Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 October 2025
665. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which his Department is using, or planning to use, artificial intelligence tools; if AI tools are used in the administration of farm grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57127/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following Artificial Intelligence (AI) projects are used within the Department:
|
AI technologies |
Purpose |
Function |
|
Machine Learning |
Predicting the likelihood of TB outbreaks. |
Research & Development |
|
Deep Learning |
Image analysis for identifying species susceptible to H5N1 (Bird flu). |
Research & Development |
|
Customer Segmentation |
Customer Segmentation analysis for developing Agri-Food policies. |
Research & Development |
|
Logistic Regression Modelling |
Analysis for identifying risk factors for Microbial Food Safety. |
Research & Development |
|
Generative AI |
Analysing content to produce IT documentation. |
Research & Development |
|
Generative AI |
Automatically Preparing IT test scenarios |
Research & Development |
|
Generative AI |
Document Summarisation |
Research & Development |
|
Generative AI |
Data Generation |
Research & Development |
|
Knowledge Graph |
Tracing risk factors within the agri-food supply chain |
Research & Development |
|
Machine Learning |
Smart text analysis to prevent and contain data breaches. |
Operational |
|
Machine Learning, Neural Networks and Deep Learning |
Area Monitoring System |
Operational |
AI technologies are used in the administration of Farm support schemes to detect and contain data breaches and during the determination of eligible land using the Area Monitoring System (AMS).
The use of the AMS to monitor area-based schemes in EU Member States became mandatory on 1 January 2023. My department is monitoring area-based schemes using AMS. The AMS is the regular and systematic observation and assessment of agricultural activities and practices on agricultural areas by Copernicus Sentinel Satellite data. The system monitors all land parcels declared by farmers on their Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) applications.
All current and future AI use cases are subject to human review, data protection and governance measures. My department is committed to ensuring that any use of AI is informed by an assessment of any potential human rights and equality implications, with a need for careful management in accordance with privacy and broader ethical and legal frameworks. For operational and security reasons, my Department has been advised by the National Cyber Security Centre not to disclose details which could, in any way, identify potential vulnerabilities in Departmental Cybersecurity arrangements.
