I welcome the opportunity to address the House. I sincerely thank Deputy Byrne, as Cathaoirleach of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, and the overall committee for the important work they have undertaken in their first interim report, which is the subject of this motion. The extensive engagement by the committee that informed this work, including the range of views and perspectives gathered through consultations, expert discussions and research is evident throughout. I appreciate the significant time and consideration that went into developing such a comprehensive report. We are at a pivotal moment in our digital transformation. The rapid progress of digital technologies, and Al in particular, is changing how we live, how we work and how we interact as a society. The opportunity Al offers is immense, but I am acutely aware that so is our responsibility to get it right. The Government recognises that Al is not just a powerful tool for business and the economy; it is an enabler of progress that can benefit society as a whole and improve he lives of our citizens. Al is not confined to any one sector, as the Cathaoirleach quite rightly alluded to. It is a cross-cutting technology that influences many areas of public policy and everyday life. The impacts of Al range from public service delivery, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity and online safety to enterprise and innovation, skills development and digital regulation. This requires a co-ordinated, coherent and ambitious whole-of-government response. That is exactly why, last week, the Government published our new national digital and Al strategy, Digital Ireland - Connecting our People, Securing our Future. The strategy reflects both the breadth of our ambition and the shared responsibility across government. It sets out five strategic and mutually reinforcing ambitions - apply, grow, invest, lead and empower - reflecting the agility needed to succeed in a fast-evolving digital world. Those ambitions are to apply digital and Al technologies to enhance public services; to grow our digital economy and profile as a location of choice for investment and as a global hub for Applied Al; to invest in secure, resilient, future-proofed digital infrastructure, including building our cybersecurity capacity; to lead as a trusted, agile and forward-looking digital regulatory hub and centre of excellence; and to empower all groups in society and the economy with the skills and literacy needed to participate confidently and safely in a digital and Al economy and society. In order to protect vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people, we will also enhance our online safety framework at both national and EU levels. Through 20 high-level objectives and 90 deliverables, the strategy outlines the concrete actions that will accelerate digital and Al adoption across enterprise, the public sector, research and academia. It also includes targeted measures to improve public services and strengthen our health service. The 85 recommendations in the committee's report naturally cut across the work of many Departments. I will focus specifically on some of the key recommendations that fall within my own remit. I am pleased to say that many of the recommendations are already under way. Starting with regulation and the national Al office, I acknowledge the emphasis the interim report places on ensuring robust and effective regulation is in place, and the important role of the national Al office in that regard. This aligns with the objectives and work of my Department, as does the report’s call for the national Al office to support Government, business and civic society in understanding and adopting trustworthy Al where appropriate. The Al Act is an EU regulation which provides a consistent and high level of protection for European citizens’ health, safety and fundamental rights, and provides certainty for the use of human-centred and trustworthy AI in the EU. As an EU regulation, it is directly applicable and binding to all EU member states and ensures uniform rules for artificial intelligence to be applied across the EU. That said, the Act also imposes obligations on member states that require national implementing measures, including establishing a regulatory regime to supervise and enforce the regulation and establishing a single point of contact. My Department is leading across government on the national implementation. We are making really strong progress on implementing the EU Al Act, the main supervision and enforcement provisions of which take effect from August 2026, with more specific rules to follow by 2027. The Government recently approved priority drafting of the legislation needed to give full effect to the Act. We have adopted a distributed implementation model so businesses can work with regulators who understand their sectors. My officials are engaging intensively and extensively with my Department, competent authorities and fundamental rights bodies to ensure Ireland is ready for the full implementation of the regulation of AI in Ireland. In parallel, work is progressing on the establishment of the independent statutory Al office of Ireland, which is scheduled to be in place by August 2026. The Government recognises the importance of Ireland's reputation as a trusted, agile, forward-looking digital regulatory hub, and of ensuring our regulators are independent and adequately resourced. The statutory status and governance structure of the Al office of Ireland reflects that of established regulator bodies and is in line with Government’s code of practice for the governance of State bodies. A budget of €1.5 million has been allocated for its start-up phase. The office will be the central co-ordinating body for the implementation of the EU Al Act and will leverage the expertise of regulators across all sectors to ensure that when Al is deployed, it is done in a responsible and ethical manner. The remit of the office will also include maintaining a central register to identify and monitor systemic risks across sectors, ensuring the establishment of the national Al regulatory sandbox, and establishing collaborative forums with representative groups from society to support transparency, accountability and effective governance as Ireland implements the EU Al Act. My officials are currently focused on the initial steps to stand up the new Al office of Ireland, including recruiting key personnel, developing the ICT framework, putting in place a single-point-of-contact structure, designing an extensive communications programme and putting in place a pool of technical expertise to support the competent authorities. The creation of the Al office of Ireland provides an opportunity to provide the Government with a permanent, independent source of expertise on Al. It will also promote the safe adoption of Al in our country. Recent online safety issues have highlighted just how essential it is to have a strong and effective legal framework in place. The committee’s report makes a number of recommendations in relation to online safety and has particular concern around recommender systems. I want to be clear that online safety, especially for children and young people, remains a whole-of-government priority. A significant body of legislation and regulation, including Coco's Law, the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act and the EU Digital Services Act, is already in place. From a digital regulation perspective, the DSA forms a central part of Ireland's online safety framework. It includes specific provisions on recommender systems to ensure transparency. Under the DSA, platforms must clearly explain the main parameters behind how content is suggested to users. Services accessible to minors must also ensure a high level of privacy, safety and security, including a ban on direct ads based on profiling when the user is a minor. It has been noted on a number of recent occasions in this House that several investigations are ongoing on these matters and the Attorney General and the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration are examining and will consider whether further legislative measures are needed in the area of non-consensual intimate images. In my own Department, we are 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 is a core pillar underpinning the National Digital and AI Strategy 2030 and a priority for Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union. These measures reinforce the Government's commitment to enhancing online safety, in particular for children and young people, as a whole-of-government and European priority. This brings me to another key focus of the report and a primary objective of the Al Act, namely, to promote and support the adoption of safe and trustworthy Al in enterprise and in our wider society. I have seen at first hand the impact Al can have on boosting productivity and enhancing competitiveness in firms of all sizes. This will be achieved through a new targeted sectoral strategy to drive enterprise Al adoption and by appointing new Al sector champions. We will also conduct an Al and digital awareness and literacy campaign for SMEs. It is important that we strengthen Ireland’s capability to understand and respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by Al. We are fully aligned with the committee on this point. For this reason, the new strategy includes actions to establish two observatories, which will provide the evidence base necessary to guide workforce, enterprise and innovation policy in the years ahead. First, on skills, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has recently signalled his intention to progress the establishment of the national skills observatory, which is envisaged will transform our skills intelligence landscape. It will provide a valuable source of data and insights on the labour market and skills, facilitating improved workforce planning, stronger policy making, and improved lifelong learning and workforce reskilling. In my Department, we will establish an observatory for business Al readiness, focused on enterprise adoption of Al. Together with the national skills observatory, this will inform the Government in shaping future Al-related enterprises and jobs policy. Finally, the committee’s report highlights the importance of the summit we are planning as part of our EU Presidency. I am happy to say work is well under way in the planning this flagship event, which will have the overall theme of enabling Al to power innovation-led growth across Europe. The summit has Government sponsorship at the highest level, bringing together over 1,000 global leaders, including CEOs, EU Ministers, officials, academia and innovators. As Ireland sits at the intersection of European and global tech, we are uniquely placed to convene meaningful dialogue. I am very much looking forward to showcasing Ireland's leadership in AI and digital innovation. I will finish by saying that our vision is clear. We want to build an environment where AI and digital innovation empower our people and strengthen our economy and society in a way that is ethical, inclusive and sustainable. I look forward to the debate today. I will conclude by thanking all of the colleagues here today. This reflects many of the recommendations that have been made. I thank each and every Deputy for their contributions. I know they have worked extensively and very intensively. I tuned in to the AI committee hearing on Tuesday. I also want to put on the record my disappointment that some of the biggest companies here in Ireland, Microsoft and OpenAI, were not in a position to attend. I am equally disappointed that the committee did not get any response from X at all. I thank Google, whose representative attended and listened to the views of our colleagues from around the House.

Sentiment score: 0.40

I thank each and every Deputy for their measured, considered contributions. We are all striving and working towards the same thing. I might specify two particular issues that have been raised overall. On simplification, I know how Deputy Gibney in particular feels, but we all feel passionate about it. The idea of simplification does not in any way diminish our protection of citizens and our fundamental rights. That is absolutely clear. The Deputy is right, in that I am coming from the perspective of being in the Department of enterprise. We are all agreed that, for many years, businesses have felt stifled by bureaucracy and over-regulation. There is no doubt about that, but we cannot just lumber it all in together. I want to thank my officials, including Mr. Declan McCormack, who is here with me and has been through every debate to advise and assure me, as well as to take the views the Deputies make so that those are fed into the regulation of the AI office. The fundamental rights and the protection of our citizens is going to be at the heart of everything we do. That is very important. With regard to the simplification piece and the digital omnibus, Ireland will be pushing to ensure that it does not mean deregulation or the exposure of fundamental rights for our citizens. There is one other piece. Nine national authorities have been identified as the formal bodies for the protection of fundamental rights under the AI Act. These authorities have a central role in the implementation of the AI regulation in Ireland and Europe. My Department is engaging with these authorities and will continue to ensure that there is balance, and that innovation and creativity among our businesses is allowed to flourish and that they are not killed by bureaucracy, which we know has been a problem, and at the same time we are looking at and protecting the fundamental rights of our citizens. I just wanted to outline that from the outset. I thank the chair of the committee, Deputy Malcolm Byrne, and all colleagues for speaking today, and for the publication of this report. I welcome this constructive contribution and discussion on our approach to AI. It is clear that no one entity can navigate the complexities of AI alone. This debate is very timely with the publication last week of the national digital and AI strategy. Digital Ireland sets out a clear road map for Ireland's digital and AI adoption and development in the years ahead. As mentioned, it takes a whole-of-government approach, building on Ireland's strengths in digital skills, enterprise, infrastructure and the transformation of public services. It has to be acknowledged that the Department of the Taoiseach has taken a central piece and a central role in collaborating on the national AI and digital strategy, but my colleagues right across Government have a role too, including the Minister, Deputy Jack Chambers, who has responsibility for AI and the guidelines around public services. The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy James Lawless, also has a specific role and a focus on AI. There are many different elements and many different Departments within government. It is not a silo we are working in. It has that broad approach and every single Minister within this Government is very conscious of the impact of AI in all of our Departments, and that is exactly how it should be. A central element of the strategy is to champion AI as a transformative strategic technology, reinforcing our ambition to maximise its economic and societal impact. There is a strong alignment between elements of the strategy and several of the committee's recommendations. I think we are all united in our shared aim of ensuring that everyone in society is equipped and empowered to thrive in this digital era. Delivering on the strategy requires strong leadership. Implementation will be driven from the centre of Government by the Department of the Taoiseach, working with all relevant Departments, and overseen by the Cabinet committee on economy, trade and competitiveness. Progress will be monitored via the senior officials' group on digital and AI issues, with progress reports published annually. Regular stakeholder engagements will be a key element in ensuring successful, responsive and agile implementation. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on AI's report emphasises the need for engagement and input from civil society. I take on board too the recommendation and the thought process on a civic open discussion around this debate. That is a really good idea. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that Ireland's approach to AI serves the needs of all parts of society. Digital Ireland renews the Government's commitment to inclusion and accessibility to ensure that no one is left behind in this digital and AI revolution. Our wider national governance framework for AI, including implementation of the EU AI Act, is designed to promote fairness, transparency and strong protections for health, safety and fundamental rights, while supporting the development of a human-centered, trustworthy AI. Apologies Chair, I obviously waffled too long. Could I conclude?

Sentiment score: 0.27

I thank the Acting Chair. If I could be given a little bit of latitude to conclude.

Sentiment score: 0.18

In November 2024 the Government designated a list of national public bodies that protect fundamental rights. We need to just keep that in our minds. These are nine national bodies to protect fundamental rights, including the right to non-discrimination in relation to certain high-risk uses of AI systems specific to the AI Act. In addition, once established the national AI office of Ireland will engage and consult with a broad range of stakeholders across civic society, including the representative bodies most affected by AI systems. Deputy Gibney made the point about having the balance. That is critically important. It was alluded to in opening comments that we have a shared focus on getting the balance right and that it is not just about innovation. It is about our citizens as well. Taken together these measures provide Ireland with a structured, expert, informed and citizen-focused system on our approach to artificial intelligence policies and ethics. I also want to assure Members of the independence of the new AI office. While Deputy Gibney has a concern about it coming from the Department of enterprise, as was quite rightly said, when that new CEO is appointed that is where it will be led from and that will show us the pathway for where AI will be in a much broader sense. While it is established by the Department of enterprise I think that any anybody coming in who gets that position will have to ensure they have that much broader view of the world when we are talking about AI. I also want to assure Members of the independence of the AI office. The general scheme of the regulation of artificial intelligence Bill 2026 was approved for priority drafting at the Government meeting on 13 January 2026. The guiding principles are that the AI office of Ireland must be independent in structure in order to oversee the governance and co-ordination of the national roll out and ongoing supervision and enforcement of the EU AI Act, ensuring that all relevant authorities and stakeholders are aligned with its interpretation and the application of the regulations. A separate issue, which I know is on people's minds, is the potential impact of job displacement. AI is a disruptive technology and I completely understand concerns regarding the impact of AI on the labour market. While AI will undoubtedly create new opportunities it also carries risks of job displacement. Recent research from the expert group on future skills needs reports that Ireland's enterprise sector and workforce are adapting rapidly to AI, with strong demand for AI skills matched by solid supply. While the report finds that AI is likely to augment many existing roles it also notes that the overall impact on employment levels is less clearcut and that continued monitoring is essential. What is clear is that the structure of work will continue to change and new types of jobs will emerge. Digital Ireland outlines actions to support workers to navigate and mitigate the impacts of potential job displacement, including through agile, responsive and accessible skills' supports. The new national skills observatory and the observatory for business AI readiness will play an important role in shaping future enterprises and employment policies, as well as directing targeted investment in upskilling and reskilling, ensuring that our workforce is supported and ready to adapt as these roles evolve. Finally, I want to emphasise that while artificial intelligence should drive innovation it must also be fair, inclusive and trustworthy. This is why when implementing our new strategy the Government will work hand in hand with businesses, experts and most importantly our citizens. Our ambition is straightforward, which is to create a country where AI and digital innovation genuinely improve people's lives and contribute to a fair, resilient and future-focused economy and society. I thank the Acting Chair for her latitude.

Sentiment score: 0.36