Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator Dooley on the issue he raised. I fully support him on it.

I join with the expressions of sympathy regarding our former colleague, John O'Mahony, who died last week. I express my sympathies to his wife, Gerardine, and their family. I am sure we will have an opportunity to express those sympathies at a later date.

I will raise the issue of artificial intelligence and new technologies. We should have a rolling debate in the House regarding how this will affect our country, including the displacement of jobs by more efficient technologies. These technologies will affect transport, energy and enterprise. We need to be geared up in respect of those efficiencies. We will have a more efficient battery, for instance. There will be more efficiency in many areas. New technology will bring about all of those efficiencies, which will affect employment and unemployment. It is an area we need to be up to speed on. I ask for a rolling debate in the House when we come back, with the various Ministers responsible for the different Departments coming to the House to tell us where the Government is at, and where the various Departments are, regarding making waves for the introduction of artificial intelligence in technologies for transport, energy, enterprise and so forth in the country.

I welcome our new colleague, Senator Bradley, to the House. While this term will not be too long, I wish her a long career in politics and the Oireachtas.