Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-15
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Niamh Smyth (FF), Cavan-Monaghan

I thank Senators Stephenson, Higgins and Ruane, who I believe all spoke on the same matter the last day. The provisions in sections 32 and 33 are not new and do not create any precedents or special restriction on the AI office. They reflect an established model of accountability whereby senior officials and chief executives account for administration, governance and performance, while Ministers account for Government policy. The CEO is not prevented from appearing before Oireachtas committees, providing evidence, answering questions, identifying operational challenges or explaining the impact of policy decisions on the work of the office. The provision recognises that the assessment of Government policy is a matter for Ministers, who are democratically accountable to the Oireachtas. The CEO remains entirely free to explain how a policy is being implemented, the resources required to implement it, any operational difficulties arising in the implementation and the practical consequences for the work of the office.
The distinction has been blurred between commenting on the effect of policy and commenting on the merits of policy. Nothing in these sections prevents the CEO from informing an Oireachtas committee that a policy has operational consequences, that its implementation has challenges or that there are resource implications or unforeseen effects. The sections do not affect the ability of the office or the CEO to provide advice to the Minister under section 9(1)(f) or through other official channels. The Government will continue to benefit from the expertise of the office in the deployment and implementation of AI-related policy and regulation. These sections do not diminish the independence of the office; they preserve the constitutional and administrative distinction that has long underpinned accountability across the public service. The chief executive officer remains fully independent in carrying out the functions of the office and remains fully accountable to the Oireachtas for the discharge of those functions. However, Government policy is properly a matter for Ministers, who are elected representatives and are directly accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas for policies they adopt. For that reason, and in keeping with established governance arrangements across the public service, I cannot accept amendments Nos. 35 or 36.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-15/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:52:16+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-15