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 Senator Higgins for speaking to this amendment and Senator Stephenson for putting it forward. I fully agree on the importance of co-operation and co-ordination between competent authorities in the implementation and enforcement of the AI Act. Indeed, one of the central purposes of the office is to facilitate co-operation, co-ordination and information sharing among the various authorities with responsibilities under the AI regulatory framework. However, I do not consider it necessary or appropriate to prescribe in primary legislation the detailed structures or operational arrangements proposed in the amendment.
The AI Act is a substantial and evolving regulatory framework and it is important that the office retains sufficient flexibility to develop co-operation mechanisms that respond to operational experiences and emerging needs. The amendment would establish a highly prescriptive statutory forum, including requirements relating to membership, meeting frequency, agenda items and dispute resolution processes between authorities. While these matters may be useful operational arrangements, I do not consider that they require specific provision within primary legislation. The Bill already provides the office with co-ordination and co-operation functions and enables it to support engagement between competent authorities and other relevant bodies. In practice, co-operation arrangements may need to evolve over time as the AI regulatory system develops and it is preferable the office has the flexibility to determine the most effective structures for achieving that objective. I am also conscious that aspects of the amendment overlap with co-operation obligations and institutional arrangements already provided for under the AI Act itself. Accordingly, I am satisfied that the existing provisions within the Bill provide an appropriate framework for co-operation and co-ordination and I do not propose to accept the amendment.

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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