Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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386. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the measures being taken to support Government departments and agencies to identify opportunities for the use of AI; and the arrangements in place to ensure that Government departments and agencies can access expert AI consultancy, development, and project management services. [63451/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has taken a proactive and coordinated approach to supporting the responsible and effective adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the Public Service. A key component of this was the publication of the ‘Guidelines for the Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service’ in May 2025, which provide a practical framework to assist Public Service Bodies in designing, developing and deploying AI in a manner that is ethical, transparent and aligned with public service values.

The Guidelines are structured around seven core principles. These are (1) human agency and oversight, (2) technical robustness and safety, (3) privacy and data governance, (4) transparency, (5) diversity, non-discrimination and fairness, (6) societal and environmental well-being, and (7) accountability. These are supported by a decision framework, an AI lifecycle model, and a practical Responsible AI Canvas tool. Together, these elements help Public Service Bodies to assess the appropriateness of AI use cases, manage risks, and embed good governance throughout the AI project lifecycle. There has been a high level of engagement across the public service, and they have been approximately 10,000 downloads since they were published online. In addition to the AI guidelines, guidance on the procurement of AI solutions on a Software-as-a-Service basis is included in the OGP Guidance Note on the Procurement of Cloud Services, which was updated in May 2025.

These guidance documents are key to enabling Departments and Public Bodies overcome some of the initial challenges with safe and effective AI deployment across the public sector. Specific use cases for AI will vary depending on the context and environment in which it is being deployed, so design and development will need to align with the relevant processes, frameworks and project management procedures within each service or sector.

To build capability and ensure consistent application of these standards, my Department has worked with the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) to develop a suite of training courses, including Implementing the AI Guidelines, AI Essentials, Unlocking the Power of Microsoft Copilot for the Public Service, and an AI Masterclass for Senior Public Service Leaders. These courses are designed to meet the needs of both technical and non-technical staff and further details can be found on the IPA website www.ipa.ie. Since they were launched, over 1,700 people have completed the course on Navigating the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service, and almost 4,000 have completed the bespoke course on AI in the Public Service.

In addition to this, CeADAR, Ireland’s Centre for Applied AI, acts as the European Digital Innovation Hub (EDIH) for AI, providing advice, testing facilities and technical support to both Public Service Bodies and enterprises seeking to explore or adopt AI responsibly.

Through these combined measures, my Department is ensuring that Government departments and agencies can access expertise in the area of AI and provides a consistent, transparent and supportive approach to AI adoption across the Public Service, enabling innovation while maintaining public trust and ethical standards.