Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed)
2:00 am
Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
The regional enterprise groupings have a role to play in all of this. The Deputy is right. Some LEOs have a digital hub within their area. My county has one of those. County Cavan has a LEO. It works in tandem with the digital hub. It is something we need replicate. We have quite a few digital hubs around the country at this point. They are working in tandem with IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and Skillnet Ireland. They might become a leading light in how AI develops and assist our LEOs. I agree with the Deputy there is work to be done in resourcing our LEOs a little bit better with this particular expertise without duplicating what digital hubs are doing. A little bit more collaboration is required..
CeADAR is the European digital hub that is charged with the work of ensuring AI technologies are developed and encouraging businesses to use AI tools. With the next round of European funding coming through, the four European digital hubs will have an emphasis on it because up to now it has been CeADAR. My understanding is that all four European digital hubs will have a specific role in AI. It is testament to where AI is going.
It is taking one directory and that is shooting for stars. It is about having those supports in place for the companies and enterprises.
No comments