain a regulatory environment that allows businesses to remain viable, and to continue to provide quality jobs. It was in that context that last year, as part of measures designed to bolster resilience and support competitiveness, the Government agreed to adjust the timeline for the progression until 2029. This decision should be considered in the context of the recent significant increases in the minimum wage, as I have already outlined, and the progress achieved in reaching a living wage.”
“Turning to the introduction of the living wage, I wish to make clear at the outset that the Government remains fully committed to ensuring fair wages for low-paid workers in our economy, and I also highlight the real progress we have made in raising the national minimum wage in recent years, by way of substantial increases. Since 2020, the national minimum wage has increased by 40%, from €10.10 to today’s rate of €14.15 an hour. This includes a 12% increase in 2024, a further increase of more than 6% in 2025, and an additional rise of almost 5% at the start of this year. These increases were well ahead of inflation and have delivered substantial, real-wage growth for the lowest-paid workers in our economy.”
“Research conducted by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, IGEES, along with officials in this Department show that firms in the retail, accommodation and food services sectors would likely to have been more affected if the statutory sick leave entitlement increased from five days to seven days. The research was published on the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment website on Monday, 14 April. On the basis of this research, I made the decision that five days sick leave strikes the right balance. It gives workers income protection for five days, after which illness benefit is there to support them.”
“That provides a crucial safety net to workers who become ill. It again underscores the Government’s commitment to progressive employment law and the protection, welfare, and well-being of Ireland's workforce. Originally three days, the entitlement was increased to five days in 2024. Since the introduction of the Sick Leave Act in 2023 and the subsequent increase in entitlement to sick leave to five days in 2024, business owners and representative organisations, particularly in the retail and hospitality sectors, have consistently raised concerns about the cumulative impact of such regulatory measures in the light of rising labour, input and energy costs.”
“The Act also provides for a right for an employee whose contract of employment does not reflect the reality of the hours they normally work. An employee who believes their contract does not reflect the hours they have consistently worked over the previous 12 months of service may request to be placed on a band of hours that better reflects the hours they have worked regularly. These provisions significantly improve the predictability and security of working hours for employees. The introduction of statutory sick leave in January 2023, marked a key policy development for Ireland. For the first time, employees received a statutory right to employer-paid sick leave. It gives workers an income protection for up to five days in the calendar year should they be unfit for work, paid at 70% of gross earnings, up to a daily cap of €110.”
“The updated code provides practical guidance to help employers and employees agree part-time arrangements which support flexible and modern workplaces. Irish employment rights legislation has also been progressive in terms of prohibiting zero-hour contracts in most cases and the provision of banded hours to enable workers to obtain more secure and predictable working hours. These provisions were introduced in 2018 through the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, amending the Organisation of Working Time Act. Under the Act, zero-hour contracts are largely prohibited, except for genuine casual or emergency work. Where zero-hour contracts are permitted, employees are entitled to compensation if required to be available but not given work.”
“These actions complement the range of measures the Government is undertaking to facilitate and encourage uptake of remote and flexible working, including the code of practice and the right to disconnect, the tax deduction for home working, which was placed on a statutory basis in January 2022, the national hub network, which has been underpinned by significant Government investment, and the completion of the installation of high-speed fibre broadband. These measures are accompanied by supports for flexible working, including the revised code of practice on access to part-time working, which was signed into law in January this year. The revised code was prepared by the WRC in consultation with the social partners.”
“However, a key finding is that the challenge is awareness, with fewer than half of employees being aware of their right to request remote working. To address this finding and others identified by the review, the Department will implement recommendations from it, including a national information campaign to drive awareness and encourage increased use of the legislation. We will also request the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, to revise the code of practice to support use of the legislation.”
“My Department just recently concluded a statutory review of the operation of the right to request remote working legislation and a report of the review was laid before the Houses on 5 March this year. The findings of the review were informed by a nationally representative survey; a public consultation which received more than 8,000 responses; and engagement with the Workplace Relations Commission, employer and employee representatives and the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality. The review found that when used, the legislation works effectively. Some 94% of requests are approved either fully or partially, demonstrating that the legislation can facilitate compromise. The reported level of administrative burden is also low.”
“There has been a significant and lasting shift in attitudes towards remote working in recent years. Central Statistics Office data shows that almost 1 million people were working from home, either usually or sometimes, in the fourth quarter of 2025. That figure has remained broadly stable since the pandemic. Recognising the changing dynamics of the workplace, the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023 provided all workers the right to request remote working in March 2024. Ireland was among the first in the EU to introduce a right to request remote working. The legislation is accompanied by a code of practice which provides guidance for employers and employees on how to comply with this legislation.”
“These focus on strengthening the evidence-base for collective bargaining, building capacity and awareness, promoting good collective bargaining practices, protecting existing rights and reinforcing the key institutions which support our industrial relations system. A mid-term review in 2028 will allow us to assess progress and ensure the action plan remains responsive to a changing and dynamic labour market. Officials in my Department have initiated discussions with the Office of Government Procurement to determine practical steps for implementing a pilot project, which would examine the incorporation of collectively bargained agreements as a weighting factor in public procurement processes. Progress is also under way to identify and reward best-practices by employers in the space of collective bargaining.”
“Implementation of the action plan is well under way and is overseen by a technical subgroup of LEEF, consisting of officials from the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the social partners. The subgroup meets on a regular basis to provide structured oversight, monitor progress and ensure the phased implementation of actions in a manner that remains responsive to emerging issues and stakeholder feedback. This governance arrangement supports effective delivery of the action plan while maintaining flexibility to adapt to evolving labour market and policy priorities. At the heart of the plan are 22 targeted actions across five strategic pillars.”
“Recent action by this Government has resulted in improved conditions for workers, and we have driven many positive and progressive changes over the past few years. I wish to take the opportunity to speak about some of these this evening. First, I must point out that there is no constitutional or legal impediment which prevents parties who wish to exercise their right to collectively bargain from freely doing so in Ireland. There is an extensive range of statutory provisions designed to back up the voluntary bargaining process. Ireland’s action plan to promote collective bargaining, launched in November 2025, demonstrates the Government’s clear commitment to strengthening the industrial relations framework and improving the quality of working life.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "recognises that: — Ireland has experienced significant global inflationary pressures arising from international shocks, including energy price volatility, supply chain disruption and geopolitical instability, which have increased pressures on households and businesses; and — protecting jobs, sustaining economic competitiveness, and supporting living standards must be progressed in a balanced and sustainable manner; notes that: — Ireland continues to maintain near full employment, with historically high labour force participation and rising average earnings across the economy; — the Government has introduced a comprehensive and record series of cost of living supports in recent years, targeted at workers on low and middle incomes, including reductions in Income Tax, increases in tax credits, and enhanced social protections; — while some countries awaited the outcome of proceedings before the Court of Justice of the European Union on the Adequate Minimum Wages Directive, the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment remained committed to progressing and delivering the Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining 2026-2030 (the Plan), irrespective of the Court's decision, and fulfilled that commitment; — implementation of the Plan in Ireland is well underway, with 22 actions to be delivered over the duration 2026–2030, a technical sub-group of Labour Employer Economic Forum, LEEF, consisting of Department officials and social partners are overseeing the implementation process, with a robust monitoring framework in place, including a mid-term review scheduled for 2028, this phased and responsive approach will ensure the continued relevance of the Plan in the context of evolving labour market conditions and the collective bargaining landscape; — Ireland has a robust suite of employment rights protections which have been significantly enhanced in recent years, including through the introduction of statutory sick pay, the right to request remote and flexible work, a new public holiday, protections for tips and gratuities, enhanced parental and carers' leave, and regular increases to the national minimum wage; and — the statutory minimum wage has increased consistently under successive Governments and is set according to the transparent and evidence-based recommendations of the Low Pay Commission; acknowledges that: — social dialogue remains the cornerstone of Ireland's industrial relations framework; — trade unions, employers and the State all have an important role to play in maintaining constructive industrial relations, promoting productivity, and supporting sustainable wage growth; — ongoing consultation at European Union (EU) level, including discussions on a Quality Jobs Roadmap, provides an opportunity to share best practice and learn from other member states; — a strong economy is essential to funding public services, sustaining employment, and enabling continued improvements in workers' rights and living standards; and — changes to employment law must be carefully calibrated to protect workers while avoiding unintended consequences for small and medium sized enterprises, competitiveness, and job creation; and reaffirms our commitment to: — advancing measures to strengthen collective bargaining participation in line with EU obligations, while respecting Ireland's voluntary industrial relations tradition; — supporting flexible and remote working through existing legislative frameworks and guidance, balancing employee needs with operational requirements of employers; — engaging with trade unions, employers and stakeholders including through LEEF, the Workplace Relations Commission and Labour Court to promote high quality, secure and productive employment; and — keep the adequacy of the minimum wage under ongoing review through the Low Pay Commission, with the objective of improving living standards while safeguarding jobs.".”
“-----to support vulnerable families right across our country. It proves the point, time and time again, that the Opposition cannot agree on anything, but it wants to tear down a Government and leave the country without a Government.”
“It is disingenuous, it is disgraceful and it should not be allowed take hold considering the measures we have introduced and we will further introduce. The final thing I want to say is that actions have consequences. A motion of no confidence in a Government was brought forward, due to an unprecedented international crisis through the Iran shock, that would leave a country, vulnerable citizens, without a Government, without the capacity to make key interventions to support our families right across the State-----”
“For diesel, we are giving €19.20 per fill and for contractors who use marked gas oil, MGO, together with the intervention negotiated with my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon, we are bringing forward €55 for every fill of MGO for workers right across the economy. Also, the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is bringing forward a package of €40 million a week to support supply chains to ensure groceries are getting on shelves for our workers and mitigating the increases of inflation. That is the bread, the milk, that so many of our hauliers bring. That is a key mitigation factor. There were hugely disingenuous narratives being put forward over the last week and more saying that the Government was profiting from this crisis. That is absolutely false.”
“I rise to support the motion of confidence in this Government and the accumulative package of €750 million of an intervention to support citizens right across our country. I do so while acknowledging the huge pressure that many families are under, families who play by the rules in our society. That is why this intervention, together with the one a couple of weeks ago, is very significant. When we look at the scale of it, for a fill of petrol of 60 l, for ordinary families up and down the country, we are giving €16 per fill.”
“Equally, by managing the economy well, we will meet this crisis from a position of strength, and we will come back stronger as a government, and critically, protect the most vulnerable along the way.”
“If we look at what the International Energy Agency has put clearly on the record, this could be a lot worse than what happened in the two crises of the 1970s, together with the challenge of the Ukraine shock, which is very significant. There is one thing we know following the recent crises that we have faced in this economy. With Brexit, we met that challenge from a position of strength, and we came back stronger. When we hit the challenge of the global pandemic, we met that challenge from a position of strength, and we came back stronger as a government. When we hit double-digit inflation in November 2022, we also met it from a position of strength, and we came back stronger.”
“We will then go wider for the rest of the economy, thereby ensuring we are underwriting the support for supply chains through our haulage sector, which has seen an increase of 60% in the diesel rebate scheme, as well as the measures at the pumps. Critically, there have been other measures like the €250 million package and the reduction to 9% in VAT for electricity and oil, which ensures that every household in the country will save €100 per year. Other countries in Europe, for example, Italy, Spain and the UK, are still grappling with changes. Many have not gone as far as Ireland has already gone at this juncture, with Spain looking to reduce its VAT rate to 10%, while Ireland has moved to 9% for electricity. A critical point from our perspective is to ensure that any changes are affordable. We do not know the duration of this crisis.”
“On 12 March, 50,000 households were brought into the net due to the change to the working family payment, and this was backdated to 1 January. The extension of four weeks, together with the increase in the eligibility criteria of over €1,000 in net income for those over 70, ensures that 370,000 households will benefit, and an additional €150 per month is also targeted at the most vulnerable in society. In my view, the Government's first port of call is to ensure that, in a time of crisis, when we hit a significant shock in the economy, we first protect the most vulnerable in society. This is backed up by the ESRI, and it is what we are going after in the first instance.”
“These excise reductions, in conjunction with the NORA reduction and the changes to the fuel allowance and diesel rebate scheme, which has significantly increased by 60%, underwrite the supply lines. This really impacts on inflation for many of the groceries that we buy every single week. If we did not do this, it would have a significant impact on consumers. This will also benefit households at the pumps, given the various measures related to the NORA levy and excise. We must respect the fact that we are limited by the rates allowable under the energy tax directive and VAT directive. Going by what the ESRI has said in relation to the most important deciles to benefit from budget 2026, there is an extension of the fuel allowance, which now covers 470,000 households. Many of the benefits of this were being operationalised in recent weeks.”
“This measure will be in place for a defined period of time, and the Government reserves the right and option to adjust these as circumstances evolve. This approach is in line with the European Council conclusions agreed in Brussels last week, and with the response of other EU member states. I reiterate the Tánaiste's affirmation that the Opposition amendments cannot be accepted. The proposed amendments disregard the need for a long-term, economic and sustainable approach. The measures announced today will provide significant mitigation against recent fuel price increases. It is not possible, using the tax system, to offset all of the recent increases, which are driven by market factors.”
“I thank Deputies for their robust engagement on this important issue. As the Tánaiste stated earlier, these excise reductions form part of an overall package that the Government has designed to provide immediate financial support to households. The excise rate changes will provide for VAT-inclusive, per-litre reductions of 15 cent per litre for petrol, 20 cent per litre for auto diesel and 3 cent per litre for marked gas oil, or green diesel. In addition to the NORA levy reduction of 2 cent, this will provide for an overall reduction of 17 cent on petrol, 22 cent on auto diesel and 5 cent on MGO. While tax changes cannot fully absorb the recent energy shocks or market volatility, these changes will lessen the impact of fuel costs on consumers.”
“From the Taoiseach down, we have given the commitment that we are working with minor works in terms of some remedial works that we can carry out now that can save businesses in the interim while we are waiting for the delivery of the significant schemes. They are a challenge. We have a record level of investment there to support businesses. We have to ensure that. I know that when a small family business is flooded, it is devastating. It has a devastating effect on their family. It is the same in the case of a club. We have seen the pictures and heard stories that paint thousands of words. We will be at the forefront of supporting them in the months ahead.”
“I hear what the Deputy is saying. We have made progress across 52 schemes over the past four years. Huge work was done in Athlone in my own constituency. Work was done in Bandon, County Cork, as well. A number of these schemes have been very complex and there have been very different challenges in respect of each, either through the planning code or the complexity of delivery of them. CFRAM is very clear. There are 150 schemes that face one in 100-year events, 1% risk, that we are working through as a Government. We had a meeting last week to progress and fast-track a number of these schemes.”
“We are making the scheme as accessible as possible. I am prepared to work with Deputies in any areas that they wish to raise. It is also important to point out that the minor works scheme has gone up to €2 million from €750,000, which also is a big asset to businesses in the sector. As I said, we want to progress. That is why we have increased €20,000 up to €100,000 to reflect the seriousness of it. I am happy to work with the Deputies in question. On Deputy Brian Brennan's issue, Merck is a significant and an important issue for his constituency. I met with so many of the employees with him a number of months ago. I assure him that the full industrial relations machinery of our State will be made available to support them. I know he has organised a number of meetings with my State agencies.”
“Further information and application forms are available on the Irish Red Cross website. The closing date for applications is 6 March 2026. The standard scheme, where the maximum contribution is capped at €20,000, was activated twice in 2025. It was first opened in early November due to flooding caused by a severe weather event in the Bantry area, and it was subsequently reopened in mid-November to assist those affected by flood-damage in County Wexford as a result of Storm Claudia. All claims have been processed under it at that particular time have paid out €82,000.”
“There are two payment stages - an initial payment of up to €5,000, and then a second payment subject to assessment of the damages by an independent, professional assessor. Under the enhanced scheme, the total funding available is capped at a maximum of €100,000 per small business or community, voluntary or sporting body. These funds may be used to replace damaged flooring, fixtures, fittings, and stock with the aim of enabling businesses to reopen as soon as possible. As of 18 February 2026, the Irish Red Cross has received 57 applications for the enhanced emergency humanitarian flooding scheme. Total funding disbursed to date is €52,000, which represents initial payments of up to €5,000. Further payments will be made, up to a total of €100,000, once independent professional assessments are carried out.”
“My Department operates the emergency humanitarian flooding scheme for small businesses and voluntary, community and sports organisations affected by flooding as a result of extreme weather and unable to obtain flood insurance through no fault of their own. The scheme is administered by the Irish Red Cross on behalf of the Department. The Department has activated the enhanced emergency humanitarian flooding scheme for businesses impacted by Storm Chandra and the subsequent heavy rainfall from 26 January to early February. The enhanced scheme is for small businesses of up to 50 employees or whole-time equivalents, and community, voluntary and sports organisations. It provides a contribution towards the cost of returning a business premises to its pre-flood condition.”
“I thank the Deputy for his comments. We will work together on this. He is right that building public trust is a big challenge. Awareness will be central to that. I work closely with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, who has responsibility for the public service piece. We can work hand in glove on the private sector piece, protecting employees, giving skills as best we can to respond to this opportunity and also working through our tax code to incentivise innovation. We are happy to work in the coming months. As 1 July will come quite quickly, it will be important we hit the ground running. We have the building blocks and foundation already to capture a lot of this opportunity.”
“This will have a huge impact across every sector and every area of society. That is why it is important we have the skills to deal with it and are sharp in our innovative approach.”
“I assure the Deputy of our continuing work in the areas he referenced. About 85 recommendations came from the joint Oireachtas committee. Three referred to our Department, which I am happy to speak about. They related to the establishment of the AI office, which will take place in August; to the AI and digital summit on 14 October; and to the work we are doing on the simplification agenda, which will be key to building public trust and to ensuring we are hiving out the opportunity. The Minister, Deputy Chambers, is doing huge work on the public sector piece, as referenced in the strategy published yesterday. As Members across the House have said, this is general purpose technology by its nature. Its transformational effects are like those electricity had decades ago.”
“To help inform Government, the AI advisory council provides independent expert advice on artificial intelligence policy and helps to build public trust in AI. Our wider national governance framework for AI, including Ireland’s implementation of the EU AI Act, is designed to uphold fairness, transparency and strong protections for health, safety and fundamental rights, ensuring the development of safe, ethical and human-centric AI systems.”
“Much work has been done by Government, and will continue to be done, to put a strong guardrail in place for the development and use of AI in Ireland. This includes development of regulations, standards, guidelines and codes of practice. Our ambition in the new national digital and AI strategy is to enhance digital literacy and basic skills not only for the economy but across all levels of society. It is envisaged there will be an enhanced dialogue with the public and key stakeholders, including in the context of the strategy. Our goal is to build public trust in AI and ensure people feel included in its development. Most importantly, we want societal values and concerns to directly inform AI research and how technologies are adopted.”
“AI has the potential to have a profound impact on society, as well as providing significant opportunities to ensure we remain competitive and future-proof our industrial base through its adoption. That is why it is equally important to ensure we address the challenges Al poses around safety, privacy and fundamental rights in the public and private sectors. Harnessing the benefits of AI must go hand in hand with protecting the people it affects. The new national AI and digital strategy was launched yesterday. It will work across government and cover key pillars including the delivery of public services, enterprise, digital infrastructure and skills. As AI is a cross-cutting technology, the recommendations have implications across a wide range of policy responsibilities spanning a number of relevant line Departments.”
“We have to be careful to protect jobs in our economy. I know that more than most because every week I get notifications of redundancies across the economy. I see a trend in relation to those exposed to artificial intelligence. On the other side, there is huge recruitment with some companies taking on hundreds of jobs to further their research and innovation in artificial intelligence.”
“I assure the Deputies we are very much responding to the huge challenge presented in the jobs market, but also the opportunity. The opportunity is very significant. The key pieces include skills, on which we have done a huge amount of work, and having our energy policy correct. The Deputies will have seen our large energy user policy, which gives a huge opportunity for sustainable use. Power will be a significant challenge in financing our offshore renewables and our green transition, which will go hand in hand with our digital transition. Leadership is important and we are doing that through our AI summit, the work being carried out in relation to our AI Act, establishing our AI office in August, having a regulatory sandbox in place and driving that pro-enterprise, proportionate agenda across the European Union.”
“It will give us the opportunity to show what we can do and deliver in our economy. We look forward to driving the public trust and simplification agendas, which need to go hand in glove if we are to be successful and have a very strong model.”
“As the Deputy has pointed out, it is critically important that risk is managed in this process. That is why the IDA has set out under its five-year strategy to train 40,000 people. In the first year, we reached 33,000. That is transformational. It makes jobs sticky and ensures that people are upskilled and ready to grasp the opportunities artificial intelligence presents. We have a skills base in the Irish economy. We have double the EU average number of ICT graduates. We also have double the EU average number of STEM graduates per capita in the 20 to 39 age category. On 14 October, we will hold our AI summit. The Minister of State, Deputy Niamh Smyth, is doing huge work on that with the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, and myself. That will be a key opportunity to showcase Ireland at the application stage.”
“My Department is currently considering an observatory focused on enterprise adoption of AI. Together with the national skills observatory, this would inform Government in shaping future AI-related enterprise and jobs policy. The establishment of an observatory on the enterprise adoption of AI is a deliverable in the new national digital and AI strategy, which was published yesterday. AI is evolving rapidly and its impacts are difficult to predict. The Government is committed to strengthening our capability to understand and respond to the opportunities and challenges ahead through the AI observatory. It will be a key piece in supporting our actions.”
“The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science recently brought a memorandum to Government informing it of his intention to progress the establishment of a national skills observatory. It is envisaged that the national skills observatory will transform our skills intelligence landscape and provide a more joined-up approach to data gathering and use. The observatory will act as a central repository for labour market and skills information in Ireland, facilitating improved workforce planning, stronger policy and decision-making, and improved lifelong learning and workforce reskilling among other benefits. This will provide a valuable source of data and insights on the labour market and skills, including in relation to artificial intelligence.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. Last year, the Government received recommendations from the AI Advisory Council and National Skills Council to establish observatories on AI and skills. The action plan for competitiveness and productivity subsequently included a strategic action to establish an AI observatory. The basis for these observatories is a need to provide up-to-date data and insights on aspects such as labour market dynamics, skills and other AI metrics. I fully agree that the intelligence developed through the work of the observatories could greatly assist the Government by providing evidence on an ongoing basis to inform policy decisions.”
“I assure the Deputy those powers are under investigation in terms of completing the files. We know that from An Garda Síochána and the DPP. Independence is a core tenet of our democracy and we have to let investigations run their course. I cannot pre-empt action that might happen arising from an investigation because that would jeopardise the whole investigation. Action is very visible from the four authorities I listed that are investigating this, together with the work I am doing with the Ministers of State, Deputies Smyth and Dillon, in relation to the AI Act.”
“Critically, from our meetings with the Attorney General and the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, and the work she has done, we know the law is strong in this regard. Investigations are ongoing and action will be swift. I will be very much at the forefront of calling for that, in the context of any company in this State. If it compromises in any way the safety of our children, it should pay the ultimate price. The Government is unequivocal on that. That is why are doing a huge amount of work over the next weeks and months in relation to the protection of our children and online safety, which will be so important, working with our European colleagues to get a co-ordinated response. We have to respect due process. Investigations are under way, which I referenced.”
“Irrespective of any entity, large or small, the Government will not be found wanting in protecting our children. I say that as the father of two young children. Our primary concern, irrespective of any company in this State or tax revenue any company will bring in, is our future, which is our children. Four investigations are live in this area, as I referenced, under the DSA by the Commission, Coimisiún na Meán, An Garda Síochána and the DPC. We live in a constitutional democracy. Due process has to happen for investigations. If I say anything here that prejudices an investigation that is ongoing, it would do a disservice to the State and the victims, who have been at the forefront of what we are speaking about. My action in relation to the AI Act has been on trying to ensure we get additional protections in.”
“These measures reinforce the Government’s commitment to enhancing online safety, in particular for children and young people, as a whole-system priority.”
“In addition to these ongoing investigations, the Attorney General and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration are examining the matter and will consider whether further legislative measures are needed in the area of non-consensual intimate images. Work is also under way in the Department of justice to transpose the EU violence against women directive which provides new protections in this area. My own Department is liaising with the European Commission and member states to advocate for adding the use of AI systems for the generation of such images to the list of prohibited AI practices under the EU AI Act. Online safety will be a core pillar underpinning the new national digital and AI strategy which was published yesterday and a priority for Ireland’s Presidency of the European Council.”