Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 April 2025
204. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will identify any AI training offered to people working in the Department; the level of take-up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18426/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department first issued a policy document on the use of Generative AI to all staff in July 2023. That policy highlight some of the potential areas where Generative AI can deliver efficiencies but also set out the risks of using such technologies and the mitigations that staff in the Department must adopt to avoid those risks. This was based on guidance received from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
Since then some staff in my Department have attended AI related training courses made available by third party providers such as CeADAR, Irelands National Centre for AI. As these courses are generally free and enrolment is organised directly by staff members there are no formal records centrally maintained within the Department of the numbers of staff who have attended AI and related courses.
Some staff from my Department have also attended seminars and conferences (for example the Digital Government conference held in February 2025) where AI was a key focus.
The Department's original Generative AI Policy has recently been reviewed and an updated version is about to be issued to all staff which will encourage and foster greater use of Generative AI.
This initiative will also be supported by the development of additional end user training courses and a series of workshops will be led by the Department's ICT Unit over the coming months to explore and scope specific use cases for the use of AI within the internal businesses of the Department.
My Department led the development of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy - “AI – Here for Good”. As part of this Strategy, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) play a key role in providing advice and guidance on the deployment of AI tools across the public sector including to my Department.
The National AI Strategy and this cross-government engagement will continue to inform my Department's future approach in seeking to leverage A.I. in relation to the work and functions of the Department and training requirements and opportunities to support this will also be reviewed on a case by case basis.
