Results 61-80 of 10,711 for speaker:Niamh Smyth

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: It will always be necessary to increase it. The figure I have is that, under Ireland's national recovery and resilience plan, €85 million has been made available to accelerate the digitisation of enterprise with funding being made available under the digital transition fund, which the Senator also alluded to. The European digital innovation hubs are designated as the go-to one-stop...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I am glad the Senator asked that question. As it has been explained to me, it is an entity and will be a place companies can go, especially start-ups, and work on innovation and get the expertise and advice that can guide them on the regulations. It will also allow them to work on their technology. If they have an app or business idea for AI, it will be somewhere that all the expertise is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: If there is a specific answer, I will get it for the Senator. My understanding is that the Central Bank has one because it has to devise and develop a different type of technology. Within enterprise, the sandbox will be geared towards how start-up businesses are developed in the AI world and field. Will there be more? I will try to get clarity for the Senator on that matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: My understanding is that we will have one main sandbox, which will be supported by the competent authorities and fundamental rights authorities and everything will feed into it so there will be one central place people can go to about the development of their technology.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: There will be one and that will come under the Department of enterprise, but as I said, I do not think it is envisaged that it will only focus on enterprise and trade. Arguably, it would be well suited to the Department of the Taoiseach or a Department that is more broadly placed than the Department of enterprise. However, that is where it is at the moment. This Department is developing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: The Government has made a clear decision that it will be in the Department of enterprise. That is the Department that has been authorised and charged with the establishment of the sandbox and the national AI office. We are also taking on the work of the observatory piece. At the moment it is in the Department of enterprise, to answer the Deputy's question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I do not think so. There are no plans for it to move at the moment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: That is the plan at the moment, but, as I said, my view is that perhaps we could look at moving it to a broader Department such as the Department of the Taoiseach in the future. However, as of today, the plan is for the sandbox, the AI office and the observatory to all be established from the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: There is constant engagement. The negotiation of the AI Act took place over a two-year period and ended with the adoption of the AI Act in March 2024. Ireland played an active and constructive role in the development of the AI Act to ensure its alignment with the Government's commitment to human rights and ethical considerations. The Department represents Ireland on the EU artificial...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I would be supportive of that. As the Deputy will be aware, I have said publicly and within the Department that I would like to see that happening. The Taoiseach is keen to see Ministers coming forward with ideas, proposals and suggestions. I am working on that. I have not presented that idea to the Taoiseach yet but I will do so. The Deputy is absolutely right. It is critically...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: I thank Deputy Gibney for her question. The Deputy and I attended an important discussion in the National Concert Hall a number of months ago around-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: The overarching point is that the EU AI Act is there to protect citizens. It takes a risk-based approach and is about protecting human beings. Of course, there is the creativity piece as well.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: It is too early to say, to be frank and honest. As I said, I appreciate what the Deputy is saying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: Of course I am. I like to work in a conciliatory way, in the sense that we can have a frank discussion about how to do this best. My concern is obviously to protect citizens but also not to stifle innovation. The Deputy stated this is open-ended and she does not feel-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: The primary focus of our approach is to put guard rails in place to protect-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: Under the Department of trade and enterprise, there has to be an emphasis on-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: It is to create a balance between not stifling innovation and allowing creativity to happen while also ensuring it does not in any way damage people's fundamental human rights.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: Obviously, intellectual property is critically important here. We have to go with the fact that the EU AI Act takes a risk-based approach, which is what-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: From 2 August this year, the requirements of the AI Act, general-purpose AI, will apply with all models available in the EU. This requires technology providers to put in place a policy to comply with copyright and to provide information on models for their training to regulators on request. In August 2026, further obligations will apply, requiring regenerative AI systems to make sure AI...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Jul 2025)

Niamh Smyth: To answer Deputy Gibney absolutely correctly, if she does not mind, I will ask one of the officials to put together an answer to her question.