James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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The witnesses may have seen that the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation was before the committee last week. They may have read some of its testimony. One of the things the chief information officer highlighted is that they are looking at 195 life events related to 35 services. They are exploring the extent to which AI could assist or support that.

Mr. Herrick mentioned his concerns that the AI guidelines do not make explicit reference to fundamental rights and human rights obligations. Is the existing framework in which the State and civil servants are operating when they are looking at this sufficient to guard against, when looking at these life events, how they will be delivered? They are still bound by all of the existing laws when it comes to rights. It just so happens that they may well use AI to support the State services being provided. The rights will remain exactly the same. There is no distinction here to provide that just because you are using AI, you can somehow override existing human rights obligations.