I do not think I will take the full amount of time I have. As a young fella growing up, AI had a totally different meaning in west Cork from what it means today. When we talked about AI, we were looking after animals and trying to bring a new type of animal into the world, but now AI refers to artificial intelligence. I do not know what they are going to call the artificial insemination man now. He was called the bull man down my way but they will have to call it some other kind of intelligence. There is another aspect of artificial intelligence that we need to speak about plainly, that is, its misuse in everyday life. AI is a powerful tool when it is used correctly, or so I am told because I do not use it at all myself. It can help businesses to grow, improve services and make life easier for people. No one in this House disputes that. However, when it is misused we start to see real problems and ordinary people are the ones who pay the price. I am increasingly hearing from people who are on the receiving end of AI-generated communications, messages and letters that look like they have come from solicitors, are dressed up in legal language and are designed to put the fear of God into them. These are automated, often aggressive in tone and sent out in bulk. That is not professionalism; it is intimation by automation, and I have no time for it. We are also seeing AI being used to waste people's time with endless, low-quality content, spam-type material and automated responses that add nothing valuable but create confusion and frustration. People are busy enough without having to deal with that kind of nonsense. Then there is this issue of fake images and misleading content. AI can now generate highly convincing pictures that are simply not real. These are being used alongside exaggerated or completely false headlines. This is clickbait designed to grab attention rather than tell the truth. It undermines public trust, not just in technology but in information itself. Again, let me be very clear that I have no time for that either. If we are serious about regulating AI, we cannot just focus on high level systems or large corporations. We must also recognise the everyday misuse that affects ordinary people, including the farmer, the small business owner and the pensioner who receives a threatening letter or sees a misleading image online. Regulation must send a clear message that AI is not a free licence to mislead, intimidate or waste people's time. There must be accountability when AI is abused. While we support innovation, we must also draw firm lines. AI should serve people, not frustrate, frighten or deceive them. That balance is what we need to get right. It is right, therefore, that we regulate AI. Independent Ireland accepts the need for clear rules, strong consumer protections and accountability. However, supporting regulation does not mean giving the Government a blank cheque. The Bill creates a new State body with significant structures. The public deserves clarity on the cost and on whether we are duplicating existing regulators. We must also be honest about the burden on small Irish businesses. Large multinationals can absorb complex compliance rules. Local businesses in Cork and elsewhere cannot. We cannot create a system that suits big corporations while leaving Irish enterprises behind. The enforcement powers in this BiIl are substantial, including access to data and even source code. These must be exercised in a balanced and proportionate way to maintain industry confidence. There are positives. The regulatory sandbox, AI literacy and the complaints system are all welcome but the key is balance. Ireland should be the best place in Europe for responsible AI innovation, protecting people while supporting enterprise. We support the objective of the Bill but we will press the Government on cost, proportionality and fairness for small businesses.

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