Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-15
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Alice-Mary Higgins (IND), National University of Ireland

The issues here are the same issues that have been highlighted before and concern the excessive control by the Minister in relation to the functioning of a body that should be independent. We previously highlighted that the Minister will get to determine certain elements. The Bill as drafted provides that the strategy statement would be submitted to the Minister. These amendments provide instead that it should be prepared in the form and manner that the office sees fit. They are trying to strengthen the independence of the office and the commission would, as soon possible after the publication of the strategy statement, make sure that it is laid before the Oireachtas. They would ensure that there is transparency in relation to the strategy statement and the Houses of the Oireachtas would have sight of that strategy statement as well.

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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