Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026: Committee Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-09
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Conor Murphy (SF), Industrial and Commercial Panel

I want to begin by acknowledging the letter from the Minister of State in relation to some of the points that I raised on Second Stage. I note the time pressure in relation to this so that it can take effect by 2 August. I also take some heart from her comments that there will be a phased approach to the implementation of the AI Act, and that it will be open to further measures as part of this work.
The number of amendments we are dealing with today highlights that there is a lot of work to be done in relation to this, even with the timeframe. I do not believe that we, as Senators, are getting sufficient opportunity to go through this in detail, to scrutinise and to try to bring some more issues to bear in relation to the Bill. That is always a danger when legislation is pressurised and rushed through so quickly, particularly in an area of such importance, one that has significant implications for people, as well as the running of this State and the various devices that the Government will use. The implications of the issues around the Minister, ministerial directions and the independence of a board still leave us with significant concerns.
We submitted amendment No. 12 to try to strengthen the calibre of the people on the board, and I have no doubt that good people will be sought for it. However, in relation to things like human rights, equality law, trade unions, workers' rights, consumer protection and civil society, we want to ensure there is a broad representation on the board. That is essential both to ensure the genuine independence of the new AI office and effective regulation. It is an amendment aimed at strengthening the board. Our concerns remain about the relationship between the Minister and the board and the sense of genuine independence.
We want effective measures in place. There are enormous opportunities with AI, but there are also enormous challenges and potential difficulties. We need to ensure that this country is not just a centre of tech companies but also a centre of regulation to ensure that we lead from the front in this regard. Our amendment is an attempt to strengthen that position in relation to the board.

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:11+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-09