Smyth welcomes new Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill

The Bill will give effect in Ireland to the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689)

The Government has approved the publication of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026, marking a significant step in Ireland’s implementation of the European Union’s landmark Artificial Intelligence Act and establishing the framework for the regulation and oversight of AI technologies at national level.

Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Peter Burke and Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation Niamh Smyth both welcomed the publication yesterday (June 17), describing it as a pivotal moment the digital regulatory landscape.

Once enacted, the Bill will give effect in Ireland to the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689), creating the domestic enforcement structures required to support the operation of what is widely regarded as the world’s first comprehensive regulatory framework for artificial intelligence.

A central feature of the legislation is the establishment of Oifig IS na hÉireann (AI Office of Ireland) as an independent statutory body that will serve as Ireland’s national coordinating authority for the implementation of the AI Act.

The EU AI Act entered into force in August 2024 and is being applied across Member States on a phased basis. The regulation applies directly throughout the European Union and places obligations on providers, deployers and importers of AI systems and models. The Irish legislation is intended as a technical implementing measure and does not introduce additional obligations beyond those already contained in the EU regulation.

Welcoming the publication of the Bill, Minister Smyth said the legislation is more than regulation alone. She said the establishment of the AI Office of Ireland will provide a world-class centre for AI regulation, expertise and innovation, reinforcing Ireland’s position as a leading participant in the global AI ecosystem and a host location for many of the world’s foremost AI model developers.

“It is about building the institutional foundations for a future in which AI works for people, ethically, transparently and accountably. The establishment of the AI Office of Ireland will give us a world-class focal point for AI regulation, innovation, and expertise. Ireland is a key player in the global AI ecosystem, home to many of the world's leading foundational AI model providers.”

Minister Smyth added that compliance with the EU AI Act would strengthen Ireland’s standing as a European centre of excellence for digital regulation and innovation. As the country prepares to assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU, she said the legislation reflects Ireland’s commitment to online safety and to fostering the responsible development and adoption of AI technologies both domestically and across Europe.

“As Ireland prepares to start its Presidency of the Council of the EU, meeting our obligations under the AI Act will strengthen our position as an EU centre of excellence and digital regulatory hub and demonstrate our commitment to online safety and to fostering and promoting responsible AI innovation and adoption both in Ireland and in Europe.”

The Bill aligns with the Government’s National Digital and AI Strategy, Digital Ireland - Connecting our People, Securing our Future, which outlines Ireland’s ambition to become a global hub for applied artificial intelligence supported by robust and proportionate regulation.

Comprising 10 Parts, 139 Sections and four Schedules, the legislation establishes a comprehensive framework for enforcement and compliance. It provides Market Surveillance Authorities with a graduated enforcement toolkit that begins with cooperative compliance measures and progresses, where necessary, to prohibition orders, seizure powers, administrative sanctions and criminal prosecution. The framework incorporates independent adjudication processes and court oversight throughout.

The legislation also empowers designated national competent authorities to receive complaints, conduct supervision and investigations, cooperate with other regulators, and impose administrative sanctions for breaches of the AI Act. A general administrative sanctions regime will be available to all Market Surveillance Authorities operating under Ireland’s distributed regulatory model.

In addition, the Bill includes provisions enabling the Central Bank to apply its existing administrative sanctions procedures to matters arising under the AI Act through amendments to the Central Bank Act 1942. Amendments to the Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2014 will also allow the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) to introduce a new administrative sanctions framework and exercise enforcement powers in its role as a Market Surveillance Authority under the AI Act.