47. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which his Department is supporting Irish SMEs to adopt artificial intelligence, given Ireland’s position as the EU leader in AI diffusion as reported in the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN). [66682/26]

The recent report from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs highlights Ireland’s strong performance in AI adoption, while the European Commission’s 2026 Digital Decade Country Report recognises Ireland’s strong digital performance and its potential to further advance SME digitalisation, digital skills and cybersecurity.

Building on this progress, the new National Digital and AI Strategy, Digital Ireland: Connecting our People, Securing our Future, sets out a clear and ambitious roadmap for advancing Ireland's digital and AI capabilities in the years ahead, underpinning digital competitiveness as a foundation for economic resilience.

The Government is driving AI adoption through targeted supports and sector-specific initiatives, including the development of a new sector-focused AI adoption strategy, the appointment of AI Sector Champions to promote best practice and AI Sectoral Roadmaps.

The AI – Good for Business initiative provides a single national label through which industry partners, institutions and businesses can engage with AI adoption, while positioning AI as an accessible, trusted and growth-focused tool. This approach is practical and step-by-step, helping businesses adopt AI at a pace that suits their needs and capabilities.

As part of the initiative, a nationwide series of Ministerial roadshows, delivered in conjunction with the Local Enterprise Offices, is currently underway. These roadshows bring AI "down to earth" for SMEs by showcasing real-life success stories, explaining practical applications and highlighting the range of supports available.

The roadshows also highlight the Government's Charter for Digital Inclusion, which brings together public bodies, businesses and community organisations to support digital skills, awareness and adoption, helping SMEs and communities participate in Ireland's digital transformation.

These initiatives build on existing supports for SMEs, including:

• 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, which offer hands-on support to test and deploy advanced technologies.

• Cyber Security Grant, which SMEs can access up to 80% funding through a two-stage cybersecurity grant program run by Enterprise Ireland and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC); and

• A new dedicated cyber security website for SMEs - SME CORE has been developed by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).  The platform provides free, practical, and accessible guidance to help SMEs manage and understand risks.

These supports are under continual review to ensure they remain aligned with evolving enterprise needs.

The newly established AI Office of Ireland is promoting safe AI adoption, supporting innovation, and providing regulatory clarity for SMEs through implementation of the EU AI Act and the development of an AI regulatory sandbox.

As part of Ireland’s EU Council Presidency, an International AI Summit will be held on 14 October 2026, showcasing how AI can boost productivity, innovation and competitiveness across organisations of all sizes.