Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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85. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what part his Department is playing in providing a modern, cohesive and well-resourced regulatory framework for digital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22085/23]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The National Digital Strategy was launched in February 2022 and restates the Government’s commitment to a well-resourced, modern and coherent regulatory framework for digital.

Advances have been made right across Government on this front, as was confirmed in the Progress Report on this strategy published in December last year.

Key to implementation has been the establishment of cross-government coordination structures, such as the Senior Officials Group on Digital Issues, which reports to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment. My Department has a central role on that Group. There is also regular engagement between that Senior Officials Group and the four main digital regulators (the Digital Regulators' Group).

As well as that leading cross-government role, my Department leads on several recent and forthcoming digital regulations.

It is responsible for the implementation of the EU Digital Services Act in Ireland. To that end, Government approved the General Scheme for the Digital Services Bill in March this year. This Bill will give effect to those elements of the Digital Services Act that require national implementing measures, in particular designating Coimisiún na Meán as the lead competent authority, known as the Digital Services Coordinator. Effective coordination and cooperation will be essential to the successful implementation of the Digital Services Act, so the General Scheme includes provisions that are designed to support joined up working across regulators, both in Ireland and across the EU, with measures for exchange of information and cooperation agreements which will promote coherence and maximise resources.

As the Government made an early decision as to the identity of its Digital Services Coordinator, my Department was in a position to begin discussions on resources as early as last year, before the Digital Services Act was finally adopted into EU law. Those discussions resulted in an allocation of €2.7 million for my Department towards funding of Coimisiún na Meán in 2023, to fund recruitment and other preparations over the course of this year, so that it is ready to discharge its new functions come 17 February 2024. Work is beginning now to identify what resources will be needed after the 17 February 2024, when the Digital Services Act’s full enforcement network is up and running.

My Department also has responsibility for negotiations at EU level on the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act and proposed Data Act. Officials are currently undertaking Regulatory Impact Assessments for the implementation and enforcement frameworks for these Acts with a view to ensuring that these forthcoming regulations will also be implemented coherently, with functions being assigned to appropriate bodies.

My Department is also engaged in parallel negotiations on the AI Liability Directive and the Council of Europe Convention to ensure coherence and legal certainty for business and consumers alike in regulating this rapidly evolving sector.

As we move to give effect to these various regulations, ensuring that the oversight framework is well connected, properly resourced and effectively coordinated will be to the fore of our planning and implementation.