Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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462. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the regulation of artificial intelligence Bill will be published in 2025. [29742/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689) came into force in August 2024. It establishes a harmonised regulatory framework for AI systems in the EU, aiming to protect health, safety, and fundamental rights while promoting trustworthy, human-centric AI. Its provisions will be applied in stages over the period up to August 2027.

My department is leading the national implementation of the AI Act and working closely with other departments to determine the best configuration of national competent authorities to ensure robust and efficient enforcement in Ireland.

In March, Government approved a distributed implementation model, supported by a designated central authority for coordination and centralised functions. The Government also approved an initial list of eight public bodies as competent authorities responsible for enforcing the AI Act in their sectors. This builds on the earlier identification of nine public bodies as fundamental rights authorities for the Act in November 2024. It is expected that a new coordinating body and regulator will be also designated pending a future Government decision.

A two-track legislative approach is being taken to the transposition of the AI Act. The first involves secondary legislation to formally designate the competent authorities by 2 August 2025. This will give legal effect to the March 2025 Government decision and meet Ireland’s obligations under Articles 70(1) and 70(2) of the AI Act.

The second is a General Scheme for a Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill which will empower national authorities to enforce the regulation, establish penalties for non-compliance, and create a central authority to coordinate implementation and assume specific regulatory responsibilities.

Officials in my department are currently working on both the Statutory Instrument, and on the General Scheme of the Regulation of AI Bill, and it is intended to submit this to Government for approval in Q3 this year. This will enable drafting of the Bill to commence with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel, with a target for publication of Q1 2026.