James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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192. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment how he plans to balance the need for Ireland to be at the forefront of AI innovation while also developing a policy for responsible AI use; what he considers to be the main obstacles to the implementation of his Department’s AI policy; to provide a progress update on his strategy to address these challenges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7104/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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A Refresh of Ireland's National AI Strategy was published in November 2024. This refresh takes account of the significant developments in AI technology and regulation since the original Strategy was published in 2021.

The National AI Strategy sets out a whole of government approach to putting the necessary enablers in place, including a supportive innovation ecosystem, a secure data and connectivity infrastructure, and policies to ensure that the workforce is prepared for the impact of AI.

My Department has a particular focus on enterprise digitalisation and AI adoption, guardrails, and building public trust.

While the benefits of AI are clear, there are also important ethical and societal implications that must be considered. Issues such as privacy, security, and changes to the world of work are just a few of the policy considerations that must be proactively addressed by Government to ensure that AI is used for the betterment of society.

That is why building public trust is a priority focus of the Government’s AI Strategy.

I would note in particular the aggressive timeline for implementation of the EU AI Act. 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.

Given the rapid development and potential opportunities of this technology, my Ministerial colleagues are fully aware of the importance of the implementation of the strategic actions included within the Refresh. As AI is a rapidly evolving technology, we will continue to review and refresh the strategy on a periodic basis to reflect this.