Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Moynihan for the question and for his very kind comments. A refresh of Ireland's national AI strategy was published in November 2024. It takes account of the significant developments in AI technology and regulation that have happened since the 2021 strategy. The national AI strategy sets out a whole-of-government approach to putting the necessary enablers in place to underpin AI adoption in enterprise and public services, including a supportive innovation ecosystem, a secure data and connectivity infrastructure and policies to ensure the workforce is prepared for the impact of Al. My Department has a particular focus on delivering on the actions that relate to enterprise digitalisation and AI adoption, guardrails and building public trust. We are focused on driving AI adoption in small businesses with targeted supports through our agencies. Issues such as privacy, security and job displacement are just a few of the challenges that come with the increasing use of AI. It is crucial that we address these concerns proactively and work to ensure that AI is used for the betterment of society. That is why building public trust and putting the appropriate guardrails in place is a priority focus. I note in particular the aggressive timeline for implementation of the EU AI Act, which we are prioritising. We met the first deadlines on identifying national public authorities which supervise or enforce the respect of obligations under Union law protecting fundamental rights, including the right to non-discrimination in relation to certain high-risk uses of AI systems specified in the Act. As Al is a rapidly evolving technology, we will continue to review and refresh the strategy on a periodic basis.

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