68. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the plans his Department has to bring further legislation regulating the use of artificial intelligence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66953/26]

The EU AI Act establishes a harmonised, risk-based regulatory framework for AI systems developed, placed on the market or deployed in the European Union. Its objective is to protect health, safety and fundamental rights while supporting the development and uptake of trustworthy artificial intelligence. The Act entered into force in August 2024 and applies on a phased basis through to August 2028.

The European Union acted early to establish the world's first comprehensive AI regulatory framework. The AI Act was intentionally designed to be adaptable over time, with built-in review mechanisms allowing the European Commission and Member States to assess emerging risks, review prohibited practices and update the categories of high-risk AI systems as the technology develops. This ensures that the framework’s protections for safety and fundamental rights and the supports of innovation can evolve alongside advances in AI technology. The EU’s Digital Omnibus on AI legislation is an example of this evolution. The legislation was adopted in July and includes targeted amendments to the AI Act to address implementation challenges, simplify administrative requirements and extend the range of AI practices which are prohibited to strengthen protections for citizens from illegal and harmful content.

While the rules of the EU AI Act are directly applicable, Member States are required to establish national arrangements for its implementation, supervision and enforcement. Ireland has adopted a distributed model of regulation, which builds on the expertise and statutory functions of existing sectoral regulators, supported by a central coordinating authority.

The Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026, which commenced in July 2026, establishes the national structures required to implement and enforce the EU AI Act in Ireland. Together, the EU AI Act and the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 provide a comprehensive framework for the oversight and enforcement of AI systems.

Government previously agreed that implementation of the AI Act would proceed on a phased basis. The Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Act 2026 delivered the core institutional, supervisory and enforcement framework required for the application of the AI Act from 2 August 2026.

The remaining implementation measures will be incorporated into the Non-Personal Data Bill, which is included in the Autumn Legislative Programme.

The Government's focus remains on the effective implementation and enforcement of the EU AI Act. There are currently no plans to introduce separate national AI-specific legislation beyond the measures required to implement and enforce the AI Act.