Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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185. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the funding allocated to any measure falling under the National AI Strategy for 2025; the projected funding for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28390/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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A Refresh of Ireland's National AI Strategy was published in November 2024. The Strategy sets out a whole of government approach to putting the necessary enablers in place to underpin AI adoption in enterprise and public services, 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.

Supporting AI adoption and innovation through policies, funding and incentives is a priority for Government.

As the Strategy is an all of Government Strategy, costs of the initiatives are covered by various funding streams, for example the Public Sector Digital Transformation Fund, the National Broadband Plan, the ICT Skills Strategy and the Digital Transition Fund.

Examples of some of the funding allocated to enterprise digitalisation and AI adoption are set out below.

€85 million has been made available under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) to support the “Digital Transformation of Enterprise”, and is focused into:

• The development of the “Grow Digital” portal - through the Digital Transition Fund (DTF)
• Direct supports to enterprise for digitalisation - through the Digital Transition Fund (DTF)
• Four European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs).

• The Digital for Business programme has an initial budget of €1.6m in 2025. It will target 500 interventions and is now a prerequisite of applying for the new Grow Digital Voucher, which is a follow-on support that can be used to leverage digital tools, boost efficiency, expand reach, and compete effectively, by streamlining operations.
• The Grow Digital Voucher has a budget of €3.6m, however some of this allocation will be used to meet outstanding approvals for Trading Online Vouchers.
• The LEO Digital for Business programme provides strategic intervention for businesses to work with third party consultants to assist them in identifying where they are on their digital business journey, develop a digital adaptation plan for the adoption of digital tools and techniques based on their identified needs, and implement their plan.