Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

Apologies have been received from Senators Dee Ryan, O'Donovan and Harmon.

I am delighted to have with us members of the AI advisory council. Dr. Patricia Scanlon, chair of the advisory council and Ireland's first AI ambassador, will deliver her opening statement. Joining her - and I do not think he has left the building - is Professor Alan Smeaton, emeritus professor of computing at DCU; Professor Deirdre Ahern, professor of law at TCD; Ms Bronagh Riordan, chair of the industry steering group for CeADAR; and Mr. Sean Blanchfield, CEO of Jentic, an AI start-up. We invited the entire AI advisory council and the inputs will always be welcome.

I will invite Dr. Scanlon to give the opening statement but I wish to say at the start we are very appreciative of her coming here today but more generally of the work of the advisory council, which helps to inform the Government and the public around this debate. I will hand the floor over to Dr. Scanlon.