Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2026
62. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will be recommending that the State explore publicly owned AI resources and technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12957/26]
View answerI welcome the Deputy's question and understand that the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence has recommended that the State explore publicly owned AI resources and technologies.
Examples of "publicly owned AI resources", include CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI which is funded by Enterprise Ireland and IDA . CeADAR works with a range of organisations, including startups and scaleups, established businesses, government and public sector, research and academia to enable them adopt and leverage the value of AI and machine learning. The State also makes significant investments in in the research ecosystem through Research Ireland. Under the EU AI Act, the AI Office of Ireland will be established as an independent statutory body, with €1.5 million in start-up funding. This Office will act as Ireland’s national focal point for the promotion and adoption of transparent and safe AI, and will play a central role in governance, coordination and innovation to ensure that Ireland fully harnesses AI for economic and societal benefit.
The Department of the Taoiseach will soon publish Ireland's new national AI & Digital Strategy. This will have a whole-of-Government approach covering key pillars including the delivery of public services, enterprise, digital infrastructure and skills. As AI is a cross-cutting technology, the recommendations have implications across a broad range of policy responsibilities spanning relevant line Departments.
When it comes to the exploration of publicly owned AI technologies, I believe this falls under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
