Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 May 2026
527. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he has reviewed a report (details supplied) and the recommendations relating to future AI jobs planning, enterprise AI adoption, business guidance on EU AI Act compliance, the functions and remit of the proposed AI Office of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35230/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy, including the recommendations relating to the adoption, governance and impact of AI across the enterprise base.
Many of the issues raised in the report are reflected in the recently published National Digital and AI Strategy, Digital Ireland – Connecting our People, Securing our Future.
On enterprise adoption, research from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) points to the rapid pace of AI adoption in Ireland, including a doubling of AI-related jobs and usage since 2023. CSO data shows over 20% of enterprises used AI in 2025, up from 15% in 2024.
A key priority of the Strategy is to fast-track enterprise AI adoption to boost productivity and competitiveness. Actions for my Department include the development of a new targeted sectoral strategy to drive AI adoption across key sectors of the enterprise base. The AI – Good for Business Initiative, created with industry, is also designed to increase enterprise uptake of digital and AI. It includes a series of regional roadshows to showcase the benefits of AI adoption, and a nationwide AI and Digital literacy awareness campaign. An Observatory for Business AI Readiness (OBAIR) will be established to provide intelligence on the use of AI by enterprises.
There is also a commitment to review the full suite of existing Local Enterprise Office (LEO) digitalisation supports to assess their effectiveness.
In terms of guidance on compliance with the EU AI Act, my Department, in collaboration with CeADAR, developed a free online training course – “AI for You: Introduction to AI and the EU AI Act” – to help businesses understand what the Act means for them.
We also engage regularly with providers and deployers of AI through industry meetings and events and through guidance and tools available on the Department’s website. There is also a further compliance resource available through the EU AI Act Service Desk's Compliance Checker.
These measures are aimed at both raising awareness of upcoming regulatory obligations and ensuring our enterprises can move quickly to align with the new framework.
The AI Office of Ireland will be the central coordinating authority for the EU AI Act. A key function of the office will be to promote transparent and safe AI adoption, and it will provide clarity and regulatory certainty for enterprises and individuals.
The Office will also oversee a national AI regulatory sandbox, providing a supervised environment, balancing innovation with oversight, so that innovators can test solutions with compliance experts before market deployment. This oversight will help ensure that AI systems comply with the EU AI Act.
Finally, the Strategy also recognises the impact of AI on jobs. While AI presents significant opportunities, it is also a disruptive technology which poses the risk of job displacement, and it is likely that new types of roles will emerge. As a result, the development of new skills and capacities within the workforce is essential.
This is precisely why the Strategy commits to supporting workers in managing the impacts of potential job displacement by ensuring access to agile, fit-for-purpose and high-quality upskilling and reskilling opportunities.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is advancing a range of initiatives, including a commitment to upskill workers in roles which are likely to change as a result of AI. Further actions include establishing a National Skills Observatory, upskilling opportunities with SOLAS and Skillnet, a Technology Skills of the Future roadmap, and a national awareness campaign on digital and AI skills.
