James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if his Department is considering the development of a national data library such as that proposed in the UK AI Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18340/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is currently developing the Public Service Data Strategy 2030. The ambition of this strategy is to ensure that high quality public administrative data is routinely used for policy and service planning, and delivery of Better Public Services outcomes. A key enabler of this will be a fit-for-purpose public service data ecosystem and infrastructure which allows for timely access to public administrative data.

A number of international models and approaches to data access are being reviewed as part of the strategy development.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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183. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline the steps his Department is taking to improve data collection and database construction in anticipation of the increased data processing capacity that artificial intelligence adoption entails; if he will outline the logic behind their approach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18365/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In terms of my Department specifically, Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are looked at in the context of our wider data governance approach where data is viewed and treated as a strategic asset.

Ireland’s Data Governance Board (www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/72309-data-governance-board/#annual-reports) was established in 2021 (under the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019: www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/act/5/enacted/en/html) to assist the Public Service in positioning Ireland as a leader in the field of data governance including and provides advice in relation to policies regarding the strategic importance of data. The Board’s exemplary work was highlighted by the OECD’s recognition of Ireland’s progress in the 2023 Digital Government Index (www.oecd.org/en/publications/2023-oecd-digital-government-index_1a89ed5e-en.html) which placed Ireland in the Top 3 countries for data driven public service.

The Data Governance Unit (www.ogcio.gov.ie/en/corporate-pages/policy/data-governance/) in the Office of the Government CIO (OGCIO) provides guidance and frameworks to Public Service Bodies (PSBs), for dealing with public data, including strong data governance and standards for underpinning data workflows as well as support on the use of the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019 (www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2019/act/5/enacted/en/html). Ireland works to minimise duplication and waste by adopting the Once Only Principle () so that individuals and businesses need supply the same information/data only once to PSBs; allowing for the automation and provision of services across the public sector including compliance with GDPR. The adoption of AI will continue to leverage the significant investments made in areas such as data governance, systems and integrated platforms to provide the capability to gather and generate large amounts of data. We will continue to build on what is working well and introduce further fit-for-purpose complimentary structures/services to increase the collection, use and re-use of data to maximise value for money and improve outcomes through the use of AI.

This Department is currently developing the next Public Service Data Strategy 2025-2030 which will be an ambitious, implementation orientated strategy to address identified obstacles and respond to national and international trends, including AI. The strategy will place an emphasis on advancing key initiatives to provide real impact for policy makers so that they can harness data to inform public policy, improve services and monitor public sector performance. The strategy is being delivered as one of several priorities for our Department under Pillar 3 of Better Public Services – Evidence-informed policy and services designed for and with our public. The strategy will include actions to ensure a coherent, systemic approach to implementation of EU regulatory requirements including AI. Strong data governance with a focus on data quality, and the ethical use of data are key foundations for successful adoption of AI and this will be a key focus through the development of the next Public Service Data Strategy and its implementation over the coming years.

While each Department is responsible for any database development and stewardship specific to the responsibility of the department, there is a duty to safeguard the data that we gather and share and we must maintain the high levels of trust that the public has in Government. Therefore, we will continue to place a strong emphasis on our data governance and ethical frameworks when using AI. Again, this will be built on our existing governance arrangements, much of which were brought about through the last Public Service Data Strategy.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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184. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will identify any projects which the Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18382/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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CeADAR is Ireland’s national centre for AI and is an Enterprise Ireland and IDA funded technology centre established to support businesses and organisations in Ireland understand, adopt and leverage the benefits and value of AI and machine learning in a constantly advancing and evolving environment.

As the European Digital Innovation Hub for AI, CeADAR help Irish organisations explore and scale AI in the delivery of services, including those provided by public service bodies in their work on AI.

My Department collaborates with CeADAR to support Public Service Organisations who wish to embed AI and to identify and scale up suitable AI projects from across the sector. Through both the formal and informal networks that it maintains, DPENDR promotes AI courses, AI events and webinars, as well as informs public service bodies about potential AI funding competitions and resources. This includes promotion of the following CeADAR services:

• Test Before Invest Services: Which provides for the development of AI strategies and technical roadmaps, as well as prototype designs & development.
• Design and Build Services: The design and development of full-scale operational AI solutions to advance products or services.
• Skills and Training Services: Skills and training in three categories, AI for Executives, AI Essentials for Everyone, and AI Ambassadors.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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185. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will identify any projects which a body under the aegis of his Department has underway with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI; if he will send this question to the bodies for direct response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18400/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, CeADAR is Ireland’s national centre for AI and is an Enterprise Ireland and IDA funded technology centre established to support businesses and organisations in Ireland understand, adopt and leverage the benefits and value of AI and machine learning in a constantly advancing and evolving environment. As the European Digital Innovation Hub for AI, CeADAR help Irish organisations explore and scale AI in the delivery of services, including those provided by public service bodies in their work on AI. Neither my Department nor any of the bodies under its aegis currently have any specific projects underway with CeADAR.

More generally, the Deputy may wish to note that my Department collaborates with CeADAR to support Public Service Organisations who wish to embed AI and to identify and scale up suitable AI projects from across the sector. Through both the formal and informal networks that it maintains, my Department promotes AI courses, AI events and webinars, as well as informs public service bodies about potential AI funding competitions and resources. This includes promotion of the following CeADAR services:

• Test Before Invest Services: Which provides for the development of AI strategies and technical roadmaps, as well as prototype designs & development;
• Design and Build Services: The design and development of full-scale operational AI solutions to advance products or services; and,
• Skills and Training Services: Skills and training in three categories, AI for Executives, AI Essentials for Everyone, and AI Ambassadors.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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186. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will specify the specific policy areas where the Department is examining future use of AI; if he will identify what entities the Department is working with, public or private, in relation to this examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18417/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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With regard to the specific policy areas where my Department is examining the future use of AI, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), which is a Division of my Department, as part of its work to support the Better Public Services and related Life Events programmes, is working on the building blocks that make up Government as a Platform. One of those building blocks is AI oriented and ahead of any significant investment of development time and effort in the area of AI, the OGCIO undertook some research and development in 2024 of GenAI technology that could be made available to the Public Service. The research was focused on exploring the potential of a chatbot AI agent (aka HubChat) to access Government information already in the public domain.

The Department also undertook research to explore potential uses of AI, particularly Large Language Models, and their ability to summarise research, utilising a closed repository of existing publications. This work took the form of a limited proof of concept, developed with IBM. The Department will continue to explore and evaluate other policy areas where AI technology could be usefully deployed, on an ongoing basis.

Finally, I would also highlight that my Department is currently preparing advanced, practice-orientated Guidelines for the Responsible Use of AI in the Public Service, including Generative AI, and it is planned that these will be published shortly.

James Geoghegan (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will identify any AI training offered to people working in the Department; the level of take-up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18434/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to equipping its people with the necessary skills to navigate and leverage advancements in digital and AI technology. The Department recognises the importance of fostering a culture of learning and innovation, ensuring employees are well-prepared for the evolving demands of their roles. In that context, in 2024 and to-date in 2025, 22 individuals have participated in AI training, with further detail set out in the table below.