Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
193. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which gradual adoption of AI by businesses is being encouraged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45436/26]
View answerA key priority of the recently published National Digital and AI Strategy - Digital Ireland: Connecting our People, Securing our Future, is to accelerate the adoption of digital and AI technologies across our enterprise base to improve competitiveness and productivity.
Central to this is the AI – Good for Business initiative, which serves as an umbrella framework for AI and digital transformation supports within my Department. The initiative supports Irish businesses adopting artificial intelligence into their day-to-day work, and will:
• simplify access to information and supports about AI.
• show how AI is used in practice with real business examples and case studies.
• encourage gradual adoption by building awareness, skills and readiness
This approach is practical and step-by-step, helping businesses take up AI at a pace that suits their needs and ability.
A national awareness campaign and Ministerial roadshow, delivered in partnership with Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), is already underway. These roadshows are designed to demystify AI for SMEs by showcasing real-life business applications, demonstrating tangible benefits, and highlighting the practical supports available.
The roadshows also promote the Government’s Charter for Digital Inclusion, which encourages collaboration between large enterprises, SMEs and public bodies to build digital skills and address the digital divide.
The Government is also taking concrete action to support businesses at different stages of AI adoption. Existing supports include:
• The Grow Digital Voucher (up to €5,000) to assist small businesses in adopting digital tools, including AI;
• The Digital for Business Consultancy Scheme, which provides expert advice and tailored digital roadmaps;
• European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) across the country, which offer hands-on support to test and deploy advanced technologies, supported by an additional €23 million in funding;
• A wide range of upskilling and reskilling programmes delivered through CeADAR, SOLAS, ETBs, Skillnet Ireland and Springboard+.
These supports are under continual review to ensure they remain aligned with evolving enterprise needs.
Future plans include the development of a sector-focused AI adoption strategy, the appointment of AI Sector Champions to promote best practice, and the establishment of OBAIR (the Observatory for Business AI Readiness) to strengthen data and insights on enterprise adoption.
Progress is already evident. CSO data shows that over 20% of enterprises used AI in 2025, up from over 15% in 2024, while EU data indicates that 13.8% of Irish SMEs are using AI, above the EU average. Research from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs also highlights rapidly growing demand for AI skills across the economy.
Finally, the planned establishment of the AI Office of Ireland in 2026 will provide clarity and regulatory certainty through central coordination of the EU AI Act and support safe AI innovation, including through the development of an AI regulatory sandbox. My Department remains committed to ensuring that businesses of all sizes can adopt AI at a pace that is appropriate to them, supported by practical tools, skills development and a clear regulatory environment.
