Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026: Second Stage Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-01 ============================================================ Ollie Crowe (FF), Industrial and Commercial Panel I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, to the Chamber this evening. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this Bill which as the Minister of State outlined will give effect in Ireland to the EU Artificial Intelligence Act and establish the domestic enforcement architecture necessary to ensure the world's first comprehensive AI regulatory framework operates and is fully effective in the State. Obviously, the topic of AI has become increasingly important in recent years and we hear a lot about the potential it has and how it could transform our daily lives, but there is also a great deal of concern on the part of people. There is significant fear about the economic impact, how many jobs will be lost due to AI and so on. This new office will have an important role to play in addressing those concerns and enhancing AI literacy across a wide range of areas, including in businesses. Ireland has been a tech leader for many years. It is an important part of our offering in terms of foreign direct investment and this office will ensure that the country continues to be a standard bearer in that respect. All Members are aware of the capacity AI has and the impact it could make, but we also recognise the importance of ensuring that there is sufficient oversight and this office will provide that needed oversight. The Bill will fulfil Ireland's EU obligations, giving effect to pioneering AI regulation in domestic law while ensuring we have the national infrastructure to enforce it effectively. It establishes an AI office of Ireland as a strong independent institution at the centre of our AI regulatory system and empowers our competent authorities with the investigative and sanctioning tools they need. It is particularly fitting that today Ireland begins its six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU as this Bill sends an important message that Ireland is committed to responsible and human-centric AI innovation that fosters innovation and defends the rights of its citizens. We are still at a relatively early stage of AI and I do not think anyone can speak with certainty at this point about what the impact will be economically and more broadly. Different experts give different views on those issues. It is fair to say a wide range of outcomes are possible at this stage. We need to ensure that we are prepared as effectively as possible for all those outcomes and this office will be an important resource in meeting that challenge. As the Minister of State is aware, Article 73 of the AI Act requires our competent authorities to have adequate technical, financial and human resources. It is welcome that the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, has stated that this resourcing is vital and that funding will be provided in 2026 to establish the office. I also welcome her assurances that any additional resources needed can be met through the normal Estimates process. Members may be aware of the concerns raised in the lower House about the independence of the office given that the Minister of State has the power to issue policy directions. I welcome the Minister of State's confirmation that this power is limited and constrained, and does not extend to the key functions, the findings of the adjudicator, the determination of administrative sanctions or the role of the courts. That is a welcome and important clarification. I welcome the Bill. The establishment of an AI office is an important step in ensuring Ireland remains a global leader on the tech front. Having said that, as the Minister of State is aware, this is an area that is changing rapidly. We need to ensure that we are constantly monitoring it and adapting our legislation on a near-constant basis in the years ahead to ensure our legislative framework is suitable. --- Source: Houses of the Oireachtas. Licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). The Official Report is revised after first publication; the fetch timestamp below identifies the version quoted. Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-01/debate/main Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:08+00:00 Sitting date: 2026-07-01