AI Advisory Council Member: Ireland Plans Legislation for Implementing EU AI Act
Ireland will announce plans to introduce a Regulation of Artifical Intelligence Bill in its spring legislative program that will enact the EU AI Act into the country's law, AI attorney Barry Scannell, wrote in a post on LinkedIn Thursday. "[S]till in its early stages," the legislation would enact the EU AI Act into national law, said Scannell, a member of the country's AI Advisory Council. The council was established in 2024 by the Minister of State for Digital to provide independent expert advice to the government on AI policy.
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The measure will designate Ireland's national competent authorities, those responsible for enforcing compliance with the act, Scannell said. They'll oversee risk classification, conduct market surveillance and set penalties for breaches, he added. "Given Ireland’s role as the EU base for major technology firms, including Google, Anthropic, Meta, and TikTok, the effectiveness of its enforcement regime will be closely scrutinised across the EU and beyond."
The bill will include provisions for penalties, though details remain unspecified, Scannell noted. For Ireland, "the challenge will be ensuring its enforcement framework has sufficient resources and expertise to oversee AI systems deployed within its jurisdiction." Tech industry leaders and legal experts will be closely monitoring developments, Scannell wrote.