Ms Charlotte Olhausen:

It is a good question. As Dr. Begley, things are moving so fast with AI. Although things are moving fast, Ireland also has an opportunity. It is one of the first EU member states to have assigned its designated competent authorities and we have an opportunity in Ireland to also get ahead on ensuring we are compliant in the area of development of human rights.

I am not entirely sure whether the fundamental rights impact assessments are taking place. It is the deployers who should be undertaking those and then, after the fact, consulting with groups to see if those impact assessments are robust enough.

If they are not happening, it is a question of raising awareness about the specific protections within the AI Act that can support the protection of people with disabilities and other minority groups. There are also the codes of conduct for which the Commission will bring out a template later this year. Those codes of conduct will be essential. Article 95 of the EU AI Act speaks to the importance of consulting marginalised groups. Whether those assessments are happening is a great question. The fact that today's hearing is happening is fantastic because we need to ensure that the disabled voice is at the forefront. There are systems in place that we can look to use.

It is important that the designated competent authorities, DCAs, are also aware of the concerns of the disability community and the risks involved, as well as the opportunities. They will consult closely with the community.