Results 3,001-3,020 of 15,504 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (18 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming Bonniconlon ICA. I hope they are having a good day. I acknowledge Senator Flynn’s remarks but I have outlined that legally, we cannot accept some of the amendments due to the Attorney General's advice and due to the fact they are captured within the Bill. Amendment No. 5 is also captured within the Bill. Dual-use items and military...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (18 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I acknowledge the work of officials in my Department, particularly Dr. Eamon Cahill and Mr. Matthew Geoghegan, who are with us in the House this evening. The Bill seeks to ensure that Ireland continues to play its part in preventing potentially dangerous items being exported from the EU and falling into the wrong hands. The horrific events of this week highlight again the senseless death,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: State Bodies (18 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: The Corporate Enforcement Authority's (CEA) budget for 2023 is €9,706 million, a budget uplift of 25% over its 2022 allocation. Budget 2024 includes a commitment to provide an additional €1.2 million to the CEA, a 12% increase over 2023 bringing its budget to €10,906 million, and signals Government's continued commitment to ensuring the CEA has the requisite resources...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Artificial Intelligence (17 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as ucht an deis labhairt faoi intleacht shaorga, IS, sa Teach. I can assure him, given that my approach to AI is going to be person-centred, that there will always be a person standing in this spot to offer a response. As the Senator knows, the national Al strategy, Al - Here for Good, has been in place for two years. We published a progress...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Artificial Intelligence (17 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I agree with Senator Byrne. We are very aware of the challenges that will be presented by AI and by the regulation. We want to ensure balance, whereby the regulation puts in place the guardrails to which Senator Byrne referred but does not choke innovation in Ireland or Europe whereby we lose the experience of this innovation to other jurisdictions. A key part of my work in the coming...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (17 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: 522. To ask the Minister for Health for details on non-payment of the pandemic payment to a company (details supplied). [44805/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy. We are working with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and particularly with the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, on principles and guidelines on the use of AI in the public service. It is something we are very conscious of and we want to ensure that we do it correctly. Our whole approach to AI is to ensure it is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: On the AI Act, we are continuing the trilogue process at European level. My officials are engaging extensively in this process and it is continuing apace. The Spanish Presidency, which concludes in December, has indicated that the legislation is a priority for it. There is still much work to be done and we are continuing to lead out on that. On resources, the Minister has directed,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Artificial Intelligence (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: Tógfaidh mé Ceisteanna Uimh. 8 agus 12 le chéile. Chun tacaíocht a thabhairt don straitéis náisiúnta um intleacht shaorga, táim ag moladh go mbunófar comhairle um intleacht shaorga. It is proposed that the AI advisory council will provide independent expert guidance to the Government on AI policy, with a specific focus on building public trust and...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government set down a commitment to enhance and reform PIAB. The overarching aim is to increase the number of claims settled through the Board and without the need for litigation. To meet this commitment the Personal Injuries Resolution Board (PIRB) Act 2022 was signed into law by the President on 13 December 2022. The reform and enhancement of the Board through the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: Balanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy for me and this Government, and is reaffirmed in the Department’s White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans. The Midlands Regional Enterprise Plan covers Laois, Offaly,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Regional Development (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: Balanced regional enterprise development continues to be a key policy for me and this Government, and is reaffirmed in the Department’s White Paper on Enterprise. My Department contributes to this agenda in several ways, including through the development, implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans. The South-East Regional Enterprise Plan covers Carlow,...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Corporate Governance (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy is aware my department has policy responsibility for the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The directive is one of a number of measures under the European Green Deal and the Sustainable Finance Agenda. Companies in scope will be required to report annually in their directors' report on environmental, social and governance including human rights...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Departmental Meetings (12 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I met with the CEO of the Electoral Commission on Wednesday 18 July 2023. At our meeting we discussed digital issues, in particular the use of artificial intelligence tools. The Government launched the National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital – The Digital Ireland Framework, in February 2022. Much progress has been made on implementation, and a full progress report, covering...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir as na leasuithe sin. I agree with the sentiment of many of the Senator's amendments but I want to put the Bill in context. It is important that the Bill is robust enough, not only to control items that are being used in a dual-use capacity but also to ensure that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum commuting are...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I reassure the Senator about her concerns on autonomous weapons and their danger, particularly as regards civilian populations and human rights. That is why we are working on and leading a unified EU response to the issue. The EU is also reviewing the regulation of autonomous weapons in working parties. We can be more flexible by using the list-based system because with technology changing...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I also welcome the delegation. I can see where Senator Black is coming from. In any assessment of an application for an authorisation to export military equipment, consideration is given to, among other things, Ireland's commitments under international conventions and multilateral agreements, particularly the Convention on Cluster Munitions. As the Senator noted, that convention prohibits...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: I thank Senators Black and Boylan for the amendments. Again, I am worried that the inclusion of the amendments would limit the effectiveness of the Bill rather than do what we all want to do, which is to stop dual-use items going to occupied territories. As the Senators are aware, an authorisation is required to export dual-use items. They are listed in annex 1 of the dual-use regulation...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: We will definitely have a discussion on it, but I want to be realistic as well. We are tied because this Bill is implementing EU legislation. I would like to hear the thoughts of Senator Black on that, and to hear from Senator Boylan, based on her experience, as to how we can reflect the concerns in the legislation. I am not sure we can but there may be ways of doing that within the...

Seanad: Control of Exports Bill 2023: Committee Stage (11 Oct 2023)

Dara Calleary: We are implementing an EU law here which does not give us a lot of wriggle room, but I want to try to see if we can knock heads together on this.