Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2026
232. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment to provide an overview of the AI policy in place within his Department; if AI has been incorporated into any work streams; if AI is ever used in reply to parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58655/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has an approved policy for the use of Artificial Intelligence which is in line with DPENDR’s Guidelines for the Responsible Use of A.I. in the Public Service (2025) and the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Securing AI Adoption in the Public Sector Cyber Security Guidelines for AI Deployments (2026).
This policy establishes the principles, governance framework and oversight arrangements for the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the Department to enable innovation and efficiency while protecting public trust, personal data, security and legal compliance.
Following the completion of a recent AI pilot, Microsoft Copilot Chat is now being rolled out to all staff, subject to completion of mandatory AI training.
General use cases include:
• Drafting, summarising, or translating material that does not contain sensitive or restricted information
• Research and information gathering using non-sensitive data
• Productivity and administrative support tasks using approved tools
All outputs are subject to human oversight and are reviewed, verified, and validated by authorised personnel prior to any use.
