Sinéad Gibney (Dublin Rathdown, Social Democrats)
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729. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the steps he is taking at a policy level to tackle the identification and removal of online bots in Ireland, in light of recent research which highlighted the prevalence of bot activity from Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30721/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The identification and removal of online bots has both cybersecurity and online safety impacts and therefore is being addressed through a cross-Government approach.

The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration leads on the National Cyber Security Bill which will transpose the revised EU Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) and place the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on a statutory footing.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used positively to support content moderation efforts and to enhance broader risk mitigation efforts but it may also be used by bad actors to generate and disseminate illegal and harmful content online, including through online bots. The Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment leads on implementing the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act in Ireland. This Act entered into force on 2 August 2024 and will apply in a phased manner over the period to August 2027. The AI Act sets out the rules for the advancement of responsible practices in the development and use of AI systems, including, for example, the management of risks specifically created by AI applications and the prohibition of AI practices that pose unacceptable risks.

Coimisiún na Meán, as Ireland’s online safety and media regulator, was established under the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act and leads on the implementation of Ireland's online safety framework. Coimisiún na Meán is also Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator under the Digital Services Act (DSA) and works in conjunction with the European Commission and DSC's throughout Europe on the implementation of the DSA.

Under the framework, it is for the regulated platforms to demonstrate that they have the correct safety measures in place to prevent illegal or harmful content being shown. For example, the DSA requires the largest platforms to assess and then mitigate risks in respect of the fraudulent amplification of harmful or illegal content, such as disinformation, including through recommender systems or online bots.

A failure to adequately address these requirements can lead to significant financial sanctions and, under the OSMR Act, continued non-compliance can lead to criminal sanctions for senior management. All of the elements of the online safety framework are relatively new and the focus now is on implementation to ensure services meet their regulatory obligations.