Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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483. To ask the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the type of training provided to staff within her Department in the use of, or understanding of artificial intelligence; if a programme is planned for all staff on their obligations under the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67456/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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This Department is actively examining the ways in which we can securely utilise AI technology to aid in our day-today work and to more effectively meet our strategic objectives and serve our key stakeholders.

This work is informed by the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service, published by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in May 2025. These guidelines were aligned with the EU AI Act 2024 to ensure that AI deployed in the Irish public service adheres to European regulatory standards.

To bring this work forward, we have established an AI Steering Group at a high-level within the Department to consider our strategic approach to the adoption of AI tools to underpin our work in the future. In addition, we have developed a suite of assessment procedures for all AI use cases in the Department going forward.

In terms of training, the Department is planning an introductory session and associated information on the use of AI to be issued to all staff before the end of 2025. 139 of our staff have already undertaken training on AI specific issues - for example, training on the aforementioned Public Service Guidelines on AI and training on the crossover between data protection and AI. Further training is being planned on AI governance, ICT certification in AI, and general day-to-day use of AI tools, as they arise. All AI related training sourced and undertaken will be embedded in the best practice set out in the Public Service Guidelines on AI.