Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like the Cathaoirleach and others, I welcome our guests. I thank the ambassador for his service and, indeed, the solidarity and friendship the Netherlands has shown between our two countries.

I also welcome the deployment of gardaí at railway stations, which is a positive move. It was part of Fianna Fáil transport policy that we would seek the deployment of gardaí at rail stations. It is certainly welcome for rail users.

Tonight marks the opening of the RTÉ all-Ireland drama finals in Athlone, which is a wonderful festival of drama that takes place every year. Nine groups from around the country are taking part and have taken part in competitions the length and breadth of the country. I wish the very best to all the groups. I am slightly biased in wishing particular good luck to Wexford Drama Group, which will take to the stage next Wednesday. A number of my friends are taking part. The Amateur Drama Council of Ireland organises a wonderful series of festivals. We are grateful for RTE's sponsorship, but this rich drama tradition in this country deserves to be appreciated.

I welcome the remarks of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, today on the structure of government. He is correct that when we think about how our State only hit a population of 4 million in the 1990s, and in the census last year, we reached more than 5.1 million, the structures of government have not kept pace with that rapid growth. We sometimes underestimate the importance of a well-functioning and resourced bureaucracy. The Acting Leader will be aware that I have raised on many occasions how we as a State respond to emerging technologies and rapid changes in technology. One of our problems is that we have a digital archipelago at government level and, therefore, responsibility falls all over the place. The Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Deputy Ossian Smyth, has responsibility for eGovernment. Issues relating to cybersecurity and so on are the responsibility of the Department of Defence. Data protection is the responsibility of the Department of Justice. When we deal with infrastructure in terms of digital technologies, that is all to do with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. Attracting many of the tech companies and liaising with both indigenous and international technology companies is the responsibility of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Online safety and regulation of the media is the responsibility of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, and Education while the skilling, upskilling and reskilling of our citizens is the responsibility of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

I think people get the point. I do not wish to sound a little bit like a Sir Humphrey Appleby of today-----