Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I welcome everyone to this morning's meeting of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence. This committee looks at the issue of artificial intelligence in modular form. We are now moving into the area of AI and the State, the delivery of public services using AI, the safeguards that need to be in place and the opportunities. The agenda for today's meeting is to discuss the Government's guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence within the public service and, thereafter, govtech and AI. More broadly, the theme is where AI can be used by the Government and the State.

I am happy to welcome the following officials from the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Mr. Barry Lowry, Government chief information officer; Ms Marianne Cassidy, assistant secretary, public service transformation division; and Mr. Patrick Moran, principal officer, public service transformation division. I now invite Ms Cassidy to deliver her opening statement.