Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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171. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department has a policy, or has issued guidance to staff on the use of artificial intelligence, large language model, natural language processing, generative or otherwise, or products based thereon in the course of their duties; if this has been communicated to staff; if he will publish same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36140/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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172. To ask the Minister for Finance if his Department, or any agency under his auspices, has ever used any artificial intelligence software in the preparation of response to parliamentary questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside the organisation; the details of same if applicable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36159/24]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.

I can confirm to the Deputy that the Government approved Interim Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Public Service earlier this year. I can confirm that this was circulated to all staff within my department in January 2024. These guidelines established that AI tools used in the civil and public service must comply with seven key requirements for ethical AI.

My department also follows advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) released in June 2023. This advice set forth not to use GenAI to generate responses to correspondence such as Parliamentary Questions or public representations; nor to rely on GenAI to assist in designing or drafting Government policy. The NCSC guidance also recommended that new technology should only be adopted based on a clearly defined business need following an appropriate risk assessment.

The Office of the Revenue Commissioners (Revenue) advised me that they have recently developed an AI assistant (RevAssist) trained solely on published Tax and Duty Manuals and Taxes Consolidation Act Notes for Guidance. In providing input to my department in respect of parliamentary questions or responding to any correspondence from outside the organisation, Revenue officials may gain access to information through RevAssist with final replies drafted and approved by the appropriate Revenue officials.

The National Treasury Management Agency advised me that its approach to the use of AI aligns with the advice of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Interim Guidelines for Use of AI in the Public Service, January 2024), and the National Cyber Security Centre (Cyber Security Guidance on Generative AI for Public Sector Bodies, June 2023) including, in particular, the advice not to use Generative AI to generate responses to correspondence such as Parliamentary Questions or public representations.

Other bodies under the aegis of my department advised that they have never used any artificial intelligence software in the preparation of responses to parliamentary questions, or in responses to any correspondence from outside their organisations.