Results 21-40 of 3,300 for speaker:Malcolm Byrne

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: My understanding was that both groups of witnesses were scheduled for 11 a.m. Is Dr. Shrishak happy to deliver the opening statement on behalf of the ICCL?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: If members are happy with that, we will proceed. Mr. O'Brien may, if he wants to, make a statement when he arrives.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I am happy to proceed in that way, if people prefer it, but I am conscious that we will be tight on time. I now invite questions from members, starting with Deputy Murphy. Each member has seven minutes for questions and answers.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Mr. Herrick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I ask Ms Keatinge to be very brief because I am conscious of the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank the witnesses. It now falls to me to put some questions. I agree with colleagues' comments around the role of children and young people in the process. Certainly, when the Office of the Ombudsman for Children was being set up and, indeed, when we set up Coimisiún na Meán, in each case there were youth advisory panels. From talking to the Minister, my understanding is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: The challenge ultimately comes to the design of AI. It is always more difficult when the AI has been deployed and you are then trying to ensure human rights are being vindicated. On the concept advanced around the code of conduct for AI developers and those who are engaged, how would IHREC envisage that operating? I am going back to the principle that we need to make safe AI because,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: My final question relates to Deputy Geoghegan's, which is a big issue we need to grapple with. For all its flaws, the EU has made a good first stab with the AI Act. Whether we like the phrase or not, we are in a global AI arms race at the moment. Clearly, the values at the European level are not shared in the United States and, even more worrying, in countries like China, Russia and Iran....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Mr. Herrick and Ms Keatinge very much for their input. We now welcome back, as the case may be, Mr. Joe O'Brien. I am not sure if this is your first time on the other side of the table but you are very welcome here as executive director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, ICCL. I will also invite Dr. Kris Shrishak, senior fellow with the ICCL, to present after Mr. O'Brien.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Dr. Shrishak. I am conscious of time. Each member has six minutes for questions and answers, starting with Deputy Paul Murphy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I ask for a very brief response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: Please answer succinctly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank Dr. Shrishak for his work in general. Deputy Mythen mentioned the US and how when a series of cases were being decided that a person of colour tends to be discriminated against most. Of course, that is based on the training data. The AI does not just act on its own. It is based on the training data that is put in. That is a big concern for us and the State in the deployment of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: That leads me to my next question about the challenge of data sets. Concerns were expressed when we met representatives of the older people representative groups. The concerns were that a lot of the data does not look at those who are in older groups and they tend to be excluded, and often those with disabilities may not form part of the data sets. What would Dr. Shrishak recommend with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: We are moving towards the digitalisation of the census, which is probably the biggest source of data for the State. If we deploy the data that is gathered in an effective way, we can ensure a more efficient management of resources and target particular things in particular ways. From the next census gathering in 2027 this is going to happen and we will have a huge bank of data then. What...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: What if people are asked to consent?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence and the State: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: I thank everyone for a very informative session. I thank Ms Keatinge, Mr. Herrick, Dr. Shrishak and Mr. O'Brien for joining us. This committee will continue its consideration of this module on how the State may use AI in the delivery of services over the next period. We will then move to discussing other modules like AI in education and healthcare. There is always an opportunity for...

Written Answers — Department of An Taoiseach: United Nations (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: 82. To ask the Taoiseach to report on his attendance at the United Nations General Assembly. [51121/25]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: 113. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the Government's position on the growing crackdown on human rights in Hong Kong by the Chinese Communist Party. [56819/25]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: National Security (21 Oct 2025)

Malcolm Byrne: 120. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the actions he is taking in view of the increase in drone and hybrid attacks by Russia across Europe. [56818/25]