Dr. Aideen Hartney:

I can start on the potential role for the NDA in this. We are an advisory body and we have some statutory monitoring functions under existing legislation. Currently, we have not been assigned a role under the EU AI Act and the nine enforcement authorities have their own areas and domains in which we certainly do not have expertise or competence. However, there would be potential for us to take on a role similar to what we currently do under the European Accessibility Act, where we provide advice and guidance and input to standards to support the implementation of that Act. It is about building a body of knowledge on accessibility and universal design in a context and then making it available to the authorities that have the regulatory and enforcement powers. There is potential for that.

The Deputy mentioned representation in data sets. That takes me back to my earlier point that better collection of data on disability can help that to improve over time. That is about public bodies deliberately and carefully gathering information about the members of the society they serve.

The UNCRPD is definitive about the importance of consultation and engagement with disabled persons organisations and others on the design of policies and services that affect them. This is an area where Ireland is perhaps growing competency but it certainly has not achieved the levels required to mitigate against all these risks.