Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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72. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department collates data on the level of expenditure across Government in relation to the adoption of AI; if there are plans to establish a fund to support the innovative use of AI across Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36330/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Achieving the potential for digitalisation and AI to improve the delivery of effective and inclusive public services requires the combined efforts of all government departments and public bodies, in line with the strategic direction and targets that have been agreed by Government, including those set out in Connecting Government 2030, Better Public Services, and Harnessing Digital.

While my Department has a central role to play in the coordination and oversight of the digital transformation agenda, responsibility for expenditure on specific types of technology from within agreed annual budget allocations lies with individual line Departments in the first instance.

There are, however, a number of initiatives in place to support departments in their use of innovative technologies more broadly. This includes the Public Service Innovation Fund, which has provided approximately €5 million in funding to support over 100 projects across Ireland with a strong focus on cross-organisational digital transformation, as well as the Digital Transformation Fund to support the development of building blocks required for digital service integration. Other supports include the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) Digital Government Oversight Unit, which is responsible for the oversight of new digital and ICT-related initiatives proposed by Civil and Public Service bodies to ensure alignment with Government policy, associated strategies and demonstrate good governance structures and practice.

My Department also recently published Guidelines for the Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service, to empower public servants to use AI in the delivery of services in a way that minimises risk and enhances public trust. A range of resources designed to support the adoption of AI have been developed as part of this work, including clear information on key AI principles, a decision framework for evaluating the potential use of AI, a responsible AI canvas tool to be used at planning stage, and an AI lifecycle guidance tool.