James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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10. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on legislation to establish the national AI office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50480/25]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question. The EU AI Act entered into force in August 2024 and has a very ambitious timeline for national implementation. The Act is very broad in nature and both primary and secondary legislation are required to ensure full transposition of this Act.

As a first step, the designation of Competent Authorities and a Single Point of Contact was completed by means of a Statutory Instrument in late July of this year, SI 366/2025. This SI designated Market Surveillance Authorities (MSAs) responsible for the Annex I of the EU AI Act, the Notifying Authorities, and the Single Point of Contact. A Single Point of Contact has been established within my department and will streamline coordination between the various Irish regulators, the European Commission, and stakeholders for the AI Act. A dedicated AI unit within my Department performs this this role on an administrative basis, pending the formal establishment of the statutory body through primary legislation. My officials are currently working on an amendment to this SI to designate further market surveillance authorities for the purposes of the AI Act. Ireland has to date designated 13 market surveillance authorities and 4 notifying authorities for oversight and enforcement of the EU AI ACT in Ireland.

Currently, my officials, in collaboration with Government departments across a range of sectors, are developing the General Scheme of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence. This General Scheme will provide for the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act at national level in domestic legislation, including the establishment of a new National AI Office as an independent statutory entity which will act as central coordinating authority for the Act, empowerment of designated competent authorities with Market Surveillance Regulation powers pursuant to the AI Act and provisions for cooperation and sharing of information across the national competent authorities and the laying down of rules for penalties and other enforcement measures for non-compliance. It is my intention to bring this General scheme to Government within the next four weeks.

The Government is committed to ensuring that Ireland is a leader in the digital economy and artificial intelligence and recognise that harnessing the potential of AI and digital technologies more broadly, is vital to maintaining our competitiveness. My Department recently brought to Government the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity which includes a range measures specifically related to AI and digital adoption. The legislation for the AI Act will establish a robust, effective and proportionate regulatory framework that balances protection and innovation.