James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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352. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will outline the steps her Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data processing capacity that artificial intelligence adoption entails; if she will outline the logic behind their approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18354/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that department's ICT Business unit is looking at several actions to improve data collection and database construction. These actions are outlined in the Departments “Digital Strategy 2024-2028: Our digital Future” under objective five “Data Agility”. With data protection by design as a guiding principle, the unit seeks to engage with OGCIO and an external vendor(s) to build the data analytics and reporting capabilities, scalable storage services and accompanying Data governance structures to modernise the departments use of data while integrating with our existing data repositories.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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353. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will identify any projects which the Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18371/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that no projects are currently underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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354. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will identify any projects which a body under the aegis of her Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; if she will send this question to the bodies for direct response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18388/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is currently collating the information requested and a reply will issue directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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355. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will specify the specific policy areas where the Department is examining future use of AI; if she will identify what entities the Department is working with, public or private, in relation to this examination; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18406/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that there are no specific policy areas where the Department is examining future use of AI.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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356. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if she will identify any AI training offered to people working in the Department; the level of take-up; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18423/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that several staff, including the Senior Management Team, have undertaken AI familiarisation sessions, some on an ad hoc basis. However, this Department does not have any specific training costs associated with A.I. presently.

The Department's Learning and Development team will shortly offer an awareness session to all staff on A.I. as part of a lunch and learn series of lectures that cover varying topics of interest to staff in the Department.